Read Shaman for Free Online Page A

minute, I have to go clean up. I got a little something on my cape.”
    â€œThat looks like blood,” said Yoshi. “You didn’t hurt yourself, did you, sir? I have some quapai ointment.” She pointed at her medicine pouch, slung over the arm of a side chair.
    â€œOh, it’s not mine. It’s poor old Vladimir’s.”
    Three pairs of eyes assumed saucer-like proportions.
    â€œOh, sir, you didn’t!” breathed Yoshi awfully.
    â€œGood Lord, Rhys,” said Danetta. “I know the man is your arch rival, but—”
    â€œI didn’t lay a hand on him, I promise. There was some hullabaloo going on in the village commons—a lot of party preparations and what not. Vlad just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got rapped by a piece of flying timber. They were trying to hoist this little tower affair for the fireworks tonight and he just got in the way.” He grimaced and flapped the bloodied bit of cape. “I guess I was sort of in the wrong place at the wrong time, too.”
    â€œWas he badly hurt?” asked Danetta.
    â€œWell, it got him in the mouth. May have chipped a tooth. Pa-Lili insisted on taking care of it, so he’s in good hands... whether he knows it or not.” He studied the stain for a moment, then grinned. “And there he stood, thirsting for my blood. Van Helsing lives.” He disappeared in the direction of the cabins, humming a tune.
    Danetta Price stared after him, a bemused expression on her face. “Is it my imagination, or has his brogue gotten thicker since you left?”
    â€œIt sort of thins and thickens,” said Yoshi. “The better he feels, the thicker it gets.”
    â€œYou can say that again,” muttered Rick.
    o0o
    â€œSo, it seemed to me that the best way of besting Zarber was to negotiate with the Pa-Kai on their own terms. If they believe a Chieftain and a Shaman must both be present to negotiate a deal, then we provide a Shaman and a Chieftain as they know them. And we bring them a real Chieftain, not a mock up.”
    Danetta nodded. “Which is what Zarber is giving them, I take it. I happen to know that William Benz is on his way to Earth even as we speak. He’s going to be taking a nice little transit nap for the next couple of weeks.”
    â€œHe’s hand-picked one of his tall, dignified, male acolytes to play the part,” said Rhys. “The young gentleman has been spreading his dignified presence around the Pa-Kai villages for the past three days, schmoozing with the other Chieftains. Meanwhile, in the absence of our own Chieftain, we have been keeping company with the Shaman and her associates.”
    â€œWho dress like this?” Danetta lifted the freshly laundered hem of Rhys’s cape.
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œDare I hope that Chieftains do not also dress like this?” Her hazel eyes were imploring.
    â€œOh, the Chieftains are a much drabber lot,” Rhys assured her. “They seldom wear more than two shades from opposite color groups at the same time and their crest adornments are much more—ah...”
    â€œUnderstated?” suggested Rick.
    â€œWell, they’re not fluorescent and they generally hang down the back as opposed to sticking out in all directions.”
    Danetta raised her eyes to Rhys’s head. “I’m delighted to hear that.”
    o0o
    They arrived at the evening’s banquet just at sunset, when the torches and fires in the tribal commons were beginning to compete with the Pa-Loana sun for brilliance. Except for her very un-Pa-Kai features, Danetta Price looked the epitome of Pa-Kai Chieftain-hood. The robes she wore over a bright burgundy unisuit were Pa-Kai originals, procured from a village merchant who catered to the fashion whims of Chief and Shaman alike. It was, he assured them, the latest in royal garb, and drew their attention to the way the head gear draped a vivid azure tail