“All my motives are selfish,” she said. “At least in the sense that all I do serves my own purposes. If I once perceive you are working against those purposes, you are done. If I perceive that you are compatible with them, you will find no difficulty. I think that is as clear as I can make it, Mr. Morgan.” Kta was not in the rhmei as Kurt had expected him to be when he reached the safety of Elas. Hef was, and Mim. Mini scurried upstairs ahead of him to open the window and air the room, and she spun about again when she had done so, her dark eyes shining.
“We are so happy,” she said, in human speech. The machine’s reflex pained him, punishing understanding.
It was all Mim had time to say, for there was Kta’s step on the landing, and Mim bowed and slipped out as Kta came in.
“Much crying in our house these days,” said Kta, casting a look after Mim’s retreat down the stairs. Then he looked at Kurt, smiled a little. “But no more. Ei, Kurt, sit, sit, please. You look like a man three days drowned.”
Kurt ran his hand through his hair and fell into a chair. His limbs were shaking. His hands were white. “Speak Nechai,” he said. “It is easier.”
Kta blinked, looked him over. “How is this?” he asked, and there was unwelcome suspicion in his voice.
“Trust me,” Kurt said hoarsely. “The Methi has machines which can do this. I would not lie to you.”
“You are pale,” said Kta. “You are shaking. Are you hurt?”
“Tired,” he said. “Kta… thank yon, thank you for taking me back.”
Kta bowed a little. “Even my honored father came and spoke for you, and never in all the years of our house has Elas done such a thing. But you are of Elas. We are glad to receive you.”
“Thank you.”
He rose and attempted a bow. He had to catch at the table to avoid losing his balance. He made it to the bed and sprawled. His memory ceased before he had stopped moving.
Something tugged at his ankle. He thought he had fallen into the sea and something was pulling him down. But he could not summon the strength to move.
Then the ankle came free and cold air hit his foot. He opened his eyes on Mim, who began to remove the other sandal. He was lying on his own bed, fully clothed, and cold. Outside the window it was night. His legs were like ice, his arms likewise.
Mini’s dark eyes looked up, realized that he was awake. “Kta takes bad care for you,” she said, “leaving you so. You have not moved. You sleep like the dead.”
“Speak Nechai,” he asked of her. “I have been taught.”
Her look was briefly startled. Then she accepted human strangeness with a little bow, wiped her hands on her chatem and dragged at the bedding to cover him, pulling the bedclothes from beneath him, half-asleep as he was.
“I am sorry,” she said. “I tried not to wake you, but the night was cold and my lord Kta had left the window open and the light burning.”
He sighed deeply and reached for her hand as it drew the coverlet across him. “Mim-”
“Please.” She evaded his hand, slipped the pin from his shoulder and hauled the tangled ctan from beneath him, jerked the catch of his wide belt free, then drew the covers up to his chin.
“You will sleep easier now,” she said.
He reached for her hand again, preventing her going. “Mim, What time is it?”
“Late… late.” She pulled, but he did not let go, and she glanced down, her lashes dark against her bronze cheeks. “Please, please let me go, lord Kurt.”
“I asked Djan, asked her to send you word, so you would not worry.”
“Word came. We did not know how to understand it. It was only that you were safe. Only that.” She pulled again. “Please.”
Her lips trembled and her eyes were terrified; when he let her hand go she spun around and fled to the door. She hardly paused to close it, her slippered feet pattering away down the stairs at breakneck speed.