Read Trullion: Alastor 2262 for Free Online Page B

Gordian knot, so to speak.”
    “How so?”
    Glay made a deprecatory gesture. “It’s too complicated to go into right now … You look well too. The Whelm has been good for you. When must you go back?”
    “Into the Whelm? Never. I’m through, since I now seem to be Squire of Rabendary.”
    “Yes,” said Glay in a colorless voice. “You’ve got an-
    “Come inside,” said Glinnes. ‘Ive brought you a gift. Also something for Shira. Do you think he’s dead?”
    Glay nodded gloomily. “There’s no other explanation.”
    “That’s my feeling. Mother feels he’s visiting friends.”
    “For two months? Not a chance.”
    The two entered the house, and Glinnes brought out the knife he had bought at the Technical Laboratories in Boreal City on Marian. “Be careful of the edge. You can’t touch it without slicing yourself. But you can hack through a steel rod without damage.”
    Glay picked up the knife gingerly and squinted along the invisible edge. “It frightens me.”
    “Yes, it’s almost weird. Now that Shira’s dead, I’ll keep the other one for myself.”
    Marucha spoke from across the room. “We’re not sure that Shira is dead.”
    Neither Glay nor Glinnes made response. Glay put his knife on the mantelpiece of smoke-darkened old kaban. Glinnes took a seat. “We’d better clear the air about Ambal Isle.”
    Glay leaned back against the wall and inspected Glinnes with somber eyes. “There’s nothing to say. For better or worse, I sold it to Lute Casagave.”
    “The sale was not only unwise, it was illegal. I intend to void the contract.”
    “Indeed. How will you proceed?”
    “We’ll return the money and ask Casagave to leave. The process is very simple.”
    “If you have twelve thousand ozols.”
    “I don’t — but you do.”
    Glay slowly shook his head. “No longer.”
    “Where is the money?”
    “I gave it away.”
    “To whom?”
    “To a man called Junius Farfan. I gave it; he took it; I can’t get it back.”
    “I think that we should go to see Junius Farfan-at this very moment.”
    Glay shook his head. “Please don’t begrudge me this money. You have your share — you are Squire of Rabendary. Let me have Ambal Isle as my share.”
    “There’s no question of shares, or who owns what,” said Glinnes. “You and I both own Rabendary. It’s our home-place”
    “That certainly is a valid point of view,” said Glay. “But I choose to think differently. As I told you before, changes are coming over the land. Glinnes sat back, unable to find words to convey his indignation. “Let it rest there,” said Glay wearily. “I took Ambal;you’ve got Rabendary. It’s only fair, after all. I’ll now move out and leave you in full enjoyment of your holding.”
    Glinnes tried to cry out a dissent, but the words clogged in his throat. He could only say, “The choice is yours. I hope you’ll change your mind.”
    Glay’s response was a cryptic smile, which Glinnes understood to mean no response at all.
    “Another matter,” said Glinnes. “What of the Trevanyi yonder?”
    “They are folk I traveled about with — the Drossets. Do you object to their presence?”
    “They’re your friends. If you insist upon changing your residence, why not take your friends with you?”
    “I don’t quite know where I’m going,” said Glay. “If you want them gone, simply tell them so. You’re Squire of Rabendary, not I.”
    Marucha spoke from her chair. “He’s not squire until we know about Shira!”
    “Shira is dead,” said Glay. “Still, Glinnes has no right to come home and instantly make difficulties. I vow, he’s as obstinate as Shira and as hard as his father.”
    Glinnes said, I’ve made no difficulties. You’ve made them. I’ve got to find twelve thousand ozols somewhere to save Ambal Isle, then evict a band of Trevanyi before they call in their whole clan. It’s lucky I came home when I did, while we’ve still got a home.”
    Glay stonily poured himself a mug of