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I followed my father numbly to our cabin Once ere inside, he lit the lamp and then shut the door firmly as if he could shut out what had happened I spoke determinedly "Father, they killed that man" My voice shook

My father’s voice was thick but calm "Nevare, you don’t know that I saw the pellet shred his canvas But even if soe it would probably barely penetrate his skin"

I was suddenly impatient with his rationality "Father, even if they didn’t shoot him, they probably caused him to drown What’s the difference?"

"Sit down" He spoke the co than because I wished to obey him "Nevare, listen to me We don’t know that any pellet hit him We do not know that he drowned Unfortunately, the current is in coo back to be certain of his death, or his survival Even if we could go back, I doubt that we could be certain If he drowned, the river has taken hione by now" He sat down heavily on his bunk, facing me

I was suddenly at a loss for words The aht of the izard and the callous way in which the two hunters had ended his remarkable feat warred in ht, and that the wizard had escaped lasting hare hurt deep inside htlessly snuffed out a wondrous thing I had glimpsed hiiven anything, anything at all, to know the power that he channeled so effortlessly into his craft I claspedlike that again"

"It’s possible Wind wizards were never common"

"Father, those two deserve punishment Even if they didn’t kill him, they could have At the very least, they sank his boat and caused him needless injury with their recklessness For what? What had he done to them?"

My father did not answer my last question He said only, "Nevare, on a ship the captain is the law We must let the captain handle this Our interference could only make matters worse"

"I do not see how they could be worse"

My father’s voice was mild as he observed, "It could be worse if the Plainse over this incident If our captain is wise, he will swiftly shed those two and their guide, but before he does, he will see that they pay an ample amount of coin to the two Plains dishonorable about being bought off They feel that as no death can be righted and no insult co coin as an indication that the culprit wishes he could undo his mistake Let Captain Rhosher handle it, Nevare This is his command We shall not say or do any more about this incident"

I did not coument, but I could think of no better alternative At the next town, the hunters, their guide, and their trophies were unceremoniously offloaded I did not see the Plainsmen polemen after that, but I never found out if they quit or were discharged or simply took their bribe and left We picked up two more deckhands and departed within an hour The captain was obviously disgruntled about the whole incident None of us spoke about it again, but that is not to say it did not trouble ers for the rest of the journey The weather turned rainy and cooler As we slowly approached the juncture where the Tefa River ed Prairie gave way to grasslands and then forest We began to see foothills and beyond thereat rivers converged around a rich isthmus of land to form the Soudana River, which flows in a torrent to the sea Our plan was to diseer jankship for the remainder of our journey

My father was very enthused about this next leg of our trip It had beco parties to co all the country and staying at inns along the way Canby was gaining the reputation of being both summer resort and trade center, for it was said that the best prices in the west for Plainsworked goods and furs were there The jankships that , sailing, and cordelling went downriver a great deal faster Once they had been alhty-foot vessels were grandly appointed with elegant little cabins, dining and ga salons, and deck-top classes in watercolors, poetry, andof our journey to Old Thares on such a vessel, and my father had emphasized that he wished me to shoell in this, my first introduction to society