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who could talk without gesturing. At the smoky heart of the encampment,
though, there was a stillness where Emil bowed and poured tea from his
porcelain teapot. His three lieutenants flanked him, their faces pink with
washing, dressed in their cleanest longshirts, their heavy boots tucked up
close to their stocky farmer s bodies. Annis sat among them, charmingly
flushed by something being said to her by the erect, gray-haired woman
who sat beside her upon Emil s stool. This woman was boldly dressed, like
the three other strangers who sat somewhat behind her, in Paladin s black.
Even from a distance Zanja could see the flash of three golden earrings in
her left earlobe. The three earrings of Right, Rank, and Regard had once
been worn only by a high commander, a general. Only one such person
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FIRE LOGIC - ELEMENTAL LOGIC BOOK 1 - LAURIE MARKS
remained alive now, in all of Shaftal.
Zanja felt a great weariness, a heaviness so overwhelming she could not
continue forward, and scarcely could continue to stand. Transfixed by this
exhaustion, she did nothing when Councilor Mabin turned her attention to
Zanja, as though, of all the gazes that were turned on her, it was Zanja s that
mattered. For a long, strange moment they looked into each other s faces
across the distance that separated them. Then she spoke to Emil, who
hastily set down his teapot and walked over to Zanja.
What s the matter? he asked her.
The Sainnites are going to attack us tonight, here at Fen Overlook.
It seemed a measure of their friendship, or perhaps of Emil himself, that he
did not even make her explain further, thus making it possible for her to
avoid directly lying to him.
He said, Well, our watchers would have noticed if a company had left the
city gates yet it s still light enough to see. So we have some hours at least in
which to decide what to do.
I think so.
You look weary to death. Emil gripped her by the shoulder and somehow
she became able to walk with him up to the smoky fire.
The general had never taken her gaze from them. Now she rose to her feet.
Zanja na Tarwein? All the other conversations around the fire fell abruptly
silent.
Madam Councilor, Zanja said, you may not remember, but we have met
before.
Mabin said, I remember you. You are much changed in fifteen years.
Zanja scarcely could fumble a reply as Mabin, the legendary author of
Warfare and the head of Shaftal s shadow government, expressed her
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sorrow over the massacre of the Ashawala i and welcomed her formally into
the Paladins. It was, or should have been, a triumph for Zanja to be greeted
like this by the councilor herself, with all the company watching. But her
status in South Hill no longer seemed relevant.
Norina Truthken has written to me about you several times, Mabm said.
Zanja felt quite witless. Emil said quietly, Sit down maybe some tea will
help.
Zanja sat beside Annis and held up her porringer for Emil to fill with tea, for
he had distributed all six of his teacups already. She drank too quickly,
scalding her mouth, while Emil said to everyone at the fire, Zanja thinks
the Sainnites are going to attack Fen Overlook. He added, for those who
did not know, She is a presciant.
Silence greeted Emil s announcement, and then a fierce argument and
discussion which Zanja could not heed. In the midst of it Annis put her
mouth against Zanja s ear and whispered, Mabin s taking me away with
her, to make rockets for the Paladins!
That s good, Zanja said, then realized, when Annis pulled away sharply,
that she should have said something else. I ll miss you, she added
belatedly.
Annis showed her teeth. Sure you will.
Zanja tried to pay attention to the discussion that swirled around her. Willis
argued that South Hill Company should set a trap for the Sainnites, if Emil
was so certain that Zanja s prescience was dependable.
We must not attack them! Zanja cried. They all looked at her, but Zanja
couldn t think of an explanation for her reluctance to ambush the Sainnites.
She put her head in her hands and wished desperately that her skull would
simply explode. If we attack them, she said, it will be a disaster.
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Emil said, Annis, please find Jerrell and tell her to bring a remedy for a
headache.
Are we to spend the entire season running and hiding from a figment of the
imagination? Willis s big fist had clenched. In the twilight, with the light of
the flames moving across it, his fist seemed monstrous. It pounded upon his
knee in a fever of frustration and Willis s voice rose to a shout. It is a
coward s way! His fist opened up, and he pointed across the fire, at Zanja.
Before this foreigner came to South Hill, we were not cowards! Here we
have a perfect opportunity she says to do the Sainnites some damage. But
no, we dare not because she says no. Prescience is nothing but an impulse
an instinct and maybe it s the instinct of a warrior who has lost her
nerve!
Emil s hand pressed down heavily upon Zanja s shoulder. She had not even
noticed him coming around to her side, but the hand on her shoulder
shored up her disintegrating discipline. Emil said,
Willis, since you hold fire talent in such contempt, perhaps you might be
happier in a company that does not have a presciant as its commander.
Willis sat back, his face flushed. I m just sick and tired of missing our
opportunities. Now that you have new counsel you pay no heed to the old.
Emil could seem astonishingly harmless, but he did not look harmless at
that moment. You question my judgment, the councilor s judgment, and
gravely insult a fellow Paladin who has repeatedly risked her life this
season, and this is all you have to say?
There was another silence, then Willis, his face bright red, said, I beg your
pardon sir. I meant no insult. I was overzealous.
Emil said nothing. His hand still lay heavy upon Zanja s shoulder.
Willis looked directly at Zanja and said, I hope you will pardon me as well.
There was no mistaking the hatred with which he said these words.
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Zanja wanted desperately to challenge him to a duel and win a more sincere
apology on her own terms. But this was not the Asha Valley, and Willis was
no katrim. She said, as stiffly as he had, Of course I will pardon you.
Everyone began to talk then, as though nothing had happened. But no one
else suggested ambushing the Sainnites. The discussion focused on the
logistics of retreat, for their fifty fighters had swelled to a hundred, and they
had precious equipment to protect.
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