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TAXILA'S CHILDREN<br />
It sounded foolish and he knew he looked foolish. The box was unresponsive. Lyot<br />
snorted.<br />
"And you say, that it disturbed your sleep? You sleep too much alone!"<br />
Danyk looked scandalised, this wasn't the sort of conversation he usually had with his<br />
father. The old man returned the gaze steadily.<br />
"Time you were united - we need heirs and that would get your mind off talking boxes -<br />
that don't talk!"<br />
The Thane turned on his heel and stalked out of the chamber. Danyk didn't follow, he<br />
looked again at the box and then decided that he didn't want to stay in his room with that<br />
thing looking at him. He decided to find the alien.<br />
Steve had nearly completed his circuit of the Thanehold. It was not an impressive place.<br />
The front of it didn't exist, maybe it never had. It wasn't so much a cohesive whole, as a<br />
cluster of buildings grouped around one that was larger. They all looked the same, no matter<br />
which angle one approached. Walls crowded in on narrow alleys that led to courtyards. From<br />
the courtyards, dark doorways penetrated the buildings. It looked like an architect's<br />
nightmare.<br />
One side of the hill upon which the house stood, dropped away sharply, towards a great<br />
curve in the river. Down through the cultivated fields and a small wood, lay a horseshoe<br />
shaped expanse of open pasture.<br />
"Had a enough exercise?"<br />
Steve jolted in shock, Danyk looked slightly amused.<br />
"Fine."<br />
"That's good."<br />
Steve glared at him, he was ready for a fight, verbal if not physical.<br />
"Where the hell is Hara?"<br />
"I thought Maia told you. She's been taken into the care of the Lady Hepha."<br />
"I would like to see her."<br />
"Later, perhaps."<br />
"Why not now?"<br />
"Because it is not convenient."<br />
He had spoken mildly enough but there was something in his tone that warned Steve to<br />
back off. He swallowed his rage and tried to remind himself that he was a guest and not a<br />
very welcome one, from all accounts. Danyk continued to watch him without blinking - just<br />
like a cat. A slow grin moved over his face, he was mind reading again.<br />
"Zayez has responded promptly to my father's invitation. He will arrive tomorrow. It<br />
should prove to be an interesting visit. If you are who you say you are, you will the<br />
opportunity to ask as many questions as you like. If you are what we expect, we will get to<br />
the bottom of what the Adepts are trying to do. I have no great liking for the All Wise but he<br />
won't hold anything back. As his name implies, he knows everything."<br />
That was quite a recommendation, Steve felt curiosity stirring. Danyk continued blandly.<br />
"He will tell us if you are what you say. I hope you have told the truth, I'm beginning to<br />
believe you. I hope that I won't be disappointed."<br />
Steve sensed a threat but perhaps he was being paranoid. Danyk changed the subject.<br />
"I would be pleased if you would remove your - box - from my room - its in the way."<br />
Steve grinned.<br />
"It hasn't been giving you trouble, I hope?"<br />
"Its in the way."<br />
The Bole was in the middle of Danyk's outer chamber, Steve agreed mentally that it could<br />
be construed as being in the way, if you stretched a point. He lifted the metal cube and cursed<br />
his friend's dead weight. Danyk didn't offer to assist, he kept a prudent distance. The rooms<br />
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