Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [147]
“Well, now,” Frie said, “if it be the Slavers that they've marked out—”
“Don't be a fool!” Burra snapped. “Mayhap they will conquer the Slavers first. Then we'll be next.”
“I do agree with that,” Admi said, “but it behooves us to give them a hearing before we reach a judgment. As for your woman, Verro, this be not the time to pass a final judging on her deeds, either. She too shall have her chance to speak to us and the town. I'd have you keep her close by until then.”
“So would I.” Verrarc could hear the rage in his voice. “You have my word on that.”
Still they watched him, but perhaps their eyes had softened. He could not be sure, and no more could he be silent.
“I took her in out of the snows,” Verrarc went on. “Should I have let her freeze to death? I knew not where she'd been, any more than any of us knew. Lady Zatcheka did bring us the first news any of us heard of this Horsekin war against the Slavers. Would any of you have thought that she'd been among the Horsekin? I doubt me—”
“Hush!” Admi held up one broad hand. “None of that has the least import now.”
The other councilmen nodded their agreement. Their expressions had changed to pity, Verrarc realized, a sickening, condescending sort of pity. Involuntarily he took a step back, as if their feeling were a blow.
“Very well.” Burra took up the question again. “Let us think on the problem at hand. Remember what that filthy sorcerer did, threatening that little lass? How dare we let them into the town? Do we want our citizens to tear them apart and have the wrath of the Horsekin come down upon us for it?”
“That be a true fear,” Admi said.
“What say you all to this?” Burra went on. “We go down to the south gate and meet there, just inside the wall. If the crowd turns ugly, then the Horsekin may flee for their lives whilst we shut the gates.”
“Just so.” Hennis nodded. “And truly, perhaps we should summon the townsfolk to hear them out. The day for voting draws near, bain't?”
“Tomorrow,” Admi said. “I do keep tally.”
“Well, then, let the rakzan plead his case for all to hear, to spare us the time and trouble of repeating it at council fire.”
“Splendid!” Frie clapped his enormous hands. “I do agree with that.”
In general agreement the council meeting broke up, Admi and Hennis to summon the Horsekin emissaries, Burra and Frie to cry the news through the town. Verrarc hurried back to his house.
By then Raena had risen; he found her in the bedchamber but dressed, sitting by the window while she ate a bowl of milk and bread. When he came in, she laid the spoon in the bowl and put it down on the windowsill. In the sunny light her hair gleamed with bluish highlights like a raven's feather. Once he had loved the midnight color of her hair, but now the thought of ravens made him shudder.
“Good morrow, my love,” Raena said. “You be out and about early this morn.”
“So I was. The council did need to come to some decision about the Horsekin emissaries. Rae, the mood of the town be ugly about this. We did deem it best that they stay near the gates—for their own sake.”
“Once the folk hear Kral out, they'll be less a-feared. Would it be seemly if I did speak to the citizens as well?”
“It wouldn't. I do think it best you stay here at the house and not go down.”
“What?” Raena got up with a toss of her long hair. “I do wish to hear the proceedings!”
“Indeed? Why? No doubt you already ken every word this rakzan will be saying.”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“What I did say. Or did you talk of naught when you were a-bringing them here?”
She went pale and silent.
“You understand me,” Verrarc went on. “Do you believe me blind, that I'd not see which way your loyalty falls?”
“You know not the whole of it!” She laid a soft hand