Blind to Men Read Online Free Page B

selling or buying goods, and yelling at their daughters to come help
them.
    Mindful to keep up with
Kylor, she nonetheless observed everything with intensity. At home, she was
forbidden to talk to anyone she might encounter in the fields, or even to walk
to the nearest settlement.
    Her mother always went on
her own to the village, so she had kept to herself much of her eighteen
springs. She'd met a young tribeswoman once on her way to the river. They'd
exchanged a few words, but not enough for her to learn about what lay beyond
the fields she knew by heart.
    The girl seemed in a
hurry, worried about being late to meet someone she called the … of the Clans. As
usual, she felt like fretting over her bout of deafness. Later that evening,
she narrated her adventure to her mother who confirmed the existence of various
tribes.
    Where and how did those
women live? In small farms like herself, or in bigger places similar to the
houses she glimpsed when her impulse led her to go for a stroll by the edge of
the woods?
    On several occasions,
she'd gone to pick daisies and tulips in the countryside, or to collect chestnuts
in the forest, and she had heard women chattering about her from a distance.
    "Who’s that girl? Is
she from the village? Hush, she’s the girl from the haunted farm. Let’s be on
our way."
    She felt lonely at times,
but her mother’s love and teachings filled her childhood. Her daily chores also
kept her busy. Still, she had to admit that journeying was wonderful.
    Discovering landscapes,
villages, and life outside the farm was exhilarating, although she didn't care
much for hard riding. With help from the mighty gods, she would soon lay eyes
on Palance.
    Though disconcerting and
a little scary, traveling with her protector proved daunting. The way Kylor kissed
and licked her body was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
    She blinked as they
entered the stables, the rather gloomy shed contrasting with the bright sun
outside. Kylor didn't waste time to mount her steed. Tall and proud astride her
magnificent black horse, golden rays shining through the straw roof in her fair
hair, she looked like a great warrior.
    She extended a hand,
easily lifting her so she'd rest her back against the strong chest. She smiled,
basking in the safety of Kylor’s arms.
    "I saw horses
without riders in the street. Women shouldn't let them loose in a place so
crowded. Don't you think they might hurt a child?"
    She watched her protector
take up the reins and grab them tightly before replying in a low tone.
    "I can assure you
those animals aren't loose in the streets. They belong to someone."
    "Who?"
    She must have asked the
wrong question because her protector just clucked her tongue and directed the
stallion out of the stables. They rode all morning. In the heart of the woods,
they dismounted by a stream on the edge of a clearing. Kylor tied her horse to
a tree and rifled through her saddlebags.
    She handed her a few
strips of dried meat and some yellow-looking cheese topped with apples and
nuts. She also produced a grey goblet that she refilled from the clear stream.
    "Eat and drink,
because we'll ride till dusk."
    Once she had spread her
long cloak on the grass, the woman waited for her to sit down before she
squatted by her side. Birds chirped in the woods as a light breeze blew across
the clearing.
    Satisfying if not very tasty,
the cold food sated her hunger and the fresh water sluiced off dust from the
country roads. She was chewing on the dried meat when her companion suddenly stiffened.
    Hand on the hilt of her
sword, she seemed to be listening to something inaudible. Then Kylor relaxed,
but a most peculiar thing occurred. She stood up, bowed briefly, and started
talking to emptiness.
    "She's here with
me."
    With a tilt of her head
and a large sweep of her hand, her guardian indicated the long cloak she sat
on.
    "I feared being
delayed, but we've made good speed. We should reach Palance in due time."
    No answer. Not