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‘Familiar with the jarack bird, Acquitor? The grey-crested thief and murderer of the forest?’

She nodded.Advertisement

‘And what happens when a jarack female finds a nest containing some other’s bird’s hatchlings? An unguarded nest?’

‘It kills and eats the chicks.’

He smiled. ‘True. Commonly known. But jaracks do something else on occasion, earlier in the season. They push out an egg and leave one of their own. The other birds seem blind to the exchange. And when the jarack hatches, of course it kills and eats its rivals.’

‘Then sounds its call,’ she said. ‘But it’s a call that seems no different from those of the other bird’s chicks. And those birds come with food in their beaks.’

‘Only to be ambushed by the two adult jaracks waiting nearby and killed in the nest. Another meal for their hatchling.’

‘Jaracks are in every way unpleasant birds. Why are we talking about jaracks, Udinaas?’

‘No reason, really. But sometimes it’s worth reminding ourselves that we humans are hardly unique in our cruelty.’

‘The Fent believed that jaracks are the souls of abandoned children who died alone in the forest. And so they yearn for a home and a family, yet are so driven to rage when they find them they destroy all that they desire.’

‘The Fent were in the habit of abandoning children?’

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Seren Pedac grimaced. ‘Only in the last hundred or so years.’

‘Impediments to their self-destructive appetites, I should think.’

She said nothing to that comment, yet in her mind’s eye she saw Hull Beddict suddenly standing beside her, drawing to his full height, reaching down to take Udinaas by the throat and dragging the man upright.

Udinaas suddenly bolted forward, choking, one hand clawing up towards her.

Seren Pedac stepped back. No, dammit! She struggled to cast the vision away.

It would not leave.

Eyes bulging, face blackening, Udinaas closed his own hands about his neck, but there was nothing to pull away-

‘Seren!’ Kettle shrieked.

Errant fend! What, how… oh, I’m killing him! Hull Beddict stood, crushing the life from Udinaas. She wanted to reach out to him, drag his grip loose, but she knew she would not be strong enough. No, she realized, she needed someone else-

And conjured into the scene within her mind another figure, stepping close, lithe and half seen. A hand flashing up, striking Hull Beddict in his own throat. The Letherii staggered back, then fell to one knee, even as he released Udinaas. Hull then reached for his sword.

A spear shaft scythed into view, caught Hull flat on the forehead, snapping his head back. He toppled.

The Edur warrior now stood between Hull Beddict and Udinaas, spear held in a guard position.

Seeing him, seeing his face, sent Seren reeling back. Trull Sengar? Trull-

The vision faded, was gone.

Coughing, gasping, Udinaas rolled onto his side.

Kettle rushed to crouch beside the ex-slave.

A hand closed on Seren’s shoulder and swung her round. She found herself staring up into Fear’s face, and wondered at the warrior’s strange expression. He-he could not have seen. That would be-

‘Shorn,’ Fear whispered. ‘Older. A sadness-’ He broke off” then, unable to go on, and twisted away.

She stared after him. A sadness upon his eyes.

Upon his eyes.

‘Deadly games, Acquitor.’

She started, looked over to see that Silchas Ruin was now studying her from where he sat. Beyond him, Clip had not turned round, had not even moved. ‘I did not. I mean. I didn’t-’

‘Imagination,’ Udinaas grated from the ground to her right, ‘is ever quick to judge.’ He coughed again, then laughter broke from his ravaged throat. ‘Ask any jealous man. Or woman. Next time I say something that annoys you, Seren Pedac, just swear at me, all right?’

‘I’m sorry, Udinaas. I didn’t think-’

‘You thought all right, woman.’

Oh, Udinaas. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.

‘What sorcery have you found?’ Fear Sengar demanded, his eyes slightly wild as he glared at her. ‘I saw-’

‘What did you see?’ Silchas Ruin asked lightly, slipping one sword into its scabbard, then drawing the other.

Fear said nothing, and after a moment he pulled his gaze horn Seren Pedac. ‘What is Clip doing?’ he demanded.

‘Mourning, I expect.’

This answer brought Udinaas upright into a sitting position. Glancing at Seren, he nodded, mouthed Jarack. pqdm.com