Broken World Book Three - A Land Without Law by T C Southwell Page B

Mujar's crippled arm rested, where a tiny
nick marred the blade's edge. "I'll hone it."
    Chanter
smiled. "Then you'll wear out many grinding stones, and make no
impression on it." He lowered the blade and gazed at the Prince. "I
suppose you would call what you did by rushing out to confront the
mage brave."
    Kieran looked
away. "No, I'd call it stupid, actually."
    "Ah, then
you've already learnt something. That's good."
    "But at least
some good came of it. It made you save the Aggapae man and all
those horses."
    "It made me."
Chanter savoured the words, his mouth twisting as if they tasted
bad. "Like a horse that must be made to pull a cart by the use of a
whip?"
    "No, I didn't
mean in it like that -"
    "Of course you
did. But you're wrong. The only person I feel bound to save is
Talsy, remember that."
    "Then
why...?"
    Chanter shook
his head. "Because I chose to."
    Kieran
scowled. "If Talsy hadn't been in danger you wouldn't have gone
anywhere near that gate or saved those horses."
    "No, I
wouldn't. What future do those animals have? They may live out
their lifetimes in this valley, and perhaps their offspring will
too, but ultimately they're doomed. Bringing more in here to breed
only means that there will be more to die, and perhaps the valley
will become overcrowded. Then some will have to be killed or chased
out to die in the chaos. Your people don't eat horses, so nothing
will keep their numbers down. Imagine how much pain it will cause
the Aggapae to have to slaughter their beloved horses or watch them
starve."
    "You're
talking like the fate of the world is sealed. What if we fix the
staff? Then all will be well, right?"
    "If I'm proved
wrong in this, I'll be happy. But the fact remains that, even if we
restore the staff, no one can restore the laws."
    "But you've
agreed to take us to find it, haven't you?"
    Chanter
nodded. "Talsy made it a Wish, so I must."
    "But you don't
believe there's any hope."
    "No."
    "Then why are
you giving the sword more power?"
    "Because we're
going to need it out there." Chanter raised the blade to study it
again. "When I created it, I gave it only powers of burning and
cutting, now I must give it warding as well. Then next time you
meet a Trueman wizard who thinks he's a god, he won't be able to
fry you."
    Kieran
fingered the burn scars on his arms. Luckily his face had only been
reddened. The worst damage had been done when his clothes had
caught fire. His hair had been burnt on one side, so he had cut it
short all over. The effect was ragged and gave him a raffish air
that his mother had tried to remedy, but he had refused to submit
to the eager attentions of her ladies.
    "Thank you for
healing me," he murmured.
    Chanter
lowered the point of the sword, aiming it at his heart. Kieran
stepped back, and the Mujar smiled. "You still fear me. Good."
    "You like
people to fear you?"
    Chanter
shrugged. "Not especially, but it's better than hate."
    "The only
person who doesn't fear you is Talsy, and she's got you wrapped
around her little finger, hasn't she?"
    "I suppose you
could say that." Chanter lowered the sword. "Why else would I be
taking her on this pointless quest?"
    "You can't
deny her anything."
    The Mujar
flipped the sword into the air and caught it again by the hilt.
"Why would I want to?"
    "What if she
asked you for a child?"
    Chanter stared
at Kieran, then rested the tip of the sword on the ground and leant
on it, something the Prince had never been able to do, it always
sank in when he tried. "She already has."
    "And what did
you say?"
    "What do you
think I said? No, of course."
    Kieran sagged
with relief. "What if she made it a Wish?"
    Chanter
frowned, staring at the leafy ground. "That would be a problem, but
she wouldn't. I made it clear that it's not a good idea."
    "That won't
stop her." Kieran shook his head. "She wants it badly."
    "I'll deal
with her."
    "How well do
you think you know her? If she's set her heart on this, she won't
let anything stand in her way."
    Chanter