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“Coed The only ansas the distant druo,” Vaelin muttered

“Don’t move, brother”

Nortah stood beneath the part collapsed archway His blond hair was longer, reaching nearly to his shoulders, and the beginnings of a youthful beard showed on his chin Instead of his brother’s garb he wore a set of buckskin trews and a leather jerkin Apart fro knife in his belt he was unarmed Vaelin had expected defiance, plus a modicum of the usual scorn and mockery, so was surprised that Nortah’s expression was one of grave concern

“Brother,” he addressed Nortah formally, “Aspect Arlyn commands your i closer with his hands raised, and Vaelin noticed how his eyes kept flicking to the side, focusing on so free fro too late as so sla his sword froood ten feet away, his breath forced froer in his boot, dragging air into his lungs and trying to ignore the sharp pain in his chest which told of at least one broken rib He pushed hiain as a wave of nausea blurred his vision and tipped the ground beneath his feet More than just a broken rib He struggled, waving his dagger wildly, trying to rise and finding Nortah standing over hi his hold on the dagger to parry a thrust…

Nortah had his back to hi frantically “NO! No! Leave hirowl But it was not a sound any dog would ever make

Vaelin had seen wild cats in the Urlish and the Martishe but the beast that confronted him noas so different in size and shape he alether It stood over four feet tall at the shoulder, its lean, powerful frah with dark black stripes Massive paws scraped at the ground with claws reen and shining out froloith s like ivory daggers

“NO!” Nortah yelled, placing hiain, raising a paw to slash the air in annoyance then shifted to the left, seeking to edge past Nortah Vaelin was amazed Does it fear him?

A hand clap sounded, loud and sharp in the chilledcat and saw a young wo woman with auburn hair and a fa as a fresh wave of pain swept through hi over hi her leg as she played a hand through its fur Behind her he could see other figures e and old,next to hi Nortah’s gaze and seeing the worry in his eyes he felt a great swell of shame in his breast I came here to kill you,hie flare of agony in his chest

Chapter 8

He oken by voices, softly spoken but tense with conflict

“…a danger to us all,” aheatedly

“No more than I,” answered a faitive as we are, brother He is a member of an order that kills our kind”

“This man is underabout har…”

“A bit late for that,” Vaelin said, opening his eyes

He lay on a bed of furs in a large bare roo richly decorated with faded paintings of anie sea creatures he couldn’t na a pear tree laden with fruit surrounded by unfa patterns Nortah stood near the door acco hair and wary eyes

“Brother,” Nortah said with a s to find it tender to the touch but there was no pain Pulling down the furs he saw the livid bruise he expected was absent, his flesh sht that beast had broken a rib at least”

“She did htly built ht on you Snowdance is not a easy animal to control, even for Sella”

“Snowdance?”

“The cat,” Nortah explained “A war-cat left behind by the Ice Horde It see into Lonak lands after the Tower Lord sent the Sella found her when she was a kitten Apparently she’s not yet fully grown”