Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...

whip; in fact his ropily muscular body was scarred to a gruesome extent all over, some of them obviously
from lights, some ritual, and some plainly left by tortures; the Arkan initials A.M. had been written on his
lower chest, it seemed, with a branding-iron. Around his neck, along with the obligatory crystal, he wore
a human tooth as a pendant—another quaint Yeoli custom, keeping the teeth of dead kin.
The front room of the tent was an office, with a folding desk covered messily with papers under an
Arkan pole-lamp, with the flame glassed in, a file cabinet and a set of foldable traveling bookshelves. The
only titles Megan could catch in an unobtrusive glance were, to her surprise, Arkan:Laws of War and
Empire, Elements of Tactical Excellence, Great Generals of History: Ilesias, Ankammas, Nenissas
and Kurkas …
The Yeoli towelled himself dry, and with a gesture invited them to sit on the rug. "Tea?"The
mucky-muck's out , Megan thought,so the lackey has to entertain us until he gets back. Koru, I'm
hungry, how long is this going to take ? At least he had a warmth about him, gracefully authoritative
without being superior, and pleasant to be near; he was handsome, too, even with his cheek scarred clear
across, the scar bending with his smile.
Just as he was pouring, Fishhook decided to be friendly, launching herself in a gliding leap from
Shkai'ra's shoulder to his, slipping and beating one wing in his face until she was steady. "Forgive me,
Teik, Megan said quickly, reaching; wing-cat claws made no distinction between bare skin and branches.
Peraila reached fast as well, strangely protective, Megan noticed, for the badger he looked like.Lovers ?
The dark-haired Yeoli just chuckled, managing to pet the cat with one hand and pour tea with the other.
"No, no, no, I like wing-cats, he—she?—can stay there. Oh, yes, you're a nice one, aren't you?A-e ,
pretty puss puss puss…" In a moment of scratching her under the chin, he earned a sonorous purr. "Well,
he said, handing out steaming cups, "I share the salt."
Wait a moment, Megan thought, even as she answered by sheer habit, "And I with you."He's the
mucky-muck? Nobody tells me anything, I just want to work here. And since when did Yeolis
know about sharing the salt ? He went blithely on. "I'd like to know more about your gifts, Megan, and
your beast, Shkai'ra, not to mention the other services you're offering… as soon assomeone gets a loud
nose out of my ear."
"Excuse me, Teik," Megan said politely. "Or should I say,kras . You don't seem to be one of those nice
people who for professional reasons don't introduce themselves—"
"You know," Shkai'ra interjected helpfully. "Spooks."
Megan pretended Shkai'ra wasn't there. "May we know your name?"
"I'msorrrhy!" Peraila said, more obsequiously than she'd thought he had in him. Was that an effect of the
candlelight, or was his face actually reddening? "I'mterr-rrhibly sorrhy, I guess no one…" He trailed off
lamely, with a bleak look at the other.
"No matter," said the dark-haired Yeoli, shrugging, and extended his hands with another warm smile.
"It's Fourth Chevenga Shae-Arano-e,semanakraseye na chakrachaseye ."
V
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