"Li Sung is also tooserious." Dilam jumped on to another subject. "Younestingwithhim?"
"Me?" Jane chuckled."We're only friends."
"Friendsnesting.Sometimesthat is very pleasant."
Evidently Cinnidar culture wasvery different from her own, Jane realized. She tried to clarify. "We'relike brother and sister."
"Oh, that is good. Thenwe will also be friends." Dilam smiled broadly. "YounestingwithSamir Ruel?"
Her smile faded. "No, Idon't." She stiffened as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Doyou?"
Dilam shook her head, lookingat her curiously. "Why does it matter to you?"
"It doesn't matter,"she said quickly. "I only wondered."
"You lie," Dilamsaid flatly. "It matters."
Dilam was right, the rawsharpness of the pain that had torn through her at the thought of Dilam andRuel together had shocked as well as frightened her. She quickly changed thesubject. "Ruel said your people didn't get along with the Savitsarrulers."
"They tried to makeslaves of us. We had no weapons to fight them, so we had to run." Dilam'slips tightened. "That time must never come again. One of the reasons theHigh Council decided to work with Samir Ruel was that we knew it was inevitablethat others would again intrude."
"And you preferred theintruder be Ruel?"
"He was an intruder atfirst but no longer."
"You work well withhim?"
Dilam nodded. "Samir Ruelis fair, works as hard as any of us, and knows how to laugh at hismistakes."
"But you still won'tallow him on your council."
"In time. He belongs toCinnidar, but we must season him."
The idea of anyone seasoningRuel brought a smile to Jane's lips. "I'd like to see that."
"You will." Dilamstopped before a small tent. "This is yours. My tent is two down the way.Refresh yourself and I will come for you in fifteen minutes." She changedher mind. "No, thirty minutes. I have something to do."
Jane's smile lingered as shewatched Dilam walk away. She liked the woman. Her bluntness might be a littlediscomforting, but her good humor and vitality were refreshing. She might alsobe as valuable as Ruel claimed if she was as energetic in work as she obviouslywas at play.
Her smile turned to a chuckleas she remembered Li Sung's outraged expression before he had stalked away withRuel. Yes, Dilam's presence was definitely going to make their task moreinteresting.
Li Sung was sitting on theground, fastidiously devouring a piece of roasted rabbit when Ruel arrived atthe campfire ninety minutes later, but Jane and Dilam were j nowhere to beseen. "Where's Jane?" Ruel asked. "I have not seen her. I do notknow where she is."
Since Dilam was also missing,Ruel had a good idea where they both were. The gambling in thebelimtentwas still going strong, and he had learned Dilam never liked to be disturbedwhen she was gambling.
A moment later he was elbowinghis way through the crowd in the tent. He spotted Dilam almost at once playingparzak,a Cinnidan card game, but Jane was not with her. "I thought you'd behere," Ruel told Dilam as he glanced around the tent. "Where'sJane?"
"Over there." Dilammotioned to the dice corner. "But you must not disturb her. She iswinning."
The throng was so thick hecouldn't see any of the players at the dice circle. "It's time for supper.Food is more important than gambling."
"You never think so whenyou are the one who is winning." She threw down her cards and stood up."I will go with you to thecandmar,but we will let her stay hereand have her pleasure,"
"Oh, will we?"
Dilam nodded. "She needsto win. She has no joy." She took Ruel's arm and started to pull him fromthe tent. "We will send Li Sung for her later."
"I doubt if Li Sung willallow himself to be sent anywhere by you."
