Free The Seekers of Fire by Lynna Merrill Page A

be in this place and in this condition if I were a Ber or wanted to betray you to them!? And if I were, or did—whether or not I had gathered enough evidence against you before now, you just provided it to me with your ' nonexistent Master. ' If you don't trust me, don't talk! If you so much want to think, at least be good at thinking!"
    It worked better than any promise or consolation. She glared back at him.
    "And you, insulting—presumptuous—conceited man! How dare you talk to me like that!"
    Rianor laughed, angry and amused at the same time. Nobody ever dared talk to him the way she just had. Well, the members of his own House, whom he treated like immediate family, allowed themselves the occasional, milder, retort. But outside people were civil, and many of the women were eager to please him, in many ways. And even though the maddening woman before him was going to be a Qynnsent lady soon, he should not allow her such retorts. He squeezed her, ignoring his ribs' complaint, as well as any pain she might feel herself, and brushed his lips to her ear.
    "Be very careful how you address me, my apprentice. I won't betray you to the Bers, but for all you know, I might be more dangerous than them."
    She shivered, but it must not have been fear. When she turned her head to face him again, the amber seemed to glow brighter than a lantern.
    "I will remember that, my lord master. I will remember it next time when something almost kills me because I am trying to save you, and you can't even see it!"
    Damn it, that was not the best time to teach her respect. Or to think how well she fit into his arms, not at all like a family member. She smelled of lavender, despite the grime and blood, and how on Mierenthia had he recognized this particular smell? Rianor slightly relaxed his grip and tried to focus on the vague thought that had started nibbling his mind. It seemed important.
    "And you!" Linden shouted to something in the darkness, "I told you to leave us alone! Stop your wretched tricks already!"
    "Quiet, Linde," Rianor murmured, his concentration broken. "I need silence for a moment."
    "Oh, so I am not a scatterminded woman any more, am I, your lordship?"
    "Linden, shut up, or I will force you to."
    But the vague thought was gone already. Rianor resisted the urge to grit his teeth, then locked her eyes.
    "You are trying my patience."
    "You are trying mine with your attitude—" She stopped abruptly in mid-sentence. "Rianor, this is wrong." The anger faded from her eyes. "We are spending our time quarreling, instead of finding our way out of here. For all we know, it might be her doing it to our minds. Or not. You were right to criticize me earlier for acting carelessly, my lord. But I am still acting carelessly, and so are you."
    He must have still looked irritated, for she shook her head at him and reached towards him, as if to stop his reply with a finger on his lips. Rianor snatched it, realizing what he was doing a split second later, just in time to tense his fingers and stop breaking hers. His anger faded.
    "Linde—" He held the light close to her fingers, massaging them gently. She did not protest. "Nothing is broken, thankfully. And I only wanted to say that you were right. Point taken, my lady. We do not quarrel any more."
    She had acknowledged her mistake when criticized. Rianor did not think he had ever seen a woman do that.
    She looked at her hand, then at his face and smiled weakly.
    "Will you teach me this trick, too?"

    Linden and Rianor
    Night 77 of the Fourth Quarter, Year of the Master 705
    Linden told Rianor about the samodiva, the well, and the pillar, as they moved to where they had awakened after the fall in order to recover her cloak. Although the temperature was bearable here, she would need the garment outside, where cold still gripped Mierber's night. He was still holding her hand but had postponed teaching her how to break fingers. Linden was glad he had not let go. His touch felt reassuring while she