Rondar said, “Depends on if there are more horses or women around.” He rolled over again and leaned on his elbows. His dark eyes looked hard at Talon. “We have our ways,” he said. “I’m not a good rider, but the shaman says I have talent. So, I go live with the shaman.” He looked as if he had reached the limit of his patience and said to Demetrius, “You tell him.’’
Demetrius made a wry expression and said, “The home of the Ashunta is in the west of the Empire, rolling grasslands no one else wants, but a good way for slavers and renegades to move around without running afoul of the Imperial army. Our friend and his master were off gathering herbs for some sort of ritual when a band of slavers happened on them. The shaman was too old to be worth anything, but our strapping young friend here was a prize for the auction blocks.’’
“Nakor bought me,” Rondar offered. “He talks too much.’’
Talon smiled. “Who, Nakor or Demetrius?”
Rondar said, “Yes.’’
Demetrius reached over and gave Rondar a playful slap to the back of the head. “Our taciturn friend here is actually a very good fellow, despite his pretense of being a man of few words—he’s glib enough when one of the girls is in the mood to listen to his nonsense.”
Rondar lifted his head and grinned. “True.’’
Talon said, “About the girls . . .”
Rondar and Demetrius exchanged glances, then with one voice said, “Alysandra!” and burst into laughter.
Talon felt himself flush, but kept his smile fixed on his face. “What about her?’’
Demetrius said, “I heard she’d been in to tend you from time to time.’’
Rondar said, “Every boy wants her.’’
“You two as well?” asked Talon.
Demetrius said, “Everyone has a try when they meet her. She’s different. But she has a way of making you a friend and making you feel like an idiot for trying to get her off alone somewhere.”
Rondar signed. “She’s worth a lot of horses.’’
Talon laughed. “You sound like you’re in love.’’
Rondar said, “True. Everyone’s in love with her.’’
“Who is she?’’
“No one knows,” said Demetrius. “Or at least, no one who knows is talking. She’s been here longer than either of us, and she’s obviously someone special. I’ve heard her talking to a lot of outlanders in their languages, and she spends a lot of time alone with Miranda.’’
“Why is that special?” asked Talon.
Demetrius rose as a bell sounded. “Supper,” he announced. “We’ll talk on the way.’’
They left through the door, with Rondar a step behind. Talon moved carefully, but could keep up as long as Demetrius kept to a casual walk.
“You know Miranda is Pug’s wife?” asked Demetrius.
Talon nodded. “I know their sons.’’
“Pug is the . . . ‘ruler,’ for lack of a better word, of this place. But Miranda is his equal in just about every way. And some say she’s a more powerful magician. All I know is she spends a little time with every student here, but a lot of time with Alysandra.”
Talon said, “So, that’s why she’s special.’’
Rondar said, “Took a lot of words for you to get it, Talon.’’
Talon laughed. “I know.’’
“So, if you want to take your chance with Alysandra, no one is going to blame you.’’
“True,” said Rondar.
“But don’t expect to get anywhere.”
Talon caught sight of Alysandra ahead, talking to two other girls. To his two new friends, he said, “One thing my father taught me: there is no reward without risk, and you can only fail if you don’t try.’’
“Hug,” said Rondar.
“What?” asked Talon.
Demetrius shook his head. “No, kiss on the cheek.’’
“What are you talking about?’’
“Alysandra will let you court her, my friend,” supplied Demetrius. “I think she’s secretly amused by the attention. And she’s very sweet. I don’t think she has a mean thought in her, but by the end of the first evening you court her, she’ll have you swearing that you’ll be just like a brother to her, and you’ll know that you’re never going to get your arms around that slender waist, and just before she turns you around and points you back to your own quarters, you’ll either get a tiny hug, one so brief you’ll barely feel her next to you, or a fluttering kiss on the cheek, with her lips hardly touching your face. A kiss on the cheek is considered a badge of achievement among the lads here.’’
As if sensing she was the object of this conversation, Alysandra looked back over her shoulder. When she saw Talon and the others, she smiled.
Talon glanced at his friends, both of whom were avoiding eye contact with the young woman. So he returned his gaze to her and gave her the broadest smile he could. She held his gaze for a step longer, then dropped her eyes and turned back to her companions.
Rondar said, “I’ll wager a copper it’s a hug.’’
Demetrius said, “Done. I wager a kiss on the cheek.’’
Talon lowered his voice. “I’ll take both those wagers, for I’ll have more than a kiss on the cheek from her.’’
“Determination,” said Demetrius. “I like it!’’
“Humph,” was Rondar’s inarticulate comment.