If you had banished us from the mountain..... I have
only this knife.' He threw it weakly to the ground.
Skither waited patiently, and at length Kalus looked up at him. Again
he signaled slowly. 'Be at peace. I am not angry. You may keep the
sword, and one other weapon of your choosing.' Kalus stared in
disbelief.
'You please me, Kalus, though you do not know it. I see that you
learned long ago the lesson of self-reliance. Now you must learn a
harder lesson still: when to trust. What you did this night took great
courage; you have not changed my mind against you. Only. Hear me,
Kalus, I do not give my thoughts easily. Sometimes it is better to
trust, even at the price of great pain..... Your heart will know. But
do not carry the weight alone. It will crush you.
'That is all. Be at peace.' Kalus lifted the knife and moved away.
But as he walked stiffly toward the steep but passable incline, he felt
love for the Monarch swell his heart to bursting, and hard tears pushing
at his eyes. As he climbed to rejoin the girl, Akar went with Skither
into his cave to receive further instruction. Sylviana met her new
friend on the parapet.
'What did he say?'
Kalus did not answer at once, but took her by the hand and led her to
the one place in the enclosure where both could stand without stooping.
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