[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

from Talon s arm.  These girls need a lesson in respect& 
Talon pressed his sword to the man s throat in one smooth movement. His black eyes glittered
dangerously.  You lay a hand on either of them and I m going to teach you a lesson of my own.
Shasta was slightly taken aback by the cool ferocity in her guardian s tone.He sounds just like Captain
Vaughn when he gets angry. If she hadn t been so outraged she would have giggled.
 It s no concern of yours what I do with my property, the merchant insisted, his eyes jumping between
Talon and the Princess.
 Property? Shasta repeated incredulously over her guardian s shoulder.  She s a person, not a farm
animal.
 It was a perfectly legal business transaction. Her father borrowed money that he couldn t repay, so he
signed her over to me for a term of four winters to work off the debt. He shifted uneasily beneath
Talon s dark gaze.  She still has another two to go, and as long as she is in my service I m entitled to
administer whatever discipline I see fit. She just cost me more than a quarter-moon s wages. He
indicated the ruined lettuce in the road.
 I don t care if she burned your entire crop to the ground, you sadistic brute. Goddess save me, she s
pregnant! Shasta knelt beside the woman, who was not moving, though a soft moan showed she was
still breathing. A pool of blood had formed beneath the servant s skirts, staining her legs. It was far too
much blood to be caused merely by her wounds, and Shasta had a terrible feeling that something was
very wrong.
 I will give ten pieces of gold to the first person who brings me a healer, she shouted at the gathered
onlookers, several of whom immediately took off in hopes of earning such a large sum of money, more
than most men made in a moon. She gently touched the young woman s face.  Shh, don t try to move.
Help is coming.
Chancellor Kumire came puffing up the hill, Lyris and Bria in tow, and Shasta addressed him furiously.
 Chancellor, can people really sell their children into servitude to pay off a debt?
Kumire nodded.  Well, yes. It s actually quite a common occurrence among the lower classes, Your
H  He broke off at Talon s warning glare.  That is, labor has always been considered a fair trade for
monetary debts. Sometimes the debtor himself will serve out the indenture, or else he might sign over his
wife or children. Occasionally the debt is so great that his entire family must work together to pay it off. It
happens all the time.
Shasta shook her head in disbelief.  It s& barbaric. She looked up at the man with the whip, who was
still frozen at the point of Talon s sword.  Just how much did her father borrow from you? she
demanded.
He rolled his eyes with irritation.  One thousand gold pieces.
I have dresses in my wardrobe that cost more, Shasta thought bitterly. She rose to her feet, marched
over to Kumire, and took his hand, removing the enormous emerald and diamond ring that glittered on
his middle finger.  I ll see that you receive a replacement, she said and held up the huge jewel so the
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merchant could see it.  This is worth at least a thousand. She seized his hand with distaste and pressed
the ring into his palm.  Consider her debt paid.
The merchant stared at the jewel, then back at Shasta. The crowd of onlookers seemed as confused as
he was to see a servant girl giving orders to her master. A flick of Talon s sword was all the
encouragement the merchant needed, and after a moment of thought, he apparently decided to pretend
Shasta wasn t even there.
 Thank you, my lord. He bowed to Kumire.  I accept your generous offer. You have purchased her
debt in full. He shuffled through the inner pocket of his coat and withdrew some folded pieces of
parchment, which he handed to the chancellor. With a tip of his hat he picked up the basket still lying on
the side of the road and strode over the top of the hill, leaving the ruined lettuce to rot in the afternoon
sun.
Kumire unfolded the document and looked it over.  Her indentureship papers, he said.
Shasta reached out and took them, and knelt again beside the injured woman.  It s going to be all right,
she said, putting the papers in her hand with a little smile.  These belong to you now. You re free. But
the woman was very still. Too still.
 The healer s coming! Miss, I ve brought the healer, like you asked. A young man came running
toward them, followed by an older woman in white robes who was puffing along behind.
 Pay him, Shasta ordered the chancellor, who reluctantly counted out some coins. She turned to the
healer.  Please, this woman needs help, I think she s badly hurt.
The healer felt for a pulse at the servant s wrist, then checked again at her neck. She leaned forward and
put her ear to the still lips, and after a moment shook her head.  I m sorry, but she s dead. In her
condition, the strain and loss of blood was too much for her heart.
 What? Shasta rose to her feet, her head spinning.  But the baby& 
The healer laid a hand on the servant s swollen belly and eyed the blood soaking her legs and skirt.  It
was too soon. The child did not survive.
Kumire coughed politely.  Does this mean I get my ring back?
Shasta stared at him in disgust, then down at the body lying in the street. She turned and buried her face
in her guardian s jacket, feeling like she might be sick.  Take me home, Talon, she begged.  I want to
go home now.
*
Other than a few disgruntled squeaks when they went over a particularly sharp bump, the Princess was
unusually quiet on the way back to the palace. On the trip into Ardrenn, Shasta had done nothing but
petulantly complain of the rough wooden wagon s discomforts. They could hardly take the royal coach
on such a trip, and so Vaughn had arranged for one of the guard transports to be filled with boxes and
crates to give the illusion of a merchant wagon, and Kumire drove while the rest of them sat in the back
among the cargo.
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Talon found herself scanning the passing houses and buildings anxiously as they rode by, expecting
someone to jump out at them at any moment. Unconsciously she fingered the hilt of the knife concealed in
her vest.Just a little longer , she told herself.
 Are you all right, Your Highness? Lyris asked gently, and Talon realized that the Princess s face was
far paler than usual, her lips pressed together in thought.
Shasta met her companion s eyes gravely.  Lyris, you and your family were once like that poor servant
woman, weren t you? I mean, you were working for that performance troupe against your will.
Lyris blinked.  It wasn t exactly against our will, Highness. It s just that there weren t many other
choices for three Outlander kids on their own in the world. The performance troupe was better
than& well, most of the other alternatives.
 But your showmaster. He could beat you to death like that if he wanted. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]