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.And it was all right.The tongue was moist and cool, but not unpleasant.And in that moment oftouching, Robin somehow knew the snake remembered her.The touch of the tongueseemed to pass some sign of recognition from Nasu to Robin.I know you.Nasu moved again, the great head lifted slightly off the floor, andRobin found herself in a semi-circle of white snake higher than her head.Onefearful yellow eye regarded her with reptilian speculation, yet she was notafraid.The head tilted a little.Robin remembered something Nasu had liked.She had sometimes rubbed Nasu onthe top of the head, with her forefinger.The snake would rise to it, coilaround her arm, and present herself for more.She reached up and, with both fists, rubbed the smooth skin on top ofNasu's head.The snake made a relatively small hissing sound-no worse than anocean liner coming into port-and retreated.The tongue touched her again, andNasu moved around her from the other side and tilted her head the other wayfor more rubbing.Cirocco moved slowly up to join them.Nasu watched placidly."Okay," Robin said, quietly."I've talked to her.Now what?""Obviously, this is more than an anaconda," Cirocco began."Obviously.""I don't know what changed her.Diet? Low gravity? Something, anyway.She's adapted to living underground.I've spotted her two or three times,bigger each time, and she's stayed out of my way.I have reason to believeshe's a lot more intelligent than she was.""Why?""A friend told me she might be.The next time I saw Nasu, I told her to meetme here in Dione if she wanted to be with her old friend again.And here sheis."Robin was impressed, but beginning to be suspicious."So what's the purpose?"Cirocco sighed."You asked me what evil is.Maybe this is.I've thought about it a long time,but I'm afraid I can't get much of a handle on what might seem an evil thingto a snake.I don't think she loves Gaea.And anyway, all I can do is suggest.The rest is up to you, and her.""Suggest what?""That you ask her to follow us to Hyperion, to slay Gaea."TWENTY-SEVENNova looked up at Virginal and tried to conceal her disappointment."Are you tired? Is that it?""No," Virginal said."I.just don't feel like running today.""Not feeling good?" Nova couldn't remember any Titanide complaining of so muchas a headache.They were disgustingly healthy.Short of broken bonesor major internal injuries, not much could keep a Titanide down.It was her right, of course.Nova had no illusions of owning Virginal, or evenof having a claim on the Titanide's time.But it had been a thing they didregularly since coming to Bellinzona.Nova would pack a huge picnic lunch andthey would gallop off to some remote, scary, mountainous place, Nova clingingfor her life yet knowing she was in little danger.They would eat, talk ofthis and that, Nova would nap while Virginal had her dream-time.Page 193ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAt first, they had done it faithfully, once every hectorev.As Nova'sresponsibilities grew she had found less and less time for the outings.But itwas her only real recreation, her only escape from the eternal, drearynumbers.Football bored her.She didn't drink."Well, maybe tomorrow then," she said, using the common Bellinzona term for"after my next sleep period."To her surprise, Virginal hesitated, then looked away from her."I don't think so," she said, reluctantly.Nova dropped the heavy pack on the wooden causeway and put her hands on herhips."Okay.There's something on your mind.I think I have a right to hear aboutit.""I'm not sure you do," Virginal said.She looked pained."PerhapsTambura would like to go riding with you.I can ask her.""Tambura? Why her? Because she's a baby?""She can bear you with no trouble.""That's not the point, Virginal!" She pulled herself back from the edge ofanger and tried again."Are you saying.you don't want to ride with me today, tomorrow.forever?""Yes," Virginal said, gratefully."But.why?""It is not a 'why' thing," Virginal said, uncomfortably.Nova tumbled the sentence around in her mind, trying to make sense of it.Nota 'why' thing.But there's always a why.Titanides were honest folk, but theydid not always tell the whole truth."Don't you like me anymore?" Nova asked."I still like you.""Then.if you can't tell me why, you can tell me what.what's different.What's changed?"Virginal nodded reluctantly."There is a thing," Virginal finally said."Growing in your head."Nova involuntarily put her hand to her forehead.She immediately thought ofSnitch, and felt ice and spiders sliding on her skin.But she couldn't have meant that."I thought it would quickly die," Virginal said."But you are nourishing itnow, and it will soon be too big to kill.I weep for this.I wish to saygood-by to you now, before the thing consumes the Nova I have loved."Once again, Nova tried very hard, and this time she came up with something."Does this have to do with my mother?"Virginal smiled, pleased to have gotten through."Yes.Of course.That is the seed of it."Nova felt the anger building again.She wondered if she would be able torestrain it this time [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]