Free WINDHEALER by Charlotte Boyett-Compo Page B

my boy!" Hern bellowed, striding to where Jah-Ma-El sat. "You try hitting him and see what I do, you vile-smelling warlock!"
    Conar's brother angrily shook his head. "No, not physically hit him."
    Roget looked around from his place at the open doorway. "I think I see where you're going."
    "I don't!" Hern shot back. "If he tries to hurt—"
    With a snarl of rage very much unlike Jah-Ma-El, the gangly man stood and glared into Hern's beefy face. "What's the best way you know to make Conar angry?"
    "What the hell difference—"
    "How did you make him angry?" Jah-Ma-El shouted.
    So surprised by the backbone this thin, unwashed man had developed, Hern could only gape.
    " How, dammit? How did you make him mad? How did you get him to do something he didn't want to do?"
    Hern's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. He narrowed his eyes. His stare was meant to quell Jah-Ma-El, but the little man held his ground. "When I wanted him to shape up, I insulted him."
    "I don't think that would help now," Storm said. "He's so accustomed to being humiliated, it just might push him deeper into oblivion."
    Jah-Ma-El turned. "I wasn't thinking of insulting him."
    "Then, what?" Hern asked, his voice tight with annoyance.
    "There's only one person we could slur," Storm whispered, "that will make him angry enough to respond."
    Hern sighed. "His lady."
    * * *
    He was sitting up in the cot, hands in his lap, staring straight ahead. He didn't seem to be aware of the men working in the hut. There were three of them, strangers to him, men who volunteered to work in the hut to be near him. They were speaking about inconsequential things, joking with one another, their cheerful voices filled with laughter.
    "I hear she's as ugly as they come," one of the inmates said in a conspiratorial voice. "She's so damned ugly, her parents won't let her out in public without something over her head!"
    "That bad? No wonder they can't find a husband for the bitch."
    "I heard she's deformed."
    "That's worse! How the hell are they going to get rid of her if no man will court her?"
    The first man looked at the patient. "I hear they got this fool lined up to marry her."
    "Who'd marry a ugly, deformed hag?"
    "Some noble down around Serenia. McGregor be his name. His parent's set the thing up."
    Conar's fingers jerked in his lap.
    "Poor fellow. Don't he have no say in it?"
    "Likely as not he don't. I hear he sent one of his friends down there to get a look at her and when that fellow came back there was hell to pay! That young nobleman told his papa he wouldn't have that toad frog if she was the last woman on earth!"
    Conar's lashes flickered.
    "Well, if he don't have no choice, he don't have no choice. I guess he could always stick a burlap bag over the hag's head."
    Another flicker.
    "I heard he already has a light-o'-love. A choice morsel. One of his many whores, I suppose."
    Conar's lips closed.
    "The same girl they say rides with him and his men?"
    "Rides with his men or is being ridden by them?"
    Conar's jaw clenched.
    "Bet he shares her. I hear she's kind of partial to one of his kin. Lord Saur, I think his name is. Saur be one of the fool's brothers, I'm told." The speaker cast a look at Conar's face and nearly laughed with happiness when he saw the young man's narrowed eyes.
    "I saw her with that one once. They was having a merry old time! That Lord Saur is a handsome cuss. Don't blame the gal for wanting him instead of the fool."
    Conar's fists doubled.
    "And that nobleman thought nobody knew where his light-o'-love was when she went a'missin', huh? She was out riding his brother, I guess!"
    Conar's body twitched; he drew in a deep, shuddering breath, let it out, drew another sharp, quick breath, let it out with a rush.
    "The man must have been a blind fool to think that tart was being faithful. He should have stuck with his Toad. At least no man would fool with such a ugly bitch!"
    "He'd rather have his whore, I reckon."
    Conar trembled from head to toe, his