The Jargoon Pard (Witch World Series (High Hallack Cycle)) Read online

  She laughed. “What want I of your Keep?” She moved closer to Gillan. “I want no part of any heritage. I have my own place.”

  “You—” He swung now upon me. “You have no claim—”

  “Nor want one,” I told him. There was a vast weariness about me. “To you goes Car Do Prawn, Maughus. No man shall now gainsay your right.”

  He eyed me doubtfully. Perhaps he could not believe that I would not do as he might have done in my place, fight for the Keep. But to me, Car Do Prawn now seemed as far removed as a star, and far less desirable.

  “Yes, Lord Maughus, to you Car Do Prawn—”

  We all turned in startlement. There stood another, beyond the circle of the seated ones. Now he came briskly into the waning light. As he passed the place where some of the purple flames still danced fitfully, he waved his hand. They disappeared.

  “Ibycus—” I was tired beyond the power to wonder what had brought the trader hither to this place and at this hour.

  He bowed. “Just so, Kethan. I see that you have made excellent use of your gift—”

  My hand fell to the belt. Part of me wanted to strip it off—hurl it from me. The other part forbade. Beast I might be again when there came a need, but now Kethan would ever control the pard.

  He nodded. I knew he could read my thoughts as easily as if they were runes set out on some roll.

  “Very true.” Now he turned his head to look upon Gillan, and, behind her, Herrel, who once more stood a man.

  I saw them both suddenly make the same gesture of respect, one I had seen used only from Keep Lord to a messenger of the Voices.

  “You think we may have played some ill tricks, Lady?” Ibycus asked Gillan.

  She hesitated. “I think rather there was meant to be a meaning to all of this that the players in your act did not know.”

  “You are entirely right. Ursilla would provide her tool, the Lady Heroise, with an heir—for her own purposes. Her efforts in that direction evoked the knowledge of one to whom is entrusted the duty of keeping the balance of power here in Arvon. Thus we made use of her ambition in order to temper those who are to stand firm in times to come. With you, Lady Gillan, Aylinn became the person she was meant to be. In Car Do Prawn, had Ursilla not played her own game, this maid would never have learned the depth and height of her own powers. While Kethan”—now he smiled at me—“was tested as a sword is tested by a smith, proving that he had the strength desired. And the last venture—within this you four have woven well a pattern that will hold—”

  Herrel spoke as Ibycus paused. “I read in your words hints beyond hints, Messenger. Do we now venture once more into battle?”

  “So much we can read, but that foreknowledge is limited. Your Werekin, with their Dale brides, have forged a new race. These two”—he gestured to Aylinn and then to me—“are also to be counted of that heritage. We have been informed that this is of importance, the whyfor will come to be discovered in time. Now—” He stood with his hands on his hips as his eyes studied each of us in turn. “This is no place for those of Arvon. Old and old it is, and best forgotten. Out—”

  With his forefinger he pointed swiftly to Maughus, to the Lady Eldris, to Heroise. And—they were gone!

  Us, he did not so indicate separately. But a wave of a hand included us four together. There was a breath of cold and darkness, then—

  We stood with the sun of midmorning warm upon us. The other three watched me with an inner warmth, greater than any sun glow could ever be.

  “Welcome home, Kethan!” said my father, as Aylinn drew me forward to walk down the door path of the garden.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Shapechanger

  Also By Andre Norton

  Title

  Copyright

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Half Title

  Of Gunnora's Shrine and What Chanced There in the year of the Red Boar

  Of the Heirship of Kethan and Life in Car Do Prawn

  Of the Trader Ibycus and the Jargoon Belt He Brought

  Of the Gift of the lady Eldris and the Coming of the first full Moon Thereafter

  Of the Warning from Ursilla and the Cloud over Arvon

  Of Maughus's Plot and the Opening of my Own Eyes

  Of the Wild Hunt and My flight Therefrom

  Of the Maid in the Forest and the Star Tower

  Of How I Dreamed and of What Ill Followed

  Of the Snow Cat and What Chanced in the Haunted Ruin

  Of Those in the Tower and How I Chose Danger

  Of the Discovery I made and How I Planned to Put It into Use

  Of How I Was Prisoner to Ursilla and My Mother Foretold My Future

  Of How the Three from the Star Tower Took an Interest in My Fate

  Of How I Chose not the Beast’s Way and of the Secret of Ursilla

  Of How Ursilla Read the Smoke Runes and Sent Me to Do Her Bidding

  Of How the Lady Heroise Told the Truth and I Confronted Ursilla

  Of Sorcery Wrought and Unwrought and How We Learn Our Destiny

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Shapechanger

  Also By Andre Norton

  Title

  Copyright

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Half Title

  Of Gunnora's Shrine and What Chanced There in the year of the Red Boar

  Of the Heirship of Kethan and Life in Car Do Prawn

  Of the Trader Ibycus and the Jargoon Belt He Brought

  Of the Gift of the lady Eldris and the Coming of the first full Moon Thereafter

  Of the Warning from Ursilla and the Cloud over Arvon

  Of Maughus's Plot and the Opening of my Own Eyes

  Of the Wild Hunt and My flight Therefrom

  Of the Maid in the Forest and the Star Tower

  Of How I Dreamed and of What Ill Followed

  Of the Snow Cat and What Chanced in the Haunted Ruin

  Of Those in the Tower and How I Chose Danger

  Of the Discovery I made and How I Planned to Put It into Use

  Of How I Was Prisoner to Ursilla and My Mother Foretold My Future

  Of How the Three from the Star Tower Took an Interest in My Fate

  Of How I Chose not the Beast’s Way and of the Secret of Ursilla

  Of How Ursilla Read the Smoke Runes and Sent Me to Do Her Bidding

  Of How the Lady Heroise Told the Truth and I Confronted Ursilla

  Of Sorcery Wrought and Unwrought and How We Learn Our Destiny