Страница 92 из 114
Outrage gave way to panic. "Who is this Brestolli who signs the note?"
"He's a wagonmaster. We both know him." Larad gestured toward Asgenar, who nodded earnestly. "He wouldn't send a false alarm. Actually, it was delivered by his fire-lizard to his employer, Trader Nurevin, who's here now. Nurevin brought it straight to me, leaving his train a day's trip out. He said that he'd had to leave Brestolli at Bitra with a broken leg and cracked ribs from a wagon accident."
"Nurevin's just outside. I'll ask him in," Asgenar said, and slipped out of the room.
Larad gave a wry smile. "Nurevin felt you would heed this message more if we presented it to you."
"He'd need no one vouching for him to me," Sebell said, rereading the message. "This has the ring of truth. Nothing Bitra initiates surprises me."
"Then you also know that your harpers at Bitra Hold have been put in quarantine for a virulent disease?"
"The Bitran euphemism for 'reporting truth'?" Sebell asked. He ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture of exasperation. "We haven't heard from them recently by the usual route. I should have sent at least one who had a fire-lizard."
"Our Master Celewis can mount a rescue mission, if you'd like," Larad suggested.
"If that can be done without jeopardizing Brestolli," Sebell replied.
Larad raised his eyebrows arid gri
"Indeed I do," Sebell said with an answering grin.
"Then you may be certain that he'll be adroit in the matter."
Nurevin came in just then, preceding Asgenar.
"I've not had occasion to pass time with you, Trader Nurevin," Sebell said, smiling as he extended his hand and returned the strong pressure given. "But I can tell you that the Harper Hall is more than grateful to you for passing this message."
"Brestolli's not the sort makes things up for mischief, Masterharper," Nurevin said, cocking his head to emphasize his opinion. He was a swarthy man of medium height, with grizzled hair worn in a long plait that had recently been neatly redone. His clothing was of excellent quality but road-worn. "So I knew I'd best get it to someone who could see it was handled proper.
I hated to leave him in Bitra Hold, but he'd broke his leg in three places, mangled his arm, and cracked some ribs when a cart overturned. Caught a wheel on uneven flags in Bitra Court. Healer said he couldn't be moved, so I paid the brewer both good marks and trade goods to tend him. Brestolli's one to keep his eyes and ears open, despite he talks such a streak you wouldn't think he'd hear for the constant sound of his own voice. But if he's heard what that message says he heard, then he's heard it. Make no mistake about that. I wouldn't want it said we didn't give warning when there're them what'd harm good Master Robinton. No, I wouldn't."
Larad offered him a goblet of Benden wine, and Nurevin's eyes lit up with appreciation after his first sip.
"You honor me, Lord Larad."
"Telgar is in your debt, Trader Nurevin."
"Not just Telgar, Trader Nurevin," Sebell added solemnly as he tilted his glass to him and drank ceremoniously. Nurevin flushed at such courtesy.
Sebell called to Kimi, who had been visiting outside with Telgar Hold's fair. Silently, Larad proferred writing materials and a message tube.
"I'm sending this to Lytol, who will take appropriate measures," Sebell said after pe
Kimi had listened intently, cocking her head this way and that, her eyes whirling with noticeable increase in speed. She gave one chirp and disappeared.
"Forewarned is forearmed, Trader Nurevin. Has Brestolli's fire-lizard returned to him?"
"Yes. It's only a blue, but he's got it well trained. I can send my queen if you need more information. I've been keeping in touch with Brestolli to be sure he's well tended." Nurevin winked and gri
"When a harper is silenced, all men should listen harder," Sebell said.
Nurevin nodded solemnly. "I heard some other stuff whilst I was at Bitra..." He hesitated.
"Be easy, man," Larad encouraged him. "There's not much a harper doesn't hear sooner or later. And, if it's along the lines of Brestolli's message, perhaps Master Sebell'd better hear it from you."
"Well, it's them rumors." Nurevin paused again, obviously not happy to utter them, but by gesture and expression, all three men encouraged him to speak. "It's said that Lord Jaxom and that white dragon of his killed G'lanar and Lamoth-deliberate."
"Shards! How could anyone repeat such a foul slander?" Asgenar asked, incensed.
"Oh, there've been worse," Sebell said, but he turned to Nurevin. "Master Robinton was there himself and told me that Jaxom was victim, not assailant, and Lamoth died of shame that his rider would turn on another rider. Any more?"
"Well, and this's stupider," Nurevin went on, both reassured and encouraged by his audience. "That dragonriders will take the three colony ships and disappear from Pern, leaving us with only flame-throwers to kill Thread!"
"Did you hear the one that suggests that the dragons will take the old shuttles and throw them at the Red Star and destroy it?" When Nurevin shook his head, Sebell continued, his expression serious. "There's one that the Masterhealer has been given medicine by Aivas that will paralyze folk so that pieces can be carved out of their bodies to repair others who have sickened."
Nurevin snorted. "I heard that one at Bitra. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. That Aivas thing is scary, but I've not seen anything produced yet that didn't help us in some way or t'other. Best axle grease I ever had was something that Aivas gave the Smithcrafthall. And that new metal for cotter pins that don't bend or snap when the wheels are stressed."
Kimi reentered, chittering about the success of her trip and stroking her golden head on Sebell's cheek before she held out her message-laden leg. Excusing himself, Sebell read the message.
"Late as it is there, I'm bid to Cove Hold. If you'll excuse me..."
He was ushered out by the two Lord Holders.
"You wonder sometimes, don't you, Asgenar," Larad said sadly as they turned to reenter the warm, comfortable room, "why people can be so ornery."
"I think it has to do with a resistance to being done good to.'
"Not if they're putting Master Robinton at risk," Larad said, still horrified by that possibility. "He's never harmed anyone in his life. This world would rise up to the least child to protest such infamy."
"Which, unfortunately, makes him the most useful hostage," Asgenar said with a sigh of regret.
By the time Sebell reached Cove Hold, it was early morning there. He and the brown dragon who was conveying him were immediately greeted by swarms of chittering fire-lizards as dense in the sky as Thread. Tiroth, ensconced on the grassy sward before the hold, blinked orange-laced eyes until he and brown Folrath identified each other. Sebell was pleased to see so many guardians already in place. Not that the whilom abductors could as yet have gotten so far as Cove Hold, given the journey they would have to make from Bitra, or even from the nearest seaport.
Every glowbasket in the main room was wide open, shedding light on Robinton, D'ram, Lytol, and T'gellan, who were sitting at the big round table. A collapsed wineskin indicated that much discussion had already taken place. Sebell was glad to see the Eastern Weyrleader present.