Free The Luck Of The Wheels by Megan Lindholm Page A

but walked straight up to Allikata and thrust the papers up at him. He unrolled them carelessly, glanced at them, and tossed them back. 'It says two travelling. There's three of you.'
    Ki opened her mouth, but Goat answered, his voice cracking with excitement. 'Maybe. But there must be twenty-five of those filthy Tamshin in the caravan that passed us yesterday. They're who you're supposed to be after. For those horses! I bet those horses were stolen! I knew that big roan stallion was too fine a beast to belong to Tamshin!'
    'The white mares!' A Brurjan suddenly demanded gutturally. 'They still had the white mares?'
    'Yes!' Goat answered happily. 'They passed us just before dusk. They couldn't be far away; maybe at a place with more water, and trees for shade.' Goat's face had taken on a dreamy expression, as if he could see the place he was describing. The faces of the patrol lit up evilly. Vandien looked ill.
    'No, Goat, you're mistaken. The Tamshin passed us before noon, moving north and fast. They are long gone by now. The wine merchants passed us just before nightfall.'
    Ki's voice rang clear, but no one turned to it. Allikata only laughed, a short fierce sound. His tongue was red behind his white teeth.
    'If we hurry, they'll just be rousing from sleep,' a Human added appreciatively. Allikata gave a shout, and the horses wheeled suddenly and left the camp at a gallop. One rider's boot caught Ki's shoulder as he passed, shoving her nearly into the path of another horse. Then they were gone, the thunder of their hooves fading, and only the trampled camp to show that they had been there at all.
    She scrabbled to her feet. In two steps she was beside Vandien. 'That was stupid,' she said tersely.
    'You're welcome,' he gasped. He let his arms hang at his sides and she tugged his shirt free of his belt, to lift it carefully. He flinched as her fingers gently prodded. 'Bruised,' she said in a tight voice. 'Maybe cracked, but not broken.'
    'Same ones,' he said, trying to make his voice light, but she could hear the effort it took for him to speak. 'And that was a Brurjan, too. You remember that tavern in Silva?'
    'Where I had to pay for the hole in the wall?' Ki asked.
    'Yes. Guess I just don't make a good impression with Brurjans.'
    'No. You should stick to walls. You made a hell of an impression on that one.'
    He made a vague effort to tuck in his shirt, then gave it up with a twisted smile. Ki touched his face, and when he lifted his eyes to hers, she kissed him softly. He caught her hand.
    'That's twice,' he said, his voice still breathy with pain. 'Twice in two days that you've kissed me. I remember a time when if you kissed me twice in a month, it was remarkable.'
    Ki shook her head at him silently, finding no words for her thoughts.
    'What about me?' Goat demanded suddenly. 'Isn't anyone going to thank me? If I hadn't sent them after those Tamshin, they'd have wrecked this place. And probably killed Vandien and raped you and Willow.'
    Ki rounded on him. And what do you think they'll do to the Tamshin? What you did was cold and disgusting.' She choked into silence, unable to speak her anger.
    Vandien's eyes were hard and black as he stared at the boy. 'We were handling it fine, until you stepped in. If there's ever a next time, you remember that Ki and I handle things, while you keep silent and unobtrusive. Understand me, boy?'
    There was a whip's edge to his final question. Goat both flinched and bristled. 'Oh, yes,' he spat bitterly. 'I'll remember. I'll keep silent and unobtrusive while they kick the snot out of you, I will, and with pleasure, and when they ...'
    'Fine. That would be wonderful. I'm pleased we understand one another.' Vandien's voice was cool, every trace of anger gone from it. He turned from the boy's ranting as if it were the humming of a mosquito. 'What was wrong with the door?'
    'Willow latched it,' Ki said tersely.
    'Willow!' Vandien exclaimed, remembering the girl. 'She must have been terrified. Is