ther leaders. It was a good question. Packing up and ving their yurts when the season changed, or the herds of anils ved on to new grazing pastures, was their way of life. They did not have pernent hos, so they did not have any pernent place to put such terial things. But power? That was sothing they could use.
Sensing the turn in the roo B??ri Khan lifted his chest. “Everyone has the right to voice his concerns,” he said. “Who else here does not trust ?” He paused, letting his words echo through the yurt. The Tegins did not speak, but he could see the doubt that reined in their eyes. He could not have thenbsp; questioning hi “Duba Tegin’s right. Riches are not power. When the kingdonbsp; falls, we will divide the power ang us.”
At his declaration, the Tegins relaxed and nodded their assent. As the other n dug into the food and drink, B??ri Khan turned and walked out of the yurt. He was quiet as he de his way up to the rocky outcropping that looked over his larger yurt and the sller ones of his n. For a long ti, he stood there, listening to the sounds of revelry ing fronbsp; his tent. As the night wore on, the sounds ebbed and flowed until they grew quiet. One by one, the leaders of the tribes de their way out of the yurt. Getting on their horses, they rode off in different directions, heading back to their own cas to report on the night’s events.
B??ri Khan’s eyes followed Duba Tegin as the older n left the yurt. At the sound of footsteps, he looked over as Xianniang appeared. Her eyes were cold as she t his gaze. “Now I know,” she said, hugging her arnbsp; to her side. “I serve you.”
“I said it to put thenbsp; at ease,” B??ri Khan replied, brushing off the witch’s concern. “They fear what they don’t understand.”
Xianniang raised an eyebrow. The n was still. If not for his ving eyes, he could have been staken for a statue. Not for the first ti, Xianniang felt fear. There was sothing dark and terrible about B??ri Khan. But she shrugged the fear off as she did every ti. She knew her power.
B??ri Khan reached over his shoulder and took an arrow out of its quiver. Notching it in the bow, he raised the weapon. “No other Tegins will ask to share power,” he said. Aing the arrow at the back of Duba Tegin, he pulled back the bow and then let it loose.
Xianniang watched as the arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in Duba Tegin’s back. The n slued in the saddle and a nt later fell to the ground. His horse, free of its rider, took off, gallo
Sensing the turn in the roo B??ri Khan lifted his chest. “Everyone has the right to voice his concerns,” he said. “Who else here does not trust ?” He paused, letting his words echo through the yurt. The Tegins did not speak, but he could see the doubt that reined in their eyes. He could not have thenbsp; questioning hi “Duba Tegin’s right. Riches are not power. When the kingdonbsp; falls, we will divide the power ang us.”
At his declaration, the Tegins relaxed and nodded their assent. As the other n dug into the food and drink, B??ri Khan turned and walked out of the yurt. He was quiet as he de his way up to the rocky outcropping that looked over his larger yurt and the sller ones of his n. For a long ti, he stood there, listening to the sounds of revelry ing fronbsp; his tent. As the night wore on, the sounds ebbed and flowed until they grew quiet. One by one, the leaders of the tribes de their way out of the yurt. Getting on their horses, they rode off in different directions, heading back to their own cas to report on the night’s events.
B??ri Khan’s eyes followed Duba Tegin as the older n left the yurt. At the sound of footsteps, he looked over as Xianniang appeared. Her eyes were cold as she t his gaze. “Now I know,” she said, hugging her arnbsp; to her side. “I serve you.”
“I said it to put thenbsp; at ease,” B??ri Khan replied, brushing off the witch’s concern. “They fear what they don’t understand.”
Xianniang raised an eyebrow. The n was still. If not for his ving eyes, he could have been staken for a statue. Not for the first ti, Xianniang felt fear. There was sothing dark and terrible about B??ri Khan. But she shrugged the fear off as she did every ti. She knew her power.
B??ri Khan reached over his shoulder and took an arrow out of its quiver. Notching it in the bow, he raised the weapon. “No other Tegins will ask to share power,” he said. Aing the arrow at the back of Duba Tegin, he pulled back the bow and then let it loose.
Xianniang watched as the arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in Duba Tegin’s back. The n slued in the saddle and a nt later fell to the ground. His horse, free of its rider, took off, gallo