The Darkness Before the Dawn - By Ryan Hughes Page 0,15

the other leg and spun around. Jedra felt his hands pass through the flames—once, twice, and a third time as Sahalik spun him around by his feet. He wondered if the elf warrior would throw him into the fire, but it soon became apparent that he had a more humiliating end in mind. Sahalik put all his effort into one more mighty swing, bringing Jedra’s outstretched body down low, then releasing him on the upswing to fly completely over the heads of the astonished crowd.

Jedra, his arms outstretched by centrifugal force, arced gracefully over them like an acrobat between two trampolines, but there was no trampoline to catch him at the other end of his arc—only hard, unyielding ground. Fortunately the spin Sahalik had imparted turned Jedra sideways before he landed; otherwise he would have broken his other hand and probably both arms when he struck. As it was, the impact merely cracked a couple of ribs and knocked the breath out of him.

Kay an was the first to his side. She fought through the cheering crowd and knelt beside him. Are you alive? she asked.

Barely, Jedra answered. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but she pushed him back down.

Lie still. Let me heal your injuries before you try to move.

Jedra felt her make deeper contact with his mind. It was still nothing like the total sharing they were capable of, but her healing power required a link sufficient to control his body’s healing processes and to transfer some of her own ability to him. Jedra gladly gave over his control to her and let his mind drift wherever she directed it. The pain in his ribs and in his hand slowly faded, and the ache in his throat as well. However, before Kayan could complete the job, the elves turned to see what had become of the vanquished half-elf, and she had to withdraw.

The chief stepped over to Jedra’s side and extended a hand to help him up. Jedra looked to Kayan, and she nodded. I think you’ll be all right. So Jedra accepted the hand—with his left, since it would be some time before his right hand healed completely—and rose shakily to his feet, Kayan helping to support him on the other side.

“Well fought,” the chief said. “And since the tribe rules only that you must fight, not that you must win, I declare you fit to travel with us as far as you like.” He nodded to Sahalik, who had stalked over to listen, and said, “By your own actions, you are honor bound to treat him as one of us. See that you do.”

Sahalik frowned, then nodded toward Kayan. “What of this one?”

The chief was taken aback. “You cannot mean to challenge her as well?”

“No,” Sahalik said. “She is human, and could never be part of the tribe. She will always be an outsider. Outsiders in the tribe must have a protector, and so I claim protectorship over her by right of conquest.”

“But I don’t claim you,” Kayan said.

“You will learn to,” Sahalik said, his voice low and menacing.

Kayan asked the chief, “What’s this protectorship nonsense? I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”

The chief hesitated, his sense of decency obviously at war with his sense of self-preservation. He didn’t look like a chief at all anymore, just a tired old man who stood to lose his tribe over a stupid squabble. “Sahalik is talking about an old custom,” he said, “wherein an outsider lives with a member of the tribe in order to learn our ways. It is not always insisted upon, but since your own safety—and the safety of the tribe—often depends upon your knowledge of desert skills, it can be required.”

“Especially in times when the outsider may be with us for some time,” Sahalik said. “I would be more comfortable if I knew that this one followed our customs.”

“I bet you would,” Kayan said with a sneer.

Galar had been standing at the edge of the crowd; now he stepped forward and said, after a nervous gulp, “I will be her protector.”

“Not unless you want to challenge me,” Sahalik said.

“I—”

“Thanks, Galar,” Kayan cut him off before he could get himself into trouble, “but there’s no need for that.” She looked up at Sahalik, towering over her by at least three feet. “You’re just not going to take no for an answer, are you?”

He grinned wickedly. “I am not accustomed to it.”

Kayan nodded. “All right then, if you won’t leave me alone, let’s get