"What was that?" LiSung lifted his head, his expression intent. "I heard something."
Jane heard it too this time,faint and far away.
"It's only an elephanttrumpeting," Ruel said. "You hear them sometimes."
"I thought they wouldsound fierce," Jane said. "He sounds... sad, lost."
Li Sung gazed at her sternly."He is neither sad nor lost and there is no need for you to rescuehim."
Ruel smiled. "There's nodanger of that. He's not nearby."
"Near enough," LiSung said dryly. "I would prefer to neither see nor hear them."
"Li Sung has a dislikefor elephants," Jane explained to Ruel.
"She is kindly trying todisguise my real feelings. I do not dislike them. I fear them." Li Sungpaused. "And I envy them."
"Envy? Why?" Ruelasked.
"Power. They possess morestrength than any creature on earth. It is always the lot of those who havelittle power to envy those who do. I have always been considered inferiorbecause of my race and crippled body." He glanced at Ruel. "I alsoenvy you, Ruel. You have power now."
"Power can always betaken away if not guarded well."
"But you know what itfeels like to possess it. That is something I will never know."
"Yes, you will."Jane blinked rapidly to hide the tears she must not let fall. "You'll see,Li Sung. Once we have our own railroad, you'll be respected and—"
"It's not the same. It isa power you will have given me, not one I've won myself." He set his plateon the ground. "I believe I'll go to sleep now. You may clean up,Ruel."
Ruel grimaced. "So muchfor my lauded power. May I point out I've done all the work so far?"
"It is the responsibilityof those who hold power to care for those weaker than themselves." Li Sungsettled into his bedroll and turned his back on them. "It is only fair,after all."
Ruel turned to look at her,and she could see the reflection of the flames in his eyes. She stiffened astension gripped her. As long as Li Sung was there, Ruel maintained a civilizedfacade. But now Li Sung was going to sleep, leaving her to face Ruel alone.
"I agree with LiSung." She quickly set her own plate down, settled into her bedroll besideLi Sung, and shut her eyes.
She heard Ruel swear softlyand then chuckle. "I believe there's something wrong with both yourreasoning, but I'll not argue."
No, Ruel never wasted timearguing about the unimportant things, she thought. He would perform the menialtasks with perfect good nature and matchless efficiency and save himself forthe bigger battles.
A short time later she heardRuel crawling into his blankets across the fire. Then there was silence exceptfor the rustling night sounds of the jungle surrounding them, the crackle ofthe wood in the fire... and the occasional trumpeting of an elephant.
Li Sung was probably rightabout the elephants being neither sad nor lonely, but the sound still filledher with melancholy.
Another elephant trumpeted inthe darkness.
She had thought Li Sung asleepbut apparently she was mistaken.
His murmur was almostinaudible but still held an element of wistfulness. "Power… "
Ruel's mining camp was a tentcity as different from his palace as Kasanpore had been from Glenclaren. Ahundred or so tents dotted the landscape, a sight not so different from thetemporary tent camps of her childhood.
The thought caused Jane's handto involuntarily clench on the reins.
"Is somethingwrong?" Ruel's gaze was narrowed on her face. "I know it's not thepalace, but I didn't think it was that bad."
She forced a smile."Nothing's wrong. It just reminded me of—"
