told him. I'll know more after I've had a couple of good chats with those we brought home with us. When I do, I'll send the report along by courier, if that suits.”
“It does,” she said, with a glance at Daav, who was sitting where Clarence had put him, his head against the back of the chair and his eyes closed.
“He's had a bit of a bad time,” Clarence said, following her gaze.
“It could have been worse,” Daav murmured, sounding very nearly like himself.
“That's right,” Clarence allowed, and rose with a wince. “I'll be taking myself off, gentle people.” He bowed. “Aelliana, your servant. Daav—”
He moved a hand without opening his eyes. “Do not, I beg you, say so, or you will be doing nothing else with your time aside fetching me out of dreadful scrapes.”
Clarence grinned. “I could branch out into bodyguard.”
“So you could. Clarence—” He lifted his head with an effort Aelliana felt in her own muscles, and opened his eyes. “Thank you. I am in your debt.”
“No, now that you're not. There are no debts between us. It's forgotten, and of your kindness you'll do the same.”
There was a small silence, then Daav sighed, his mouth curving slightly.
“You drive a hard bargain, Pilot. Yes, that is the course of wisdom. Let it be so. Good lift.”
“Safe landing.”
He crossed the room, reaching the door just as it opened to admit Mr. Ongit, with the Healer.
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Liaden 11 - Mouse and Dragon
Chapter Thirty-Five
A clan's treasure is its children.
—From the Liaden Code of Proper Conduct
The tree had given several pods, which Daav had eaten without hesitation, and with every evidence of enjoyment. Aelliana was apparently judged well enough, for nothing fell to her hand. That was, as far as she cared, as it should be. Her concern at the moment was all for him.
Though he had received benefit from both the Healer and the autodoc, he seemed to her . . . tired; his signal, normally so clear, was subdued. The Healer had said that he might find it difficult to concentrate over the next few days, which was an artifact of the drug his captor had used to enthrall him. Aelliana gathered that there were crueler drugs that they might have used, but not very many.
She sighed, her back against the tree's comforting trunk, and looked down into his face.
Almost, she thought, almost, I had lost him. Her heart trembled, and she extended a hand to trace the stark line of his cheek.
“I love you,” she murmured. “Van'chela, I love you so much that it frightens me.”
“I know,” he whispered. He opened his eyes and gazed up into her face. “You're weeping. It all came out well in the end, Aelliana.”
“This time,” she acknowledged unsteadily. “And yet it could have gone wrong in so many ways. They—”
He raised his hand and pressed his fingers gently against her lips.
“No. Do not consider what they might have done, nor even what they have done. They failed; we prevailed. That is what we recall.”
She took a breath; nodded.
“That is well, he murmured. ”Now, attend me, for I have been remiss and thus placed the delmae into danger. In the past, when the delms of Korval and the Boss of Liad have found it necessary to share information, a message is dispatched and a mutually acceptable time is found for them to meet at Ongit's. There is no reason for Korval to go to the Boss, or, indeed, for the Boss to come to Korval.'
“Clarence said the same,” Aelliana admitted. She laughed slightly. “Truly, Daav, I have seldom beheld someone so honestly horrified to see me.”
“Clarence has a great deal of good sense,” Daav murmured, and turned his head away, as if listening.
“Oh, dear.” He sighed. “I believe we are both about to be scolded masterfully.”
Aelliana frowned. She heard the breeze in the leaves, the repetitive call of a to-me, the bright burst of a rindlebird's song—and footsteps, light and quick, growing more distinct.
Er Thom appeared 'round the bend in the path, and crossed the grass to them.
With neither ceremony nor greeting, he dropped to his knees and leaned forward to look closely into Daav's eyes.
“Brother, how do you go on?” he asked.
“Well enough. The Healer did his work well.”
