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.How wouldthey act toward people who looked and thought so differently?She shivered, longing to run with this information to Harjeedian or Meiyal, to pass on the responsibility to anyoneelse, but she must risk remaining long enough to hear what Barnet decided.Barnet had paused, even his fingers on the strings stilling as he thought.Now the music resumed, but the tune wasno longer light."We did go out for those reasons," Barnet said slowly, "but I don't think this is the way to get honor and treasure.Itjust doesn't feel right.I've been living up here among the disdum, and while lots of them are unhappy with LadyBlysse's visit to Misheemnekuru, not many talk like this aridisdu.""But Barnet& " Elwyn whined like a child."You've gotta come with us.Waln says we'll need the extra hands."Rahniseeta heard the instrument put aside, a chair being pushed back."I'll come with you," Barnet said, "though I'm not promising to take part in this mad venture.Maybe I can talk somesense into Waln Endbrook's head.At the least I'll learn if this aridisdu really thinks going to Misheemnekuru isn'tsacrilege.Bide a moment while I get myself ready."Rahniseeta did not dare wait any longer.Moving with great care to stay silent, she fled.RAHNISEETA'S FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO CONFIDE IN HARJEEDIAN, BUT THEN SHE REMEMBERED THAT HER BROTHER WAS AWAY ANDmight not be back for hours.Although she had served them, she was not close to either the ikidisdu or iaridisdu of theTemple of the Cold Bloods.Moreover, her head spinning with what she had just learned, blending with warnings notto confide what she knew about Dantarahma's cabal to anyone lest that person be a secret member, she had begun tosee enemies in even the most familiar faces.She went to her suite, but it was indeed empty.As she changed into darker clothing, hardly knowing why she wasdoing so, she laid her plans.Harjeedian was away.Derian had not yet returned from inquiring after the white mare and might not return untiltomorrow.Lady Blysse was either with Tiridanti and Truth or vanished somewhere.She was a great wanderer by night,and in any case, Rahniseeta did not fancy trying to explain this to the strange woman.That left Meiyal, iaridisdu of the Horse, and her clerk as the only ones privy to the secret who might be reached.However, it would look very odd if Rahniseeta went to the Temple of the Horse at this hour.Looking odd was not agood thing.Moving into the suite, Rahniseeta took writing implements and began writing letters.One was to Harjeedian andgave an account of what she had heard but nothing more.The second was to Derian, and included her suppositionsthat this newest development might somehow be connected to Dantarahma.She had to be rather cryptic about this last,omitting names other than that of Shivadtmon.Derian was smart.He'd work it out.The third was to Meiyal andincluded much the same information.Rahniseeta left the note to Harjeedian in the usual place and prayed for Earth to grant him wisdom in his actions.The note for Derian she sealed multiple times and, as an afterthought, sprinkled with a bit of scent.The one to Meiyalshe bound into a package with several sheets of blank paper.Then she took both with her to the front gate."Derian Counselor may come calling tonight," Rahniseeta said to the porter on duty, with a smile she hoped did notlook too forced."If he does, can you give this to him?""Gladly," said the porter, who had noticed Derian escorting Rahniseeta a time or two and thought he knew whatmade the lady look so strained."And I found I carried home some papers I was working on for Iaridisdu Meiyal.Could one of your messengerscarry this packet to her residence? I fear she may need them early tomorrow."The porter nodded."It's a quiet evening.I'm sure one of the youngsters will be glad of a chance to stretch.""Thank you," Rahniseeta said gratefully.She waited until she was outside the door to pull her shawl over her head, hoping thus to conceal her features.Then, with a pounding heart, she hurried down side streets in the direction of the harbor, there to keep watch where theboat Waln and his crew had been using was usually docked.I cannot stop them by myself.That kind of thing is for a minstrel tale such as Barnet loves to tell.But I can watch,and listen, and see how many go out and how well equippedthey are, and whether they are equipped for fighting or merely for robbery.That will certainly be useful and helpwill not be too far behind me.Meiyal, at least, will be in and she will act when she reads my message.But what Rahniseeta could not know was that when the runner from the Temple of the Cold Bloods arrived at theTemple of the Horse, the porter there saw no reason to trouble his mistress for something that was not an emergency.Thus Rahniseeta's packet to Meiyal was placed squarely in the center of the iaridisdu's desk, waiting for morning [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]