Melting Stones - By Tamora Pierce Page 0,14

say? None of us is up to Winding Circle standards. If we were, we'd be somewhere else, earning a real living."

"It is a wise mortal who knows his limits, young Jayatin." Luvo cocked his head knob to look at Oswin. "And what kind of man is it who is more valuable than mages?"

"I'm not!" Oswin turned even redder.

"Oswin fixes things." Jayat leaned back on the bed. "Let's say you have a problem. Maybe your well's gone dry, or your barn roof is falling apart. You have no money for a new roof, or the mage can't find water to fill your well. So you go to Oswin's with a loaf of bread or a crock of pickled eggplant, and you tell him your problem. Oswin comes to your place with a slate and chalk and looks things over. He starts drawing things and telling you what you have to do. Sometimes it involves helping another fellow who comes to help you. Sometimes Oswin builds a device to fix your well so you have water again. Then you send him home with a roast leg of lamb or a sack of couscous. They always need food at his house."

"Oswin fixes things." I said it again just to be sure I had it straight.

Jayat nodded. "Now, he might see what your Rosethorn does for plants. Next time he'll remember what medicines she used besides her magic. If we use the medicines first, before the plants are dying, maybe we won't need the magic."

"Now, then! Is this how you show folk Moharrin hospitality?" a woman asked from the doorway. Oswin and Jayat leaped to their feet, as if they were boys who'd been caught raiding the pantry. The woman looked them over with snapping black eyes. She was queenly tall. She looked even taller with her henna-red hair pinned in a knot on top of her head. Her dress was plain brown cotton with yellow and orange embroideries, under a sleeveless yellow robe. Still, the emperor didn't look so regal in all his silk. When she frowned, her thin black eyebrows snapped together over an eagle-beak nose. "This child has been riding all day. Now I find you've kept her here, gabbling like a goose, when doubtless she's starving. In my house!" She looked at me. "Your Dedicate Rosethorn tells me that you are Evvy. I am Azaze Yopali, headwoman of Moharrin. My apologies for these two scapegraces."

"We didn't mean—" Jayat hurried to say.

"We were just explaining a few things." Oswin was sweating a little. I stuffed my sleeve in my mouth so, if I giggled, no one would hear.

"Forgive us, Azaze Yopali." Luvo reared back on his bottom end. He stretched up as high as he could, though that wasn't very far. "I am unable to reply to questions speedily. I fear the delay was mine, and the blame is mine."

For a moment the lady could only blink. Then she said, "I wasn't told of a talking rock."

"I prefer to be known as Luvo, though it is not my complete name. Talking rock' is unflattering at best."

Again Azaze was briefly silent. "Are there more of you about?"

"They prefer to keep to their mountains. I am an unusual sample of my kind."

"I don't know what to feed you," Azaze said.

"You need not concern yourself, but accept my thanks," Luvo told her politely. "I dine on the power within the earth, and take it as I need it. As to my housing, I remain with Evumeimei. We have traveled together for some time and are accustomed to one another."

Azaze smoothed her hair. "Well." She looked at me sharply. "There's more to you than meets the eye, that's plain. Come down and be fed. And—Master Luvo is welcome for his company, if he likes." She turned and walked downstairs, muttering to herself.

"We should have taken you to supper." Oswin still looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to get to know Luvo better. Come on, Evvy. Azaze's as prickly as a thorn-berry bush, but her girls know how to serve a meal."

"Do they ever!" Jayat said eagerly. "Master Luvo, may I take you down to the common room?"

"Do you want to walk, Luvo?" I asked. "I know you don't like steps."

"Thank you, Evumeimei. I would prefer to be carried on the stairs."

Before I could warn Jayat to let me do it, Jayat put his hands around Luvo. Luvo's size being what it was, I knew Jayat had expected Luvo to weigh four or five pounds