***
Hiram Toth’s face reflected a mixture of anxiety and impatience along with the green glow from the readouts of the flyter’s security screens. “How long are you going to let them go on getting closer and closer to the forest, Stefan? They’ll be there before noon tomorrow at this rate.”
Stefan nodded as he leaned back in his seat. “Yes, I think so, too.” He looked at his personal guard sympathetically. “Relax, Hiram. If I thought Francesca was in any danger from these people, I’d snatch her in a second. They won’t hurt her.”
“How do they plan on cutting that cable? Are you sure they wouldn’t do something awful just to get it off?”
“Quite sure. For one thing, I don’t think Ran-Del would let them. He swore a true oath not to hurt her, with no restrictions on time or place.”
Hiram clamped his mouth shut. “So we just sit here?”
“Yes. We watch, we monitor, and we wait. Once they’re back with the Falling Water clan, we give them a day or two to send her back.” And once he had Francesca back, he could evaluate whether there was any chance of saving the plan. She still needed a husband, and Stefan wasn't willing to give up on a Sansoussy son-in-law. After several days alone, Ran-Del might well be as attracted to Francesca as she was to him. And if he wasn't, maybe another Sansoussy would be willing to embrace city life.
“They can’t send her out without sending the wild man out, too.”
Stefan smiled. “Not unless they find a way to cut the cable.”
The Sixth Discipline Page 27
