Neq the Sword by Piers Anthony Read Free Book Online Page A

let you go."
    The clubber nodded. Neq backed off, and the matt relaxed. Miss Smith remained hidden in the tree, wisely; it was best that the outlaw not know of her presence.
    "If you lie to me, I will take up your trail and kill you," Neq said. "But I would not take the trouble--except for vengeance."
    The clubber nodded again. Vengeance was something even outlaws understood well. The man might betray Neq if he had the chance, but he would be exceedingly careful about it. He would certainly answer questions honestly.
    "How many in your tribe?"
    "Twelve. Ten, now. And their women."
    "All outlaw?"
    "No. We're a regular tribe. But we take what offers."
    "And if a crazy truck comes, you take it too?"
    "Not before this. That must've been Sog's idea. If he saw it stopped, mired--"
    "And your chief doesn't care?"
    "He has to eat too. The hostels don't stock any--"
    "Because the trucks are being raided!" Neq said. "The crazies can't stock the hostels when their trucks are hijacked."
    "I can't help that," the clubber said sullenly.
    Neq turned away in disgust, hoping the man would strike at him from behind and justify a killing return thrust. But the clubber stayed honest, perhaps aware of the trap.
    "Go tell your chief to stay away from this truck," Neq said finally. "I'll kill anyone who comes near."
    The man left.
    Neq made sure he was gone before returning to the tree. "Do you think that will work?" Miss Smith asked him. She was shivering, but that would be from the wet chill.
    "Depends on the chief. If he's a full outlaw, he'll try to swamp us. If he's halfway nomad, he'll let us be."
    "Then why did you let that man go? Now the tribe will know where we are."
    "I want to know what's really stopping those trucks. This is one way to find out."
    She climbed down stiffly. Her garment was clinging to her torso and she was blue with the cold. "I wish there     "There isn't. If I hadn't stopped him, he would have brought the tribe to the truck anyway. If I had killed him, the others would have come looking. No tribe can let its members just disappear. It was better to give them warning."
    "This could happen any time any truck stops," she said.
    "Are all the nomads outlaws now?"
    "No. I'm not. But if only one man in five is, no truck will get through."
    "They're so quick to turn against their benefactors!"
    Neq shrugged. "As the club said: they have to eat."
    "I didn't think it would be like this."
    "We'll go back to the truck."
    "But that's where they'll attack, if--"
    "That's why we have to be there, now. I'll set some traps and keep watch; you can sleep."
    "I can't sleep, waiting for them to come!"
    "Then I'll sleep while you keep watch," he said, heading back to the vehicle.
    He hauled the men away from the side and left them near the yellow birch as a reminder to approaching tribesmen. Then he checked the cab. "Where's my bracelet?"
    She flushed. "I--" She poked her arm out of the sodden cloth. The bracelet was on it, far back because of the much smaller girth of her forearm, but there.
    "You put it on!" he said, amazed.
    "There wasn't anything else to do with it, when you jumped out," she said defensively.
    "All right, Neqa. Sing out if you see anything."
    "I'll give it back!" she said. "I didn't mean--"
    "You meant. Let it stay. It's never been on a woman before."
    "But I still can't--"
    "Do you think _I_ can? But I'd like to. Maybe after a few days." Oddly, he wasn't sweating, though of course he was completely wet. She was on the defensive now, not he.
    "Yes," she said. "That would be nice."
    "I'll squeeze it tight for you." He took her limp arm, slid the band down to her wrist, and applied his thumbs to the heavy metal ends. The gold gave way, and slowly the bracelet constricted to match her size.
    "Euphemism makes it so much easier," she murmured. "Thank you." She was still shivering, though it was warm in the cab. She was afraid, all right--of outlaw attack, of the meaning of a man's band on her arm, of