Free Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond E. Feist Page B

mother, so the only grandmother I’m aware of did a fair job of conquering half the world; I wouldn’t have dreamed of teaching her anything.”
    â€œAnd you have your mother’s nasty sense of humor, too.” He turned from the King’s Tongue to Roldemish to say, “Talon, that’s enough. It’s time for you to return to the kitchen. Leo will tell you what needs to be done.’’
    Talon put the cards away in a small box and handed the box to Robert, then hurried to the kitchen.
    Magnus said, “I’m still uncertain what you think this boy will contribute to our cause.’’
    Robert shrugged. “Your father showed me many things when I was young, but the most important lesson of all was simply the very nature of your home. Your island provided refuge and school to all manner of beings I couldn’t have imagined in my most youthful dreams.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “That boy may prove to be nothing more than a valuable servant, or perhaps a well-crafted tool.” His eyes narrowed. “But he also could be something far more important, an independent mind loyal to our cause.’’
    Magnus was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “I doubt it.’’
    Robert smiled warmly. “We had doubts about you when you were younger. I remember a certain incident when you had to be confined to your room for . . . what was it? A week?’’
    Magnus returned a faint smile. “It wasn’t my fault, remember?”
    Robert nodded indulgently. “It never was.’’
    Magnus looked toward the kitchen. “But the boy?’’
    â€œHe has many things to learn,” said Robert. “Logic is only a start. He must come to understand that even the most important issues in life can often be seen to be games, with a sense of risk and reward and how to calculate them. He must learn when to walk away from a conflict, and when to press his luck. Much of his nature, what he was taught as a child among his people, must be taken from him. He must learn about the game of men and women—did you know his future wife was being arranged for him while he waited upon a mountaintop for his manhood vision?’’
    â€œI know little of the ways of the Orosini,” confessed Magnus.
    â€œHe knows nothing of the most common knowledge in the city; he has no sense of duplicity and deceit, so he hasalmost no instinct for when someone is lying to him. Yet he has a sense in the wild that would rival that of a Natalese Ranger.’’
    â€œCaleb told me he hunted like no city-born man,” agreed Magnus.
    â€œYour brother spent years with the elves; he should know.’’
    â€œAgreed.”
    â€œNo, our young friend Talon is an opportunity. He is, perhaps, unique. And he is young enough that we may be able to educate him to be something few of us can be.’’
    â€œWhich is what?” asked Magnus, clearly interested.
    â€œUnlimited by our heritage. He’s still able to learn, while most of us at his age are already convinced we know everything.”
    â€œHe does seem a ready student,” Magnus conceded.
    â€œAnd he has a sense of honor that would serve a LaMutian Captain of Tsurani descent.’’
    Magnus raised an eyebrow. Those of Tsurani descent were as hidebound where honor was concerned as any men living. They would die to discharge a debt of honor. He looked for a moment to see if Robert was exaggerating and realized that he wasn’t. “Honor is useful, at times.’’
    â€œHe has a mission already, even if it has yet to come to the surface of his mind.’’
    â€œMission?”
    â€œHe is Orosini. He must hunt down and kill the men responsible for the obliteration of his people.’’
    Magnus let out a long sigh. “Raven and his band of cutthroats. No mean feat, that.’’
    â€œThe boy’s already a hunter. When he is ready,