Lore of Witch World (Witch World Collection of Stories) (Witch World Series) Read Online Free Page B

to explore. The cubby was small; there was a shelflike bunk against the wall, a stool which seemed bolted to the deck, nought else. Did they have Captain Ortis pent in such a hole also? And how had this Vidruth managed so well the takeover of the Captain's command? What she had read of Sibbald Ortis during their brief meeting did not lead her to think he was one easily overcome by an enemy.
    But she was sitting quietly on the stool when Vidruth returned to drop the length of ribband across her quiet hands.
    “Learn all you can,” he urged her. “We have two days of sail if this wind continues to favor us, then we shall raise Usturt Food, water, what you wish, shall be brought to you, and there is a guard without so that you need Dot be troubled.”
    With the silk between her hands, Dairine concentrated upon what it could tell her. She had no illusions concerning Vidruth. To him and the others she was only a tool in their hands. Because she was sightless, he might undervalue her, for all his talk of Talent and Power. She had discovered many times in the past that such was so.
    Deliberately, Dairine closed out the world about her, shut her ears to creak of timber, wash of wave, her nose to the many smells which offended it Once more her “sight” turned inward. She could “see” the blue of those hands (which were not quite hands) engaged in weaving. Colors she had no words to describe were clear and bright. For the material she saw so was not one straight length of color, but shimmered from one shade to another.
    Dairine tried now to probe beyond that shift of color to the loom from which it had come. She had an impression of tall, dark shafts. Those were not of well-planed and smooth wood; no, they had the crooked surface of—trees—standing trees!
    The hands—concentrate now upon the moving hands of the weaver.
    But the girl had only reached that point of recognition when there was a knock to distract her concentration. Exasperated, she turned her head to the door of the cubby.
    “Come!”
    Again the squeak of hinge, the sound of boots, the smell of sea-wet leather and man-skin. The newcomer cleared his throat as if ill at ease.
    “Lady, here is food.”
    She swirled the ribband about her wrist, put out her hands, for suddenly she was hungry and athirst
    “By your leave, lady.” He fitted the handle of a mug into her right hand, placed a bowl on the palm of the other. “There is a spoon. It is only ship's ale, lady, and stew.”
    “My thanks,” she said in return. “And what name do you go by, ship's man?”
    “Rothar, lady. I am a blank shield and no real seaman. But since I know no trade but war, one venture is nigh as good as another.”
    “Yet of this venture you have some doubts.” She had set the mug on the deck, kept upright between her worn sandals. Now she seized his hand, held it to read. It seemed to Dairine that she must not let this opportunity of learning more of Vidruth's followers go, and she sensed that this Rothar was not of the same ilk as Wak.
    “Lady"—his voice was very low and swift—"they say that you have knowledge of herb craft. Why then has Vidruth not taken you to the captain that you may learn what strange, swift illness struck him down?”
    There was youth in the hand Dairine held and not, she believed, any desire to deceive.
    “Where lies the captain?” she asked in as low a voice.
    “In his cabin. He is fevered and raves. It is as if he has come under some ensorcelment and—”
    “Rothar!” From the door, another voice sharp as an order. The hand she held jerked free from hers. But not before she had felt the spring of fear.
    “I promised no man shall trouble you. Has this cub been at such tricks?” Vidruth demanded.
    “Not so.” Dairine was surprised her voice remained so steady. “He has been most kind in bringing me food and drink, both of which I needed.”
    “And having done so—out!” Vidruth commanded. “Now"—she heard the door close behind the