I turned away; then paced. I longed to burst out into the cold day, to
swim out into it and push and push my way through its cold and wet until
I could not lift 1 foot again. But I could not indulge myself so. "I was
not going to go. I owe her nothing. I wish never to meet her. But now,
after finding the cube is gone, now, I think I must."
Vettra shook her head as if such reasoning, if indeed it were reasoning,
was fully beyond her.
Gallett
was frowning, trying to set the pieces together into something she could
recognize. A tale, a sign. "There is a connection?"
"I don't know," I said. "I have no proof of 1. It is a feeling I have.
Something more is happening. Less, but more. And it is not a proclivity
our species has for forming patterns."
"Fabricating
conspiracies," Vettra clarified.
"I
must see her, and Kyd. Then I will see what I think about the disappearance
of the cube."
"It may return, rider," Gallett said. "Shall I mark the slot? Can
I notify you?"
"No.
I won't be absent that long."
"How
can you know?" Vettra.
I didn't respond and Pennbaston asked, "Where is she? Do you know where
her....the...."
"Her
caven," I supplied with unfeeling swiftness. "I know. I am going now."
"And I am coming with you," Pennbaston stood.
"No."
"I
am coming with you, mage," she said again.
"It would be wise, I think," Gallett said. "It would hold the Progenitor
to the established road. Those whose power has grown great have been known
to forget where it lies."
"She
will not force me."
Vettra was exasperated nearly beyond words. She tossed an arm out as she
stood. "Ince, you can't know that. You continually crash about as though
you had created the planet. You can't know. "
"I
don't need her to accompany me," I said, ignoring Vettra.
Gallett
smiled. "But we do."