The Blue World Read Free Page B

face. His skin
was clear and fresh, his eyes a dark magnetic brown.
    “These are
impertinent remarks to make of the Intercessor!” said Semm
Voiderveg reproachfully. “No matter what you think of him as an
individual, the office deserves respect!”
    “What office?
What do you do?”
    “I intercede
for the folk of Tranque Float; I secure for us all the benevolence of
King Kragen.”
    Sklar Hast gave an
offensive laugh. “I wonder always if you actually believe your
own theories.”
    “‘Theory’
is an incorrect word,” stated Semm Voiderveg. “‘Science’
or ‘doxology’ is preferable.” He went on in a cold
voice. “The facts are incontrovertible. King Kragen rules the
ocean, he lends us protection; in return we gladly tender him a
portion of our bounty. These are the terms of the Covenant.”
    The discussion was
attracting attention among others of the float; already a dozen folk
had halted to listen. “In all certainty we have become soft and
fearful,” said Sklar Hast. “The Firsts would turn away in
disgust. Instead of protecting ourselves, we bribe a beast to do the
job.”
    “Enough!”
barked Semm Voiderveg in a sudden cold fury. He turned to Meril,
pointed toward the cottage. “Within—that you need not
hear the wild talk of this man! An Assistant Master Hoodwink!
Astonishing that he has risen so high in the guild!”
    With a rather vague
smile Meril turned and went into the cottage. Her submission not only
irked Sklar Hast; it astounded him.
    With a final
indignant glance of admonition Semm Voiderveg followed her within.
    Sklar Hast turned
away toward the lagoon and his own pad. One of the men who had halted
called out. “A moment, Sklar Hast! You seriously believe that we
could protect our own if. King Kragen decided to depart?”
    “Certainly,”
snapped Sklar Hast. “We could at least make the effort! The
intercessors want no changes—why should they?”
    “You’re a
troublemaker, Sklar Hast!” called a shrill female voice from the
back of the group. “I’ve known you since you were an infant; you
never were less than perverse!”
    Sklar Hast pushed through the group,
walked through the gathering dusk to the lagoon, ferried himself by
coracle to his pad. He entered the hut, poured himself a cup of wine,
and went out to sit on the bench. The halcyon sky and the calm water
soothed him, and he was able to summon a grin of amusement for his
own vehemence—until he went to look at the arbors plucked
bare by King Kragen, whereupon his ill-humor returned.
    He watched winks
for a few moments, more conscious than ever of Zander Rohan’s brittle
mannerisms. As he turned away, he noticed a dark swirl in the water
at the edge of the net: a black bulk surrounded by glistening cusps
and festoons of starlit water. He went to the edge of his float and
strained his eyes through the darkness. No question about it: a
lesser kragen was probing the net which enclosed Tranque Lagoon!

Chapter 2
    Sklar Hast ran across the pad, jumped
into his coracle, thrust himself to the central float. He delayed
only long enough to tie the coracle to a stake formed of a human
femur, then ran at top speed to the hoodwink tower. A mile to the
west flickered the Thrasneck lamps, the configurations coming in the
unmistakable style of Durdan Farr, the Thrasneck Master Hoodwink:
“ … thirteen … bushels … of … salt … lost … when …
a … barge … took … water … between … Sumber … and …
Adelvine … ”
    Sklar Hast climbed
the ladder, burst into the cupola. Zander Rohan swung about in a
surprise that became truculence when he saw Sklar Hast. The pale pink
of his face deepened to rose; his lips thrust out; his white hair
puffed and glistened as if angry in its own right. It occurred
fleetingly to Sklar Hast that Zander Rohan had been in communication
with Semm Voiderveg, the subject under discussion doubtless being
himself. But now he pointed to the lagoon. “A rogue, breaking
the nets. I just saw