Free Gate of Ivrel by C. J. Cherryh Page B

. herein she feared the Border were lost, that there would none rallye to the Saving of the Middle Realms, save only Chya and Leth, and they strippt of Men and sorely hurt. So gave she Farewell to Leth and left the Halle, much mourned ... Well, that is neither here nor there. It touches me to think that I am missed at least in Leth." Her fingers sought further pages. "Ah, here is news. My old friend Zri—he was counselor to Tiffwy, you know. Or do you not? Well... Chye Zri has come to Leth, he being friend to the Kings of Koris." A feral grin was on her face, as if that mightily amused her. "Friend—she laughed softly—"aye, friend to Tiffwy's wife, and thereon hung a tale."
     
    Kasedre twisted with both hands at his sleeve, his poor fevered eyes shifting nervously from here to the book and back again. "Zri was highly honored here," he said. "But he died."
     
    "Zri was a fox," said Morgaine. "Ah, clever, that man. It was surely like him not to have been at Irien after all, although he rode out with us. Zri had an ear to the ground constantly: he could smell disaster, Tiffwy always said. And Edjnel never trusted him. But unfortunately Tiffwy did. And I wonder indeed that Edjnel took him in when he appeared at the gates of Leth. . . . he has honored us b.y his Presence, tutor. . . to the younge Prince Leth Tohme ... to guide in all divers manner of Statecraft and Publick Affaires, being Guardian also of the Lady Chya Aromwel and her daughter Linna, at the lamented Decease of Leth Edjnel..."
     
    "Zri taught my grandfather," said Kasedre when Morgaine remained sunk in thought. He prattled on, nervous, eager to please. "And my father for a time too. He was old, but he had many children—"
     
    One of the uyin tittered behind his hand. It was injudicious. Leth Kasedre turned and glared, and that uyo bowed himself to his face and begged pardon quickly, claiming some action in the back of the hall as the source of his amusement.
     
    "What sort was Tohme?" asked Morgaine.
     
    "I do not know," said Kasedre. "He drowned. Like aunt Linna."
     
    "Who was your father?"
     
    "Leth Hes." Kasedre puffed a bit with pride, insisted to turn the pages of the book himself, to show her. "He was a great lord."
     
    "Tutored by Zri."
     
    "And he had a great deal of gold." Kasedre refused to be distracted. But then his face fell. "But I never saw him. He died. He drowned too."
     
    "Most unfortunate. I should stay clear of water, my lord Leth. Where did it happen? The lake?"
     
    "They think—" Kasedre lowered his voice—"that my father was a suicide. He was always morose. He brooded about the lake. Especially after Zri was gone. Zri—"
     
    "—drowned?"
     
    "No. He rode out and never came back. It was a bad night. He was an old man anyway." His face assumed a pout. "I have answered every one of your questions, and you promised my answer and you have not answered it. Where were you, all these years. What became of you, if you did not die?"
     
    "If a man," she said, continuing to read while she answered him, "rode into the Witchfires of Aenor-Pyvvn, then he could know. It is possible for anyone. However, it has certain— costs."
     
    "The Witchfires of Leth," he said, licking moisture from the corners of his mouth. "Would they suffice?"
     
    "Most probably," she said. "However, it is chancy. The fires have certain potential for harm. I know the safety of Aenor-Pyvvn. It could do no bodily harm. But I should not chance Leth's fires unless I had seen them. They are by the lake, which seems to take so much toll of Leth. I should rather other aid than that, lord Leth. Seek Aenon-Pyvvn." She still gave him only a part of her attention, continuing to push the great moldering pages back one after another. Then her eyes darted
     
    to the aged scholar. "Thee looks almost old enough to remember me."
     
    The poor old man, trembling, tried the major obeisance at being directly noticed by Morgaine, and could not make it gracefully. "Lady, I was