Blackstaff Read Free Page B

brothers who traveled with her. Walaxyrvaan’s name translated into “Lynx of Approaching Dusk,” and she preferred to be called Lynx.
    “Don’t take offense, Lynx,” Tsarra said. “And what a marvelous catch. Did you and Trehgan find any more?”
    “The barbarian’s got a brace of grouse as well. Not as good as your deer, but it’s a light morning. He’s not a bad hunter for a human, I’ll give him that. Surprisingly quiet too, given how massive his feet are,”
she said in Elvish.
“Traya, meanwhile, would be useless on a hunt, even if she could do more than moon after Lhoris.”
    “In Common, Lynx. Don’t be rude. Where are they, anyway?”
    “After his loud swearing loused our chances of catching some partridge, we found the angry one where you left him. Lhoris lacks the strength to haul up the doe. Trehgan’s helping him, and Ginara has at least made herself useful picking late berries. Did the
ivaebhin
find what he was looking for?” Lynx did an effortless handstand as she talked, walking out onto one tree limb and launching herself to land in a silent crouch at Tsarra’s and Danthra’s feet. Tsarra was amused that the elf girl referred to the quieter Fuqani brother as “boy filled with brightness.”
    “I’m about to find out.” The three women walked toward the two boys as the sun came out from beneath the clouds, lighting up the forest glade in gold and scarlet splendor among the leaves. “Tarik, I’ll need you to go with Danthra and Lynx. She and Trehgan will teach you how to dress the deer.”
    The ten-year-old stood up and perched his fists on his hips in defiance. “No. I won’t do it. Our father didn’t send us here to hunt deer in strange woods—that’s
servant’s
work.”
    “Be that as it may, my haughty little Tethyrian,” Tsarra said, quickly winning the staring contest the boy had tried to start, “you are a servant of the Blackstaff and of meuntil you learn magic that proves otherwise. It is our will that you learn how to gut a deer this morning. Besides, if we don’t fill the larder of Blackstaff Tower before winter comes, we’ll be out here in chest-deep snows hunting rabbits. You’ll be out here regardless, as you need to learn how to walk more quietly.”
    The boy stomped off in a huff, swiftly pursued by Lynx who playfully tossed a handful of leaves into the boy’s face, encouraging him to chase her.
    Danthra rolled her eyes and said, “Well, hurry along and don’t leave all the worst work to us. We still need to break camp and return to the city before it gets much later.”
    “Aye. See you soon, Dreamer.” Tsarra said, and she moved over toward the giggling boy who rolled in the fallen leaves, a fast-moving, sleek creature scampering around and atop him. As Tsarra neared them, the creature squeaked and fled inside Chaid’s wide sleeve. That provoked a “Whoop!” from the boy, and Tsarra smiled as a bulge moved around beneath the wool, seeking a safe place to hide on his new friend.
    “Chaid, it’s wonderful to see you’ve found your familiar.”
    The boy looked up at her and beamed. Just as heavily garbed as his brother, Chaid was the opposite of his twin in most ways. Quiet and contemplative, he only spoke when necessary, perhaps because he rarely got a word in edgewise around Tarik. Chaid’s remarkable bronze eyes stared at her—and a weasel’s head popped from Chaid’s shirt directly beneath his chin. Tsarra gasped—the weasel’s fur matched Chaid’s eyes perfectly.
    “He’s so happy to meet me, and you too. I think he likes your smell. Can I call him Brakar? That’s the queen’s coin of Darromar!” Chaid asked, coaxing the weasel out to snuggle in his arms.
    “I don’t know, Chaid. He’s not a pet. You should only use a name he prefers to be called, in case he already has a name. If he doesn’t provide one or ask for one, don’t call him anything. After all, my tressym has yet to tell me his name after ten years of bonding, but he