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before.
 The dream becomes more persistent, the ghoul informed him, with no preamble,
as if they were already in the midst of a conversation. Ghan glanced up from
his absent study of the bloodstains, but
Ghe was not watching him, staring instead at some middle distance.
 The dream about the Mang? Ghan asked.
 Yes. Ghe drew his legs beneath him cross-style as he sat.   The emperor
included you on this expedition for the purpose of counseling me. Use your
scholarly wits and tell me what these dreams mean.
 I m a scholar, not a soothsayer, Ghan snapped.  You need an old woman with
casting bones, not me.
 An old woman with casting bones&  Ghe s eyes widened in startlement, then
went far away a sign
Ghan had come to interpret as a search through his shards of memory. After a
moment, he unfurrowed his brow and leveled an enigmatic gaze at Ghan.  Well,
there are no casting bones here and no old woman. You must know something of
dreams.
Ghan rolled his eyes and then tapped the deck, as if he were explaining to a
child.  Hezhi had dreams about Perkar, before he came to Nhol. The River
linked the two of them with visions, drew them together through them. You
understand that much?
 Have a care, Ghan, the ghoul cautioned him.
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 You asked for my help.
 Yes, yes, go on.
 The River sends dreams, especially to the Waterborn. You told me he had sent
you other dreams, in the past.
 Yes, to explain my purpose.
 Just so, Ghan agreed.  If you press me for my opinion in the matter, you are
being connected to this
Mang man by the River. He is an ally or an enemy.
Ghe twisted his mouth ruefully.  But which? I can sort that much sense into my
dreams. Bone
Eel could have told me that
.
Ghan snorted.  Please, be my guest in seeking scholarly advice from Bone Eel.
He rocked back against the bulkhead. His hip still hurt, and he wondered if he
had cracked it. He turned to find Ghe, jaw muscles locked, staring intently at
the water.
 You are wrong, you know, Ghan remarked.
 About?
 I told you what I thought about your dream, and I told you I didn t know the
explanation for it.
A fool
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like Bone Eel would have given you a definitive answer.
Ghe fingered the little scar on his chin. Ghan thought he looked a bit more
relaxed.  I see what you mean. Though even if you had an answer for me, you
might not reveal it to me.
Ghan let that pass. Why deny the obvious? Instead he settled for at least
appearing to be helpful.  What do you think about this mysterious horseman?
he asked. 
What feeling do you have?
Ghe shook his head as if affirming something.  That he is like me, a servant
of the River. That he seeks
Hezhi as I do. He shifted on the deck, produced a knife from somewhere, and
began absently picking at the wood. As he spoke, he kept his gaze focused on
the knife point, only occasionally half glancing at
Ghan.
Like an embarrassed little boy. For some reason that comparison trotted a
little shiver up Ghan s spine and disturbed him more than the moment when he
had seen the scar and known what the man was
.
 The odd thing is, he went on, digging a little trench around one of the
larger stains,  though I have
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THE BLACKGOD
more frequent dreams of the horseman now, they are more shadowy, as well. His
face is less clear than it was the first time I dreamed of him.
Ghan continued to shiver despite the deep warmth of the day and turned to
watch an enormous green heron lift from the reeds at the banks of the River.
Beyond the reeds and a few willows, short grass extended to the horizon. Two
days farther south it was desert.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Ghe following his gaze or, more
probably, eyeing his back. His shoulder blades felt cold suddenly, like twin
hatchets of ice buried in him. But when the ghoul spoke, his voice was tinged
with wonder, so that it seemed impossible he could be thinking of killing.
 He s out there somewhere, isn t he?
She s out there.
Ghan nodded and cleared his throat, surprising even himself as he recited:
 With their ship, the Horse, They ply the sea of grass, They stalk the walking
mountains, With stones they make their beds.
He trailed off and studied the deck more intently.  Well, you have to imagine
it sung, he muttered.
 What was that?
 From an old book, The Mang Wastes
. I sent a copy of it to Hezhi when I learned where she was.
 You ve read much about the Mang?
 Lately. Lately I have.
 Since you discovered her whereabouts.
Ghan nodded in reply, caught the crooked look Ghe sent his way.
 You do know where she is. Well enough to send her a book.
 I told you that much before, Ghan replied.
 So you did. But you never showed me how to get there. When will you tell me
that
?
Ghan answered with some heat in his voice.  You could take what you want. I
know that. In fact, I
wonder why you haven t He set his chin defiantly, so that it wouldn t quiver.
 Qwen Shen wonders that, also, Ghe said.  I m not certain what to tell her.
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THE BLACKGOD
 Qwen Shen? Ghan snorted.  Is she your advisor, too? Does she help you chart
your plans as you take horizontal council with her? He knew he was straying
over the line, and he braced for the fist closing in his chest But it made him
angry
, when people were stupid.
Ghe did nothing more than frown dangerously.  Have a care, old man, he
advised.  Qwen Shen is a loyal servant of the emperor and the River. She
deserves your respect
 Five days ago you suspected her of plotting your destruction, he persisted.
 Five days ago I had just been wounded
. I suspected everyone. Now I conclude that the assassin was a
Jik, placed among the guards by the priesthood.
 Have you questioned him in this matter the would-be assassin?
Ghe raised his palms in a small gesture of helplessness.  He was killed by a
Dehshe shaft just after wounding me. Not the death I would have invented for
him, but at least he is no longer a danger.
 You don t see the great convenience in that? In his dying before you could
question him?
 Enough of this, Ghe snapped in annoyance.  We were discussing your decision
to tell me where Hezhi is.
Ghan sighed.  My life has recently taken a turn for the worse, but I m still
selfish enough to value it. I
will take you to her.
 Old man, if I were going to kill you, I already would have.
 I know that. It isn t your killing me that I fear. Which was not entirely
true. Ghe inspired both fear and revulsion in him. And something was different
about him these past few days, unpredictable since he and Qwen Shen had begun
their liaison.
Ghe s lip curled, half protest, half snarl.  I told you 
 I know what you think of her. But I am not sleeping with Qwen Shen and I
don t trust her. You just as much as said she s trying to convince you to
swallow up my soul, or whatever it is you do.
Ghe gazed straight at him then, his eyes like glass, the unwinking regard of a
serpent. He clucked thrice with his tongue, as if chastising a baby.  You
don t understand about her, he said. He leaned close, and his voice became [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]