“Who d’you think you are? he says. You’re a weakling. You’d be nothing if I didn’t tolerate you. You’re an ungrateful boy. Well, it usually worked, but not this time.
“Give me something to be grateful for! shouts Azhur. You think insults and curses all my life put me in your debt?
“Yes, I do! roars Kherzir. It was more than you deserved. I doubted if a weakling like you could ever be my son!”
Authran gasped, Tyr lowered his head.
“He were a cruel bugger,” said Veshren. “Anythin’ but be wrong. Anythin’. Anyroad, Azhur stands like he had a spear in him, all white and shakin’, and says: Why d’you think that, father? Because you sired three that hadn’t the strength to live? Were they all you were capable of?
“Well, Kherzir went into such a rage he could hardly breathe. I never saw the lik
