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Just talking about her had changed his expression, and Zelandoni had a momentary sense of the almost obsessive love he felt for this woman called Ayla It concerned her, raised all the protective instincts she felt for her people—particularly this person—as the voice, surrogate, and instrument of the Great Earth Mother She knew the powerful e up, and finally learned to keep under control But a woman he loved that much could hurt him terribly, perhaps even destroy hi woman who had captivated him so completely Just what kind of hold did she have on him?
“How can you be so sure she’s right for you? Where did you meet her? How much do you really know about her?”
Jondalar sensed her concern, but so that worried hihest ranked spiritual leader of all the zelandonia, and she was not First for nothing She was a powerful woreatest concern he—and, he knew, Ayla, too—had had during their long and difficult Journey to his home hether or not she would be accepted by his people For all her exceptional qualities, there were sos about her that he wished she would keep secret, though he doubted that she would She could have enough difficulties—and probably would have fro the enmity of this particular woman Quite the opposite, more than anyone Ayla needed the support of Zelandoni
He reached out and held the shoulders of the wo to persuade her, somehow, not only to accept Ayla but to help her, but he wasn’t sure how Looking into her eyes, he couldn’t help re the love they once had shared, and suddenly he knew that, as difficult as it ht be for hi would
Jondalar was a private s; it was the way he’d learned to control his powerful emotions, to keep them to himself It was not easy for him to talk about them to anyone, not even someone who knew him as well as she did
“Zelandoni…” His voice softened “Zolena … you knoas you that spoiled me for other women I was hardlywo hts of you, but you made mine come true I burned for you, and when you cah of you My first manhood was filled with you, but you know it didn’t end there I wanted h it was forbidden, I loved you, and you loved me I still love you I will always love you
“Even afterwards, after all the trouble we caused everyone, andme to live with Dalanar, when I caered for you lying spent beside another woered for more than your body I wanted to share a hearth with you I didn’t care about the difference in age, or that no man was supposed to fall in love with his donii-woman I wanted to spend my life with you”
“And look what you would have gotten, Jondalar,” Zolena said She was ined she could be anyood look? I’ to have trouble getting around I’oes on You are young, and so good to look at, women ache for you The Mother chose row to look like her That’s fine for Zelandoni, but at your hearth, I would have been just a fat old wo man”
“Do you think I would have cared? Zolena, I had to travel beyond the end of the Great Mother River before I found a woine how far that is I would do it again, and more I thank the Great Mother that I found Ayla I love her, as I would have loved you Be good to her, Zolena … Zelandoni Don’t hurt her”
“That’s just it If she’s right for you, if she ‘compares,’ I couldn’t hurt her, and she wouldn’t hurt you, could not That’s what I need to know, Jondalar”
They both looked up as the drape over the entrance waspacks, and saw Jondalar holding the shoulders of an enor disconcerted, al
What was it about the way Jondalar was looking at the woman, about the way his hands had held her shoulders? And the woman? In spite of her size, there was a seductive quality to the way she held her body But another characteristic quickly asserted itself As she turned to look at Ayla, she moved with a sense of assurance and con of her authority
Observing s was second nature to the young woman The Clan, the people who raised her, did not speak priestures, and nuances of facial expression and stance When she lived with the Mae had evolved and expanded to include understanding the unconscious signals and gestures of those who used spoken language Suddenly Ayla kneho the wo important had transpired between thea critical test, but she didn’t hesitate
“She’s the one, isn’t she, Jondalar?” Ayla said, approaching them
“I’er