Strange Attractors - Kim Falconer [97]
This time he and the beautiful witch were hiking over lava fields, leading their mounts down a narrow path. Her horse had thrown a shoe as well and the hoof was bound in leather, protecting it from the obsidian, sharp as glass. Xane rubbed his head. He didn’t know what obsidian was. He cleared his throat. He wished he could clear his mind as easily.
Willem had stopped talking and was staring at him. He hoped he wasn’t waiting for the answer to a question. If so, Xane had no idea what it was. But Willem said no more. He checked the mare’s hoof and then the shoe, felt her pulse and noted the gouges in the saddle. Finally he spoke.
‘We send you off to deliver a letter and you come back as if from the border wars.’
‘Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.’ Xane started untacking the mare, surprised when Willem helped him. They curried and rubbed her down until she shone like black jade. Xane watered her again and turned her into her stall, filling her manger with an armload of hay. He smiled at the sound of her chewing and the languid swish of her tail.
‘And the shoe didn’t fit?’ Willem asked, watching the horse as well.
‘It was close, but not a proper fit. The hoof was shaped to match the shoe, and as it grew again to its natural contours, it created a lip. Just enough to catch on the edge of the pothole. The toe-clip was too thin as well. It’s a close call when drawing out the iron, I’ll admit, but…’
‘Are you saying you can do better?’ Willem asked, handing him the horseshoe.
Xane’s smile faded when it dawned on him who had shod her in the first place. He swallowed, running his thumb over the small w burned into the iron. ‘I didn’t mean to criticise the work, sir. She’s got a narrow lateral wall on the off fore. It’s a trick to get that right.’
‘You didn’t mean to criticise?’ Willem said, repeating the last word. ‘Narrow lateral wall?’ He frowned.
Xane avoided the other man’s eyes.
‘No criticism taken, Xane.’ Willem’s voice brightened. ‘Get yourself fed and then you can show me how you’d do it better. I want you to reshoe her. Shouldn’t be too hard with all your farrier knowledge.’
Xane stumbled. ‘Me?’
‘I’ll bring the Stable Master to watch as well. You can educate us both.’ Willem chuckled.
Xane swallowed and thanked him. He was about to panic when a warm glow swelled his chest. He gave a final pat to the mare’s rump and went to get cleaned up and find some food. He had no idea where the confidence was coming from, but there it was. At least he would go down smiling. He’d never shod a horse before in his life but for some strange reason he believed he could.
Grayson paced the length of the library, his bare feet soundless in the soft rug, his hands knotting into fists. ‘Even if I can separate the chromatin without destroying the histones, we need an electron microscope just to get a look at it. I can’t see DNA with a magnifying glass, for demon’s sake.’ He crossed his arms. ‘And it’s not like untangling a ball of yarn, you realise. I need the technology. Specific technology.’
‘Or magic,’ Kreshkali said. ‘If I can figure out the right kind.’
‘How small is this DNA again?’ An’ Lawrence asked, interrupting them. He picked at the knot securing his leg wrap.
Rosette swatted his hand away. ‘Stop it,’ she whispered.
‘How small?’ Grayson said. ‘Picture a single strand many billionths of a metre long.’
‘Oh.’ An’ Lawrence rubbed his head.
‘Can you picture it?’ Grayson pressed him.
‘Not really.’
‘Exactly my point.’
They fell silent. Rosette went to the window, avoiding Grayson’s eyes. ‘He’s close. I can feel him.’
‘Jarrod?’ Kreshkali asked.
‘Drayco.’ She turned to face her mother. ‘I don’t understand why I couldn’t go straight back to him. He’s insane with worry. He has no idea what happened to me. He might have even torn Teg apart for