jr.shapechangers-第28章
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rs； dwarfing the small tents she had seen at the raiding camp。 Each had its own firepit before flapped entrances； but smoke drifted from the poled peaks and she realized smaller fires were tended within。 Each pavilion； regardless of its color； bore a painted animal on its sides。 By the shapes she could know what lir lived were。
The curving wall of undressed； unmoitared stone hugged the shoulder of a craggy mountain。 The half…circle blended into thick； sheltering trees。 Alix realized such anonymity was we safety of the Cneysuli。
Duncan halted we horse before a green pavilion。 She looked for the hawk painting on its side but saw only a wolf。 She stiffened。 〃Why do we stop here？〃
**I would see my ra/Ao；〃 he said quietly； slipping from the horse。 He turned to lift her down。
〃Why？ I want nothing to do with Finn。〃
Duncan eyed her thoughtfully。 〃When last I saw him； he was feverish from the wounds gotten in the forest battle。〃 His mouth was firm。 〃Wounds won protecting you。〃
Chastened； Alix slipped silently into his arms and allowed him to lead her into me pavilion。
Finn was stretched out on a pallet of wick furs； wrapped in a soft woven blanket。 As he saw them he hoisted himself up on one elbow and grinned at her。
〃So； my ruifw managed to win you away from the wealth of Homana…Mujhar。。。 and Carillon。〃
She had been prepared to wish him well； feeling guilty over his injuries gotten in her behalf。 But now； facing hie mocking eyes and words； her good intentions evaporated。
〃I came willingly enough； when my grandsire called me
shapechanger witch and threatened to have me slain。'*
〃I soul your place was with us； meijha； not among me walls of Shame's palace。。。 or within me princeling's arms。〃
She glared at him。 〃You do not look feverish to me。〃
He laughed。 〃I am fully recovered； meijha。 Or nearly。 I wiu be plaguing you soon enough； when I am on my feet。〃
〃You do not require feet to do that！〃 She scowled at turn。
〃You need only be in my presence。〃
Finn grinned and ran a hand through his hair。 She saw his eyes were alert and unclouded by illness； though his color was not as deep as usual。 Inwardly she was grateful he had not been badly injured； but she would not say it to him。
〃Will you two never admit peace between you？〃 Duncan growled。 〃Must I ever seek to placate you； one at a time？〃
〃She is a woman； nyfco；〃 Finn said airily。 〃And they are ever me cause of much agitation。〃
Before Alix could answer Duncan put a firm hand on her shoulder； pressing gently。 She said nothing； but saw Finn's eyes narrow suspiciously。 Alix could not keep her face from turning bright red。
He smiled slowly； watching her； eyes very bright。 He was not stupid； she knew。 He looked at Duncan with a blank mask on his face。
〃Malina has conceived。〃
Duncan's hand bit into Alix's shoulder。 She stared at him in surprise； seeing him go pale beneath his Cheysuli coloring。 She was new to a woman's intuition for her mate。 but understood instantly that something had deeply shaken him。
〃Is it certain？〃 Duncan asked in a peculiar voice。
Finn nodded。 〃She is four months gone。〃 His face twisted
mockingly。 〃Was it not four months ago when she fumed from
you to Borrs； and took him as her cheysuH〃
〃I count； Finn！〃 Duncan said angrily。
The younger man looked at Alix's unprehending face。 He smiled more broadly。 〃And now Borrs is among me soulless men； seeking his death…ritual。 Malina is free again。〃
Instinctively Alix reached for Duncan's clenched fist。 But he withdrew his hand from her seeking fingers and stepped away； putting distance between them。
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〃Has she declared me unborn child before Council yet？〃 he asked harshly。
Finn； solemn again； shook his head。 〃She has been in formal mourning for the last three days； since she learned of the news。 But it will have to be a brief mourning； if she is to take another cheysul。〃
〃Did Borrs know of the child？〃
Finn hunched a shoulder。 〃He said nothing of it to me。 But men he knew you and I are close； ruifw； and he would hardly speak of such a thing to the rujholli of the man who first had his。 cheysula。 Would he？〃
〃Then she has not named theye/ian。〃
A mocking glint crept back into Finn's eyes。 〃Perhaps even Malina does not know the jehan of her unborn child； rujho。 Do you？〃
Alix stepped toward him。 〃What do you say？ What has this to do with Duncan？〃
〃It would be better； perhaps； he told you himself。〃
〃Tell me！〃
Finn slid a glance at his silent brother； men nodded slightly。
His smile was wolfish and triumphant。 〃Duncan would have
asked for formal clan…rights of Malina next year； taking her as
Us cheysula。 She had been his since I can say。。。 in me clans
children are close and often wed when they are of age。〃 He
scratched at an eyebrow。 〃But Borrs also wanted her； and when
。 Duncan wished to wait because of being clan…leader； Malina
'… did not。 I cannot account for a woman's whim to punish one man
by taking another； but it is what she did。〃 He looked intently at Duncan。 〃Yet now Borrs is among the soulless men； clanless； and she is free to choose again。〃 He paused significantly。 〃Or ' be chosen。〃
Alix； aware of Finn's natural perversity； sought me truth in
UDuncan's eyes。 He turned from her and went out the flapped
entrance； saying no word…
l Finn's low laugh stung her。 Alix turned on him； furious； fist t… uprasied in his direction。 But he laughed again； amused by her action； and she dropped the hand back to her side。 〃Why？〃 she asked。 〃Why do you punish me this way？〃
He sat up； crossing his legs beneath his blanket。 He wore no
jerkin and she saw the bronze of his。broad chest was ridged with
； wars。 The wound in his shoulder was unbound but healing； and
she recalled again his savagery as he slew the guardsman who would have slain her。
； 〃So；〃 he said in a low； taunting voice； 〃you recognize me
； lahlmorra in yourself at last。 I see you have chosen my rujholli
after all； forsaking even Carillon。 Only now Duncan returns to
his first woman。〃 He ducked his tongue。 〃Poor little meiifia。〃
〃I require no pity from you！〃
〃Duncan differs from me in many ways； mei jha； particularly
in his women。 He has long been satisfied with Malina； requiring
no others。〃 He shrugged。 〃I take a woman where I will； freely。
Save for you； they have never denied roe。〃
〃What do you say 1〃
〃That Duncan makes a lire…bond when be takes a cheysula。 If
Malina is offering clan…rights with proven fertility； he would be a
fool to deny her。〃 He stretched idly； cracking tough sinews。
〃My ruifw is many things； but he is not a fool。〃 Finn grinned at
her。 〃Do not worry； mei jha。。。 I will still have you。 You will
not be lonely。〃rB
She longed to scream at him but did not。 Somehow she
summoned a regal elegance； even in a torn and stained gown。
〃I am Hale's daughter。。。 I believe it now。 Therefore I am
Cheysuli。 Therefore I have free choice of any man； rujholli； and
I tell you now＋you would be the last warrior I would ever
consider。 The last。〃
Alix left him feeling a strange satisfaction that she had so
easily bested him。 The look on this face had assured her victory。
But me satisfaction faded as she recalled me cause of it。 Outside
Finn's green pavilion； Alix bugged herself and longed for Duncan。
Cai drifted down from the skies。 e with me； liren。
Where？ she asked dully。
To my lir。
Your lir seeks the pany of another woman。
Cai's tone was exceedingly gentle。 You are weary and filled
with sorrow and confusion。 e with me。
Silently Alix followed roe bud across me Keep to a slate…
colored pavilion embellished with a painted gold hawk。 As Cai
settled on his polished wooden perch she pulled me doorflap
aside and went in。
Duncan had filled his pavilion with duck soft pelts and a
richly embroidered tapestry。 Alix stared at it blankly； unable to
decipher toe runes and odd symbols stitched in the blue pattern。
Then she knelt before （be ash…filled firecaim。
She felt very small。 An ague seemed to have settled in her
bones； rattling them even as she sought to calm herself。 Her
breath seemed to have gone pletely； repeated g
