Broken World Book Two - StarSword Read Online Free

deck, lost in the memory of the depths and
the predator's mind-touch. Talsy stayed away, and he was glad of
her tact. He let Kieran nurse his injury until the following day,
when he had regained some semblance of normality. His contact with
the Shamerian beast had warped his thinking and replaced much of
his knowledge with blank spaces. Regaining the lost knowledge took
a great deal of introspection and concentration, but without it he
would no longer be able to heal Lowman flesh. In order to undo the
harm he had done to the Lowman warrior, he had to recall the
knowledge and skill he had lost when he had shared the predator's
mind.
    Shortly after
sunrise, Chanter looked around as Kieran emerged from below decks,
his injured arm clasped before him. Someone had splinted and
strapped the warrior's wrist, and evidently he wanted a stroll on
deck. As he rounded the cabin, the Mujar stepped out in front of
him. Kieran paled and stumbled back. Chanter frowned at him,
puzzled by his fear. The stern railing brought warrior up short,
and he raised his good arm.
    Chanter made
the palm up gesture. "No harm."
    Kieran lowered
his arm, eyeing the Mujar. Talsy, who had just emerged onto the
deck, spotted the confrontation and hurried over. Kieran flung her
a pleading look.
    "What's wrong
with him?"
    "There's
nothing wrong with me," Chanter said. "You're the one who needs
fixing."
    "Chanter..."
Talsy hesitated, and the Mujar spoke without turning his head.
    "You told
him?"
    "Yes."
    "Leave us."
    Talsy frowned
and moved away, watching them. Kieran did not cower, such a big man
would find that difficult, but his demeanour was apprehensive.
    Chanter studied
him. "You fear me. Good."
    "I never meant
any harm."
    The Mujar
reached out and took hold of Kieran’s broken wrist. The warrior
gritted his teeth as Chanter undid the bandage and removed the
splints, his fingers examining the swollen, discoloured flesh. He
lowered his eyes.
    "Regret."
    "What?" Kieran
shook his head in confusion.
    "I have harmed
you."
    "Oh. It's
nothing."
    Chanter raised
his eyes. "It's broken."
    The flash of
Shissar made Kieran jump, then Chanter gestured, and a globe of sea
water sprang from the ocean into his hand. He splashed it over
Kieran’s wrist, and his fingers stroked the blackened skin. In
seconds the bruising faded, and he released Kieran, stepping
back.
    "Wish."
    Kieran looked
flabbergasted. "Why do you grant me a Wish?"
    "For regret.
Same as gratitude, but very rare."
    "Because you
hurt me?"
    Chanter nodded.
"Wish."
    Kieran still
looked confused, his eyes wary as he stared at the Mujar. "But you
already healed it."
    Talsy came up
behind Chanter, apparently unable to stay out of the confrontation.
"He's being formal," she explained. "Chanter, he doesn't understand
you when you're like this. You're being too Mujar. Try a little
Lowman complexity, he'll understand that."
    Chanter glanced
at her, sighed and shook his head. "You, too, Talsy, are too Mujar.
It will bring you great grief. Kieran is afraid of me because I
hurt him. He has seen the ease with which Mujar can do harm. He
thought that he was stronger than me, but with the powers I wield,
nothing is stronger than a Mujar. In the Mujar way, I must atone
for the harm I've done, and I offer him a Wish, yet he stands there
with his mouth open like he's trying to catch flies and doesn't
understand me at all. Is that enough Lowman complexity for
you?"
    Kieran asked,
"What the hell happened to you down there?"
    "Questions? Is
that your Wish?"
    "Yes."
    Chanter
inclined his head. "Three only."
    "What happened
down there?" Kieran repeated.
    The Mujar
stared out to sea with narrowed eyes. "I healed a creature of such
intricacy that it makes you and I seem like bags of water with
sticks of metal inside them."
    "The predator,"
Talsy guessed.
    Chanter nodded
and continued, "In the process, its mind almost absorbed mine, for
they have an emotional sphere so far superior to yours that it
makes you seem like bits of wood."