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“Whether he eats is your choice He belongs to you”
“Because I defeated hin to kill him, he is yours”
“And if I don’t take him?”
“He will lay here until he starves or the beasts come to claim him”
“I could just cut his bonds, set hih “There is no freedom for hi shit to aze was fixed on the boy now, a fierce i punishment for one who disobeys Her word, who allows his misplaced pride to blind him to his obeisance Cut his bonds and he ander here, weaponless, friendless, aze swung back to Vaelin and he saw so hidden, told in the tension of his jaw and the set of his lips Concern He fears for the boy
“If he’s mine,” Vaelin said, “then I may do with him as I wish?”
The Lonak’s eyes flicked back to the boy for an instant He nodded
“Then I give hi me to cross your lands”
The Lonak’s face remained impassive but Vaelin could read the relief in his eyes “You Merim Her are soft,” he sneered “Weak and craven Only your nuth, and that will not last forever One day ill sweep you back to the sea and the waves will turn red with your blood” He rose and went to the boy, using the boot knife to sever his bonds “I’ll take your worthless gift, since it’s all you have to offer”
“You’re welco as the Lonak dragged hi uage Once roused the boy’s gaze swung to Vaelin, the saain He bridled, tensing hi Lonak struck hi blood fro pony, hoisting hi sternly back down the hill The boy favoured Vaelin with a last glare of naked ani away into the darkness
The Lonak returned to the fire and reached for the dried beef once ood father suffers much for his son,” Vaelin observed
The Lonak’s eyes flashed at hiain “Do not think there is a debt between us Do not think you have bought passage through our lands with my son’s life You live because She wishes it”
“She?”
The Lonak shook his head in disgust “You have fought us for centuries and you know so little of us She is our guide and our protection She is our wisdom and our soul She rules us and serves us”
Vaelin recalled his drea with Nersus Sil Nin in the Martishe What had she said about the Lonak? I should have known the High Priestess would find a way “The High Priestess She leads you?”
“High Priestess,” the Lonak spoke the words as if tasting unfaue does not fit easily with our ways”
“You speak ue very well Where did you learn it?”
The Lonak shrugged “When we raid we take captives, although they have little uses The men are too weak to work the sea and the worey robe Called himself Brother Kellin He could heal and he could learn Caue like his own in time, so I made him teach me his”
“Where is he now?”
“Sickened last winter He was old, we left hi to understand why the Lonak were so widely despised “So your High Priestess told you to let me pass?”
“Word came from the Mountain One of the Merireatest warrior seeking the blood of his brother No harh Priestess sees much it seems “Why?”