Wolves of the Gods

Khadji shook his head in grandfatherly amusement. 'When I saw him last he was sitting in your mother's lap trying to make up a poem about the great boy hero, Palimak Timura, who drove away a hungry pack of wolves.'

His father laughed again and Safar laughed with him. Then before the humor could lapse into an uncomfortable silence he used the skills he'd learned as a man of the royal court to send his father away feeling as comfortable as he could under the circumstances.

It didn't make Safar feel any better. However he looked at it, the Grand Wazier and Chief Wizard of all of Esmir had just dismissed-however politely-his own father from his presence.

Safar stood outside the meeting lodge while the Elders debated his fate. The village was silent, doors barred, windows shuttered. Even the dogs had been taken in and the only sound-other than the buzz of discussion going on inside the lodge-was the harsh sawpit song of a young cicada in lust.

At first he paced, then he realized the whole village watched through those closed shutters, and he stood as still as he could, trying his best to strike a noble pose. It made him feel clownish, like a young acolyte waiting to be punished for some bit of mischief. So he fussed with that pose, shifting from noble to manly unconcern and all the other contortions people go through when they know they're being watched but must pretend otherwise. In his days as a circus magician, Methydia, who had turned witchery into a crowd pleasing art, said the greatest trick when squaring off before an audience was to find something natural to do with your hands. It was a lesson he'd thought he'd learned, but as he waited for the elders'

decision his schooling hid giggling in a corner while he shuffled his hands this way and that, feeling foolish, but not knowing what to do about it.

Leiria came hurrying down the lane, clutching a large jug in one arm. When she saw him she grinned and hoisted the jug onto her head. She walked toward him, exaggerating the swing of her hips so even in a soldier's costume of metal and leather she looked like a fetching village lass coming up from the well who'd rather tarry with the lads than go home to her mother. When she reached him she maintained the pose, swinging the jug down and coming up on her toes to offer it to him.

'I hope everybody is watching,' she whispered.

'Wish granted, madam,' Safar said. 'No magic required.'

He drank the cold well water as if it were the finest wine, surprised at how thirsty he was. When he lowered the jug Leiria stepped away, relaxing into her normal flat footed stance-right hand resting on the hilt of her sheathed sword.

'They could never figure out if I was a soldier or a slut,' she said. 'If anyone ever had the nerve to ask, I might have been more tempted to stay here.'

'How would you have answered?'

'Simple. I'd have said, 'If truth be known, sir,' assuming it was a sir who asked, 'If truth be known, sir, I was once captain of the Imperial guard. But I was also once the king's whore. So I can claim both titles, sir. I stand before you, soldier and slut together. Lips and sword, sir. Lips and sword.''

Safar laughed. 'That speech sounds like it's had a bit of practice.'

'I used it on my last master,' Leiria said. 'But I told him only one was for hire. I could tell he'd be trouble if I didn't put him straight at the beginning, so I made him guess which was which. Lips or sword? He could see right off the penalty'd be severe if he guessed wrong, so he took the safe road and hired my sword. And that was that!'

A loud voice from the meeting lodge interrupted them. They turned to listen in, but although they could tell it was Safar's father speaking, they couldn't make out the words. Then the voice stopped and the buzz continued.

Leiria was disgusted. 'This is stupid.'

'I'm not that sure it is,' Safar replied. He was so tired almost anything seemed to make sense. 'I told them exactly what'd happened. Iraj came here looking for me. And for Palimak. From their point of view the boy and I are responsible for the deaths of many fellow Kyranians.'

'So what are they going to do about it?' Leiria asked. 'Exile the two of you? Cast you out? As if that's going to solve anything.'

'Maybe it will,' Safar said wearily. 'If we leave, maybe Iraj will let them be.'

Leiria sneered. 'That's ridiculous!' she said. 'Iraj would never be satisfied so easily. He'd want to lay waste to the village as well.' She snorted. 'Typical leadership! Doesn't matter if you're talking about the leaders of the grandest city or smallest hamlet. They're all the same. I came to the conclusion long ago that to be a leader you must first drink the Wine of Stupidity. Followed by a hefty slug of the Brandy of Forgetfulness. And then a nice tot of Trivial Answers To Questions No One Asked for a nightcap.'

She jabbed a finger at the lodge. 'They know Iraj. He lived here when he was a boy. They sheltered him when he needed them most. It was Kyrania who brought Iraj here, not Safar Timura. You were only a boy, what did you have to say about it?' Another finger jab at the lodge. 'I'd wager anything that your precious Council of Elders held a vote on whether Iraj was to be invited. Any trouble they have with him now comes from that decision.

'So who is to blame? The former members of the Council of Elders? Or Safar Timura, a young lad in a village so small you and Iraj were bound to meet?'

Safar made a wry grin. 'You have a way of putting things in such simple terms,' he said.

Leiria smacked her sword hilt. 'Not so simple that they aren't true,' she said. 'Any ordinary person could see it. Those silly old men are in there trying to decide who to blame. Which will end up being you and Palimak. No doubt about that! Meanwhile, they're ignoring the real problem. Which is that Iraj will return-and in full force.

'Hells, the only reason they're meeting for so long is that they're faced with harming one of their own.

Palimak will be easy for them. Half demon, half human. Bad luck all around and who else could be to blame? What they'll probably do is ignore you entirely and banish Palimak.'

'But anyone who knows me would understand what that'd mean,' Safar said, bewildered. 'Which is that I'd have to leave as well. Adopted or not, half-breed or quarter breed, I'm responsible for the child.'

Leiria rose up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. 'Of course you feel that way,' she said. 'That's why I fell in love with you. I didn't need the presence of Palimak to know that's how you would act if some sort of thing like that ever occurred. That's why I came back.

'Unless you missed it, Safar Timura, I have returned! Which in my mind-being the only mind I possess-is a damned remarkable thing and you are one hells of a lucky fellow!'

She raised her head and looked Safar straight in the eyes, catching them and holding them so there would be no misunderstanding. 'But it's not for love,' she said. 'At least not that kind of love. I'm not only over that, but I've gone on.'

Safar nodded. He had an odd feeling of sudden relief … and regret. 'No need to be upset,' he said, rather lamely. 'I'm not expecting anything, or asking anything of you.'

Leiria slapped her sword, angry. 'Dammit, Safar Timura, that's not what I mean at all! I'm your friend.

Ask me anything. That's what I want … maybe all that I ever really wanted. But ask me, dammit! Ask!

Or go to the hells along with the whole damned world you're worried about!'

Safar didn't know what to say. He tried to make a weak joke out of the situation. 'You never give me a chance to thank you,' he said. 'You keep saving my life before I can even shout for help.'

Leiria nodded toward the lodge. The meeting had ended and his father was standing in the doorway beckoning him. 'They're ready for you,' she said. 'The question is, are you ready for them?'

Safar's mind suddenly cleared. Resolve returned. Which had been Leiria's intent from the beginning.

'I'm ready,' he said. 'Now I know what to do.'

Safar didn't wait for the Elders to settle into various poses of wisdom. He struck first. 'I know you've already made your decision,' he said, 'but I also understand I have the right to speak before the ruling is announced.'

A swift glance around the silent room showed him he was right. Except for his father, they all avoided his eyes. 'All of us are not in agreement,' his father said hotly, glaring at the other Elders. 'So yes, son, a speech in your