Kindly he stroked the heavy waves that fell from the top of her head and shone like gold in the sun. “With the magic of the giants,” Kalesh told them solemnly, “I have seen many things this morning." The girls’ eyes were wide and worshipful, and for a moment he could only bask in the way they made him feel. “Down these trails,” he went on at last, “is a town on a great river, where things are traded. From what booty we collect here”—and now he gestured around at the heavily loaded animals that the terrified men had left—“we will purchase a big boat—”
“Like we had before?” gasped Pon excitedly. “From the people on the lake?”
“Yes,” smiled Kalesh, glancing sidelong into the face of Mara, which flushed at the remembrance, “only bigger. And perhaps we will buy another, too, just for supplies
