Page 13 (1/2)

Tavi looked up froround his teeth and tried to push hiave out on him The pain was unbelievable He sank back into the snow and fuer A ht into the orderly crystalline rade steel, and the pain receded into the cal

"I'm tired," he said His own voice felt unfastened, so work"

Alera san to anshen the pool of water exploded into a cloud of flying droplets and angry spray

Tavi shielded his face against the sudden, icy deluge, and blinked at the pool as Kitai rose out of the water on a furycrafted column of liquid and dropped neatly to the cavern's floor She was a tall young worace Like that of most of the Marat, her hair was a soft, pure white She had shaved it close to her skull on the sides while leaving a long, singledown the center of her head, after the fashion of the Horse tribe of the Marat She was dressed in close-fitting blue and grey flying leathers The clothes quite adnificantly irl's Her canted eyes were a brilliant green identical to Tavi's own, and they were bright and hard

"Aleran!" she snapped, her voice ringing back fro, a fire that Tavi could feel inside his own belly

He winced

Kitai stalked over to hi to Tribune Cy me like a whore"

Tavi blinked Several times "Um What?"

"Don't you dare play innocent with me, Aleran," she spat "If anyone is in a position to know, it is Cyled to istica of the First Aleran Legion - but before circu Tribune Cymnea, she had been Mistress Cymnea, proprietor of the Pavilion, the finest house of ill repute in the caion

"Kitai," Tavi said, "I don't understand"

"Augh!" she said, and flung her hands in the air "How can such a brilliant commander be such an idiot?" She turned to Alera, pointed an accusing finger at Tavi, and said, "Explain it to him"

"I feel I am hardly qualified," Alera replied calmly

Kitai turned back to Tavi "Cy your people, that those ish to be wed to one another do not lie together before they make their vows This is a ridiculous custolanced at Alera and felt his cheeks waro about it, but it isn't what everyone always does"

"She informs me," Kitai continued, "that those of your rank commonly take courtesans to your bed for simple pleasure - and set such baubles aside once you have found a proper wife"

"I soether for years," Kitai said "We have shared a bed and pleasured one another on a daily basis For years And you are finally becoht actually burst into flame "Kitai!"