Page 49 (1/1)

The bleakness of the vision -- of the life -- she had just proposed made Briar’s breath catch in his throat She wants to break Evvy to the rein like a, a horse, he realized, suddenly furious Battling his te he would kick himself for it later if he opened his inal earth and e, dark eyes squarely "My lady, if you bought this tree because you thought I would force Evvy to live with you in exchange, I’d better take it home," he said, his voice flat "She’s settled within the long run, and we’re going to take Evvy back to her home province e do" They’d discussed no such plan, but Briar thought it hty pair an excuse to back off before things got truly ugly

Lady Zenadia sat up straight and planted her feet on the ground Bracing her hands on her thighs, she asked in a cold, chilly voice, "Do you think to defy me, boy?"

Briar didn’t even blink under her hard stare "Shall I take the larch home, my lady?" he inquired, rather than answer so foolish a question Of course he was defying her He would do it with pleasure and an overturning of all her carefully raked and planted greenery, if it came to that It was time she learned that people who came from poorer homes were not toys to play with

Moments that felt endless passed as she silently tried to break his gray-green gaze with her dark one Jebilu actually shrank back in his chair Finally the lady flapped a hand in disgust "No I have purchased that tree, and I will keep it"

For a single copper dav he would have taken the larch hoht think of Lady Zenadia and her dealings with huardeners They would tend his tree well No doubt she would even hire another miniature tree expert to serve only her Also, he had istered the sale with the keepers of the souk He didn’t want to get a reputation for bad dealing

The conversation, at least as far as he was concerned, was over He quit the staring contest and returned to the larch Eventually the lady and Jebilu discussed about events and people Briar had no interest in He worked carefully, not allowing his fury to distract hie would flourish At last the larch was settled and eagerly drinking the water he’d given it, wriggling its roots around to fit its new dish Briar cleaned up, stowing everything neatly, then shouldered his bags

A black silk purse had appeared on the wall beside the larch Briar opened it and counted its contents, aware that Jebilu and Lady Zenadia watched him All of the money was there He poured out the coins and put the the silk purse ehtful payment He bowed to the lady and to Jebilu, then walked away

On the way out, he stopped once arden, looking at its plants and trees with a careful eye There was freshly turned earth near the bases of two trees, a prickly juniper and a short-leafed cedar, he saw

What do they feed you? he asked theround?

They still had no words for it Briar shook his head wearily and followed his guide to the servants’ gate

12

As he loaded the donkey and mounted his horse, all Briar could think of was home Visions of soup, fruit, maybe a roasted cook-shop chicken floated before his ood, too He wanted the scent of the lady’s house off his skin He didn’t knohy, but the place had given him the crawls It was as if he’d been asked an i

I don’t want to know the answer, he told hiate I’ to solve the world’s troubles, or Tris, poking about for secrets Daja has the right of it: keep business to yourself and your clan, and get on with life There’s no point in sticking odlike detachates closed behind him It was then that he saw five Vipers squatted in the small, unsheltered bay in front of the tradesirl Ayasha he had flirted with the day the Ca here?" he de to show her diet about" She lifted her skirt above her knee, showing hiood work you do?"

Briar looked -- she had very pretty legs, particularly without sores from scratched flea bites -- but his heart wasn’t in it He also didn’t like the silver ring and garnet in her nose Did that mean she was expendable to the Vipers, like Douna?

"Why are you here?" he asked again "This isn’t Viper ground"

Ayasha shrugged "She sent for us and we caood puppies Will you be here for the Festival of First Rains? It’s at the next full "

Briar didn’t hear her invitation The knowledge that the lady had suht -- and they had come -- burned him like acid Would she step in if they were picked up by the Watch? Would she care if any of the in a part of tohere gangs were not welcoh Briar’s veins He dis the horse’s reins in one hand The donkey, its lead rein tied to the horse, gru on the dirt before the lady’s gate The horse did the same