Grudgebearer (40 page)

Kholster leaned forward. “I know I, for one, am very interested in viewing some of the air-gardening techniques you've been using—”

“Of course. Of course.” Karl nodded. “We'll make ample time for that on your return trip.”

“But, Foreman,” Rae'en jumped back in, “if the matters you have are truly urgent, the Aern would be loath to—”

“It can wait,” Karl blustered. “No trouble at all. I have to look into this gambling business immediately. Would . . . would you and Kholster like an escort? I mean, if you're going to be attacked by these . . . assassins . . . in my domain, I—”

“We'll be fine, old friend.” Kholster interrupted, putting a hand on Rae'en's shoulder.

Well done
, his thoughts touched hers for an instant, and she repressed the urge to grin from ear to ear.

“It's settled then,” Kholster continued. “You're sure it would it give no offense, Karl, if we waited to spend time together on my return trip?”

Karl sighed. “We Dwarves are patient and I know your task weighs on your mind. On your return then?”

“You have my intention.”

“But not your oath?” Karl raised an eyebrow.

“Not this time, my friend, but I assure you the lack of my oath is no indication of my feelings toward you or your kingdom. We remain one people in peace and friendship as far as the Aern are concerned.”

“The Dwarves feel the same.” Karl nodded. “We are kin.”

Kin that apparently think it's great fun to set you up for assassination and then watch
, Rae'en grumbled to her Overwatches.

As they took their leave, Kholster unslung Grudge from his back and offered it to her. “Swap with me?”

It was a question, not a command, but she swapped weapons all the same, feeling guilty as she handed over Testament and felt Grudge's extra weight settle against her back. In her mind's eye she saw the weapon dropping through the seawater.
I will never drop it again.

I'm told that Karl bet long, which means either the assassins are particularly impressive this year, or there's some new wrinkle he doesn't think I'll be able to get around too easily
. Kholster's thoughts flowed into her mind.
Best to stay in easy communication range until we see what's going on.

Yes, sir.

Shall we run or take it slow?

Aren't we in kind of a hurry now?

Haste would not be inappropriate.

Run, then.
Rae'en breathed a sigh of relief. The desire to run through Bridgeland as quickly as possible and only pay real attention to it upon their return—when no one was trying to kill her—was what she craved.

Shall we make it something of a race then?

Done!
Rae'en burst ahead of him as she answered. Behind her, Kholster laughed and the world felt right again.

CHAPTER 37

THE BRIDGE RACE

We'll need rules
, Kholster sent Rae'en shortly after her head start.

Rules?
Rae'en thought back at him.

Kholster waited until she was out of sight, glad to see her happy, hoping it was the first step in putting his mistake at the Arena behind them both. Once she was clear, he jogged back to the courtyard catching Foreman Karl and his guards at the top of the one of the recessed stairs leading into the Underbridge, where only Dwarves were allowed.

A guard tapped Foreman Karl, and he turned as Kholster approached.

“Forget something, old friend?”

Yes.
Kholster thought back to Rae'en.
Rules. Otherwise it's only an endurance test.
To Karl, he said: “They can try to kill me, Karl, and it doesn't even chaff my skin, but her—”

“Kholster,” Karl smiled broadly, arms wide. “This gambling and assassination, I'll admit I'd heard rumors, yes, but—”

Closing with the Foreman, Kholster chose to ignore the nearby guards moving as if to intercept him. Karl's surreptitious waving them off told Kholster all he needed to know, but he had to play it out. Sometimes other sentients insisted on seeing these social interactions through even when the outcome had already become heartshot certain.

So Kholster leaned in close to the elderly bridge Dwarf, keeping his voice light, eyes bright and smiling. Doubled canines peeking out like swords with only an inch of steel showing above the scabbard—a threat . . . but one that could be denied.

“I can't die, Karl.” Kholster's words tumbled out. “But she can. She's just realized it herself, and I need to give her time to move past it.”

And in a straight endurance test you'd automatically win
, Rae'en thought back.

“Then shouldn't you let her get right back in the mine and swing the pick?” Karl firmly but gently pushed Kholster back, and Kholster let him.

“Maybe I'm the one who has to get used to it,” Kholster said as he stepped back.
Probably. If this is going to be fun, it should also be fair
, he sent to Rae'en.

“What do you want me to do, I can't be everywhere at—”

“You think I don't know about your fly spies,” Kholster scoffed, pointing directly at one of the minute bronze insects with its translucent wings, “or those scrying posts?” His gaze shifted, looking for one and not finding it right away. “I've ignored them in the past, but now I need you to use them to keep her safe.”

“And if I don't?” Karl tucked his thumbs into his belt.

“I think you will.”

“Are you threatening me?” The warmth in Karl's voice chilled but did not altogether vanish. His pupils widened.

Fair how?
Rae'en asked.

You tell me
, Kholster shot back.

“I shouldn't have to.” Kholster spread his hands wide. “But . . . ‘the Eye that spies on me, I shall pluck out.' It's not an oath, but it is a . . . firm opinion. A warning.”

Well, I have to sleep for three
— Rae'en's thoughts touched his mind, and Kholster liked the edge of bemusement which accompanied them.

Four.

Four
, Rae'en admitted,
hours each day, so . . .

“So you're putting me in charge of your daughter's protection or you . . . what? Attack? Declare war?”

“Will be exceedingly disappointed in you.” Kholster let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. “Just keep an eye on her and let me know if she gets into any trouble . . . in time for me to do something about it or to decide to let her handle it.” Kholster bowed low. “Please? One father to another?”

So we break for four hours every nineteen
, Kholster thought at Rae'en.

“Ha!” Karl clapped him on the shoulder. “The day Kholster said, ‘Please.' Very well. For that reason alone I'd have agreed.”

This isn't the way to handle it
, Vander thought.
This is for you and not for her.

I know
, Kholster answered as he turned to chase his daughter and make up some ground.
I know.

*

As far as Rae'en could determine, the buildings of Bridgeland came in two varieties: the elegant well-constructed buildings owned or operated by Dwarves and the blocky ones. Dwarven construction could appear anywhere and in any shape, though she noticed that the bridge Dwarves seemed to incorporate more domes and spires than Uncle Glin's architects might have done. Some buildings ran directly up to and through the exterior walls of the bridge itself, particularly at the tram stations. Buildings built by other cultures tended to have shingled roofs or square construction, came within no more than one hundred paces of the wall, and seemed to try to reach as high as they could without being higher than the bridge walls.

Rae'en determined very quickly that regardless of the architect or homeowner, no one liked an Aern running across their roof.

Maybe it's the boots
, she thought to her Overwatches. Even so, Rae'en wanted to be up on the wall proper, so she could look down at the vast expanse of sea. She knew she wouldn't catch a glimpse of the fleet, but that didn't stop her wanting to try. One part of her wanted to be out there with them, to see the look on Uncle Glin's face around all that water. Then again, another part of her didn't like the idea of being surrounded by water ever again.

So we break for four hours every nineteen
, Kholster thought back at her. She'd half-wondered if he'd been attacked, he'd been quiet for so long.
Probably something to do with the fleet more likely
, she thought at her Overwatches.

Who keeps the time?
she thought at her father. Still moving at a full run, she broke past the initial welcome area of the pedestrian portion of the Junland Bridge, the ornate tile giving way to smooth road with grass on either side. Rae'en let her course drift northeast off the road in hopes of seeing one of the commercial trams.

You tell me.

Bloodmane
, she thought as she jumped a fence onto a plot of farmland. Dwarves and humans worked the field together harvesting red corn and some other plants. To her it was just cattle feed.
AND you have to pass along to me the correct time from Bloodmane as soon as reasonably possible given your current circumstances when I ask.

In the distance, steam-powered monsters of brass and steel lurched through farmland, filling their metallic maws with produce from the fields. Overhead a dwarvenfly buzzed low, its bronze-colored body gleaming like molten metal in the sun. It swooped low enough for her to see the Dwarven pilot, then, having apparently identified her and judged it acceptable for her to be where she was, it flew higher, banking off to the west to continue its patrol.

Perhaps.
Kholster answered.
We'll work out the exact wording of the oath, if we truly need one, to make sure it's fair and decent. For the keeping of the time, I agree to trust Bloodmane if he agrees to do it.

Why wouldn't he?
Rae'en puzzled that one over as she reached a stream of freshwater running through a stone trough at the edge of the farmland. She jumped it in a single bound, barely wondering at the deep drains she saw at its center.

I think he will be happy to help
, Kholster thought,
but it will be a request, not an order.

O-kay, Dad.
He was getting so weird about Bloodmane lately. Weird about her, too. He didn't exactly say anything, but she felt it. If only she hadn't fallen off the cursed wall and into that water. She wanted to blame it on Grudge, but if Kholster hadn't forced her to exchange weapons, she would have drowned.

Or maybe not. Maybe I'd have just had quiet in my mind, not knowing if he saw me until the All Recall, when he decided my body could fight better without my mind in it. Or maybe I would not have fallen in the water at all.
It hurt her head to think about it.

Any other rules?
Kholster asked.

Huh?
Speeding her pace as she approached the northeastern wall of the Junland Bridge, Rae'en felt that same queasiness in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't the mass of stone but the abrupt angle of it, jutting straight out of the ground on the other side of the tram tracks.
How can I even get up there?

Jogging along the edge of the tram line, Rae'en watched as long flatbed cars on metal wheels hauled goods along the rails. Was it steam-driven? Magic? Either way the rhythmic clacking of the wheels on the rail reminded her of some of the group percussion rounds she practiced back home with her squad, all of them pounding their implements against the ground, relaying bits of stories or poems.

Workmen—Dwarves, humans, gnome, manitou, and even the occasional humanoid she'd never seen before and didn't have a proper name for—noted, but did not seem too concerned about, her passing. After all, they had Token Hundreds of Aern at the gates . . . they'd seen Aern before.

Do you have any other rules to suggest?

What other rules need there be, Kholster?

I've found in many competitions
, Kholster thought,
it is fun to add an extra dimension to the task . . . to measure a nonphysical trait like creativity or time management. It helps
—

Even the hunting ground. Yes, I can track that. Time management. Creativity . . .

Do you have another rule to suggest?

You have to buy me a present?
She thought it as she saw the sign for Midian and liked the idea immediately. Kholster was always a great gift giver, but with only a little notice . . . She smirked.

Ha! I'm not sure how that
—he thought back.

—I mean we each have to buy the other a present . . . in Midian. Not something expensive. We set a price limit, but the present is judged on originality and thoughtfulness and is weighed into the final results by . . . Zhan?