The Singers of Nevya Read Free Page A

before we work —Lu’s lips twitched again. Isbel saw, and her dimples flashed.
    Finally, I am afraid I lost my temper. I told them all to stop it. All around us the House members were calmly having breakfast, not noticing our argument. Sira could not eat her keftet, and she stood up.
    She sent to me, so that everyone could hear, that I was not to worry. That she was not nervous. Then she turned to — to the one who was teasing her, and she told her she had better not miss the quirunha. She might learn something!
    Lu began to smile.
    Sira went striding out of the room. You know how she walks, with her back so straight. Lu nodded, sharing the memory of Sira’s tall, narrow form pacing the halls. And of course you remember the quirunha , because you were her senior that day. It was beautiful. It was perfect.
    Lu took Isbel’s hand. Only a Gifted one could touch another one of the Gifted, and the contact soothed and connected them, one to the other. So it was, Isbel. And you need not have worried about your friend.
    I was still angry.
    I know. But Sira would not have worried about what her classmates thought. She is always most critical of herself. Had she been disappointed in herself, that would have been something to worry about.
    Isbel grew thoughtful. I am sure she will be a great success at Bariken.
    A shadow passed between their two minds, and the Maestra withdrew her hand. Isbel looked searchingly at her, sensing something amiss.
    She will be a fine Cantrix , Lu sent. And so will you, my dear. Perhaps you should be practicing now?
    Isbel giggled. Yes, Maestra. She jumped up from the bench beneath the window and bowed. Thank you.
    Lu watched her leave the great room. She was such a pleasant student, neither complicated nor difficult, reasonably hard-working, and with a pretty, warm voice. Sira had been her most challenging student, intense, talented, driven. Her only weakness was in healing, but both Mkel and Lu had thought her new senior Cantrix could continue training her. In the end, Lu felt certain, Sira would be a better Cantrix than she herself had been. She had not been a great healer either, but had been renowned for her singing. And, of course, as Isbel and the other students knew, for the strength and reach of her psi.
    She hoped Sira’s great Gift was not wasted on Bariken. She had protested the assignment, but the shortage of Conservatory-trained Singers had reached a critical point. Lu rose from the window seat, grimacing with the effort. There was something not right at Bariken, something hard for Conservatory and Lamdon to identify. And now Sira, young and inexperienced, was their Cantrix. It was out of Lu’s hands.

    The journey from Conservatory to Bariken took five full days. Traveling had a rhythm of its own, Sira discovered: riding, resting, meals. There was little talk during the day. Sira often did not speak at all, and the odd silence of being with unGifted people added to the strangeness. As her saddle-soreness began to ease, Sira studied the riders to see how they sat their hruss, how they handled their reins, how they used their feet. In the evening, around the fire, the riders told stories and jokes, but never spoke directly to Sira. She was the reason for their journey, and she was their protection. But it was not for them to hold unnecessary conversations with a Gifted one. Only Rollie, assigned to Sira for the trip, spoke to her. Sira was grateful for Rollie’s warmth and humor, Gifted or not.
    On their last day in the mountains they made their camp rather late, in purple twilight. Blane found a spot ringed by huge ironwood suckers. Sometimes the long thick shoots that connected the great trees lay hidden under the snow to trip hruss , but tonight they were welcome, as the riders leaned against them for support.
    Sira made the quiru rise swiftly, and Rollie sat next to her, grinning in appreciation. “I’ll be sorry not to hear you do that anymore.”
    Sira frowned. “I do not