In the Hand of the Goddess Read Free Page B

dagger. As if he were knighting the cat, he touched it on both shoulders, then on the head. “I dub thee ‘Faithful,”’ he said solemnly. “Serve honorably and well.”
    True to his name, Faithful followed Alanna everywhere. In the practice yards he claimed a convenient post where he could sit and watch her practice her fighting skills with the other squires and pages. It took him longer to sneak into most classrooms. Myles let the kitten watch from the start, saying cats had the right to learn history as well as anyone. But Alanna’s other teachers—most of them Mithran priests—tried to keep her pet out for days, but by the end of each class he had appeared inside. Finally the masters stopped trying. They even petted the cat absently as they taught.
    There was one class Alanna refused to let Faithful come to: Duke Roger’s class for those Gifted in magic(Alanna and Jonathan, among others). She didn’t know what the sorcerer would think of her pet, and she didn’t want to find out.
    For the rest of the time, Faithful stuck to Alanna like a small black bur. Gareth, Duke of Naxen, Gary’s father, let Faithful follow Alanna freely when he saw that the kitten took no one’s attention away from learning. The sight of Alan with his pet under his left ear soon became a familiar one at the palace. While Faithful clearly liked Myles, Jon, and most of Alanna’s other friends (including George) and would stay with them when Alanna was busy, only she was given the privilege of carrying him on a shoulder.
    â€œMaybe he’s afraid of heights,” Gary suggested one rainy May afternoon, shortly after Alanna’s fifteenth birthday. It was a rare, quiet time for the young knights and Alanna. Gary and Raoul, with the afternoon off, had given their squires Sacherell and Douglass free time as well. Raoul and Jonathan played backgammon, while Alex—the fifth member of their circle and the only one not secretly friends with George—watched. Gary sprawled in a window seat, thinking of a way to escape a visit to Naxen that summer. Alanna curled up in another window seat,listening to Faithful purr into her left ear and thinking about nothing at all.
    â€œHm?” Alanna asked sleepily, realizing Gary was talking to her.
    â€œFaithful. Maybe he won’t sit on our shoulders because he’s afraid of heights.”
    â€œMaybe he’s right.” Jonathan grinned. “Even Alex is half a head taller than our Alan.”
    â€œThanks,” Alex said dryly.
    The door opened, and Duke Roger came in. The family resemblance between him and Jonathan was unmistakable, although the Duke’s eyes were a darker blue than his cousin’s and his hair brown-black to Jon’s coal-black. Both had the fair skin, straight-cut noses and stubborn chins that ran in the Conté line.
    â€œThere you are, Alex,” the older man was saying. “I hate to ask you this, but a truly important package has arrived for me at Port Caynn. You are the only one other than myself I trust to go. Will you?”
    Alex grinned and stood. “It’s my pleasure, Your—”
    â€œLet go of me, you blasted cat!” Alanna yelped as Faithful’s claws dug into her shoulder. His fur bristled; his back was arched; and he was growling deep in his throat as he stared at the Duke. Alanna tried to pry herpet loose as she said through gritted teeth, “Stop making a scene.” The sorcerer was watching them!
    His attention caught, the big man came forward. “A new pet, Alan?”
    â€œHe was , until he started this. ” Alanna worked Faithful loose and held him up. The kitten twisted to keep his eyes on Roger, growling. “What is the matter with you?” Alanna demanded, trying to make him look at her before Roger saw his eyes. “Behave yourself! Sir, he’s never done this before—”
    Roger drew a little closer, and Faithful slashed at