Scarlet and the White Wolf [01] - Scarlet and the White Wolf by Kirby Crow Page A

volley of fresh laughter.
    He looked resigned. "Take what you will, I can't stop you."
    "Just so, you cannot."
    Liall's long fingers dug through his little pile of cheap wares and tin silver-plate, splaying them over the stone. It was not much. There was little to provoke desire or greed on the part of anyone but the most desperate of thieves. In the Byzantur 52
    Scarlet and the White Wolf--Book One
    by Kirby Crow
    tradition, this pedlar traveled light and poor. Probably a wise habit, since he also traveled alone, unarmed, and was young and pretty enough to tempt men to acts other than thievery.
    Perhaps that was his true profession? But no, Lysia was a Hilurin village and there would be no street of doves and flowers there, no ivory-walled bhoros or ghilan houses to tempt a virtuous people to carnal lust. Dira the whoremaster had hoped this would mean more traffic for his trade, but alas, most Hilurin males seemed to be prudes.
    The pedlar caught him staring at him and met his eyes boldly. "Perhaps we could make a trade," Liall offered. He slowly dropped his gaze to rake across the lithe body before him, and the high color rose in the pedlar's cheeks. Not so innocent after all, he thought. He takes my meaning quickly enough.
    The pedlar backed up a step, alarm crossing his features.
    Kio frowned. "These stuffy, milk-faced Hilurin," he sneered. "They should all wear masks so a man isn't tempted to waste his time courting cold stone."
    Liall threw Kio an annoyed glance, and the Morturii's face went sheepish. "Sorry, Atya," he muttered.
    Liall shrugged and gave the anxious pedlar a rueful smile.
    "Relax, boy. The nights are long in these mountains, but I am not yet reduced to forcing my bedmates."
    The pedlar bared his teeth as if he were the wolf and not Liall. "I'm not your boy."
    There goes that bit of folly, he thought. Liall realized that this young man did not fear him; he loathed him. Not having much experience with Hilurin, Liall had had a passing thought 53
    Scarlet and the White Wolf--Book One
    by Kirby Crow
    to delay the handsome pedlar, to coax him alone among the yurts and wagons and perhaps ply him with a drink or five until his muscles lost that tense set of danger. The way the pedlar refused him outright, as if Liall were beneath his notice, offended Liall gravely. The atya was a man who often claimed to have no pride and no honor, yet, when the pedlar snarled and showed Liall his pretty teeth, Liall's pride was goaded.
    "And you are as close to Khurelen as you will get by this road."
    "Then I'll go by the Salt Road, damn you."
    "Go right ahead. I suppose your folk will see you once or twice by next spring, but don't expect to make much of a living when you spend half your working days traveling an empty road. You know," he lowered his voice and leaned forward, folding his hands on the stone, "despite my good manners, I could just take what I want."
    The pedlar stared right back, black eyes as merciless as a snow bear's. "Yes, but you'd have to kill me to get it, and that wouldn't be very good for business, would it? The army doesn't like Hilurin, but they like Kasiri even less. They could send in troops, burn you out. Rape is still a hanging crime in Byzantur."
    All true, but Liall meant none of what he threatened and was oddly confounded and insulted when the pedlar believed him capable of it anyway. He settled back in the chair, his mood soured. Around him the air turned colder and he smelled snow skirling down from the heights. There would be a storm before morning. He motioned to Peysho.
    54
    Scarlet and the White Wolf--Book One
    by Kirby Crow
    "Batten the wagons down and get the supplies inside," he said in Falx, assuming that the pedlar would not understand him. "There's wind and snow headed our way."
    "Aye, Wolf."
    The pedlar looked up at the sky, and Liall realized that the boy understood him quite well. So, he mused, he is quick of mind as well as brave.
    Few Byzan pedlars, Hilurin or Aralyrin, cared to