[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."Dworkin said, "He does carry it.only it has gone wrong within him." Slowly shaking his head,he regarded me thoughtfully."I do not know why or how, but the problems we have all had-except ofcourse you, Locke-with the Logrus are so much the worse in him,""But to forbid him from ever trying the Logrus!" Aber protested."That has never been donebefore!""I did not forbid him," Dworkin said sharply."I said it would kill him." "It is the same thing," I said."Perhaps the problem is simpler than you realize," Locke said, leaning back and regarding mewith a half taunting, half triumphant smile.He clearly scented my blood and was moving in for the kill, thestrong attacking the weak."Perhaps his mother whored around on you.It wouldn't be the first time wehad a bastard in the family."I rose from my chair smoothly and silently."Take that back," I said, voice cold as a grave, "whileyou still can." If I'd had my sword, I would have drawn it,"Oberon! Sit!" Dworkin barked."Locke, apologize."My nerves stretched toward their breaking point.Nobody had ever insulted my mother andlived.If not for Dworkin, I would have leaped across the table and twisted Locke's head off with mybare hands-brother or not.Instead of responding, my half-brother slowly tilted his chair back on the rear two legs andgrinned mockingly at me."The pup thinks he has teeth."My voice was hard."More than enough to rip your throat out."He shrugged, "My apologies, brother." I noticed how he emphasized the word, like he doubtedits truth."I chose my words with insufficient care.I meant-"So softly I almost missed it, Freda hissed, "Shut up, Locke, or I will make you wish you had.This is dinner."Locke glanced at her, looked away, didn't finish.Clearly he didn't fear me.But could he beafraid of Freda?She touched my hand softly."Sit, Oberon.Please."It was not a command, but a soft, kind suggestion, and somehow it took the fight out of me.I letout my breath and did as she instructed.Pointedly, she said, "Bickering is forbidden at dinner, as our brother knows." And her voicecarried the same insulting inflection Locke had used.In that instant I discovered I liked her even more than I had known."Thank you," Dworkin said to Freda.He cleared his throat."Now, where was I?"Dutifully picking up my spoon, I returned to my soup.I wasn't really hungry anymore, but Icouldn't let Locke know he'd spoiled the meal for me."Oberon is my son," Dworkin said with conviction."I have known it since the day he was born.And my tests here today proved it.The problem lies with the Logrus.it is a damnable mystery still, evento me.Its pattern is within Oberon-without any doubt, it is there-but some trick of fate, or our family'spoor degenerate blood, has distorted its pattern in him more than in the rest of us.That is the true andonly answer."Silence stretched again.My siblings stared at the table or the walls or went back to their soups,now and then glancing furtively at each other or Dworkin-anywhere but at me."Well done, Locke!" Aber finally said after more than a few awkward minutes had passed.Hebegan clapping."That's the way to make a new-found brother feel at home and brighten up the dinnerconversation.""Shut up!" Locke growled at him.Then Freda began clapping, then Blaise and Pella, then most of the others.Dworkin threw backhis head and howled with laughter. I stared from one to another, bewildered.This was hardly the reaction I would have expected.Locke glared around the table, gaze settling first on Aber then me, but he must have rememberedFreda's threat because he said nothing.Instead, rising, he threw down his napkin and stalked from theroom."Send up my meal," he called to one of the servants."I prefer to eat with civilizedcompany-alone!"If anything, the applause grew louder,"First time that's ever happened," Aber said brightly, the moment Locke was safely out ofearshot."Can't say it will hurt the dinner conversation."He picked up his bowl and spoon and made a big show of moving to Locke's former place.Ashe settled in, he gave me a quick wink."Hey!" he said to everyone down at the other end of the table."The food tastes better up here!"That got a laugh.from everyone except Davin, who sat next to him.He was Locke's right-handman, I reminded myself.Clearly he took that position seriously.He frowned, and I half expected him torise and leave, too, in a show of solidarity.but he didn't.Then he glanced at me, and I recognized the look in his eyes.It wasn't hate or mistrust.It was pity.They now had a cripple in their midst, I realized suddenly.They could all work wonders likeDworkin.All travel through Shadow-worlds, summon weapons from great distances, contact each otherwith magical Trumps, and only the gods knew what else.And now they pitied me, like the soldier who had lost his sword-arm in battle and would neverfight again, or the scribe who had gone blind from too much reading.They pitied me because I wouldnever share our family's one great gift.the Logrus.As I looked across their faces, not one of them met my gaze.They all felt the same way, I saw.Only Freda and Aber seemed willing to accept me as I was.Freda was patting my arm."You do not need the Logrus," she said."It almost killed Father and me, you know.I layunconscious for nearly a month after I completed it.""Oh?" That interested me
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
