Seer's Hope (Book 1 of The Seer Trilogy)

Seer's Hope (Chapter 15)

Seer's Hope

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Fifteen

The Master Tracker halted so abruptly Hope had no chance to avoid him. "My apologies, Taran," she said, even though it was hardly her fault.

He grunted.

Ruefully she rubbed her sore nose. His spine was as rigid and intractable as his personality. He'd been asked to accompany Willem's hunting party but had refused to take part in anything "that drunken good-for-nothing" had a part in organizing. His attitude suggested he didn't feel charitable toward anything Hope had organized, either.

Too bad.

"Is this the place, Taran?" she asked.

"Yes."

Hope waited for him to elaborate further but he remained silent. His terse response bordered on rudeness. She skimmed his surface thoughts, certain that if she'd been able to physically see right now, Taran's true feelings would be written all over his face.

Immediately she wished she hadn't probed his mind. If she hadn't been backed by Blayne and Dayamar, two of the most influential men in the settlement, Taran would not be out here "traipsing around". He could not understand why this "fool's mission" was being taken so seriously. He thought Hope was the worst kind of fraud.

Hope sighed. Ignorance would have been slightly more comfortable than knowing exactly how little he thought of her.

"Thank you, Taran. I will have the pelts now please." She knew he was unimpressed that she continually "forgot" to use his formal trade title. Petty of her, perhaps, but once she'd realized how much it irritated him, she made a point of omitting the title he considered his due.

Taran clicked his fingers at his apprentice and the young man handed over the wolf-pelts to Hope. "You and Lukas may both go now, Taran," she told him. "Blayne will stay with me."

The tracker grunted again. His thoughts spilled out, begging Hope to read them. He was tempted to leave but damned if he'd miss out on whatever "farce" this weird young woman was about to perpetuate. He'd not come all this way for nothing. He could imagine the incredulous faces of his friends when he regaled them with details of this... this... ceremony. Golden eyes did not a Sehan make—no matter what others claimed.

She sighed, inwardly this time. Serve her right for reading private thoughts. Life had been far less complicated before that particular talent had developed. Not to mention all the moral issues it raised.

"I'll stay,' Taran said.

"Don't get in her way, Master Tracker." Blayne's voice was so flat and curt Hope suspected that he, too, had gleaned Taran's true opinion of her.

Taran must have recognized Blayne's displeasure for he made a belated effort at politeness. "If it pleases you, we'll wait over there, Panakeya." He stomped off, and Lukas's lighter footfalls followed.

"Master Tracker or not, I have little time for that man," Blayne muttered.

She responded with a tight smile. Taran's attitude was getting old.

"Are you sure you're up for this, Hope?" Blayne asked. "Perhaps you should have waited another couple of days."

"I am sure. I will start now. You should stand back, too, Blayne. I do not know what might happen."

"Call out if you need me. I won't be far away."

She listened to him making his way toward Taran and the young apprentice.