C. Cherryh - Rusalka

Speak to him, Eveshka, don’t wish him: your father never learned to say things in plain words. That was where he failed you: that’s what I learned, that’s what he was learning. Don’t make his mistake with Pyetr.

That stopped her. He stood at the corner of the deckhouse, she stood by Pyetr at the tiller—Pyetr was steering, which was why for a little the boat had tipped and faltered, Sasha supposed, but it was steady now; and he hoped to the god Pyetr did not suspect the quarrel.

Eveshka did think about it. She went from being angry to being worried: she let him know that; and even said, earnestly, “Thank you, Sasha.”

Much better, Sasha thought, feeling that she truly meant that. She wanted—

Wanted things to be right. Wanted Pyetr to be happy. Wanted that for all of them.

A generality, he thought, and stood there pretending to watch the shore, all the while thinking and thinking, deciding finally that he could not get between them, he could not tell Uulamets’ daughter to mind what she was wishing.

But he had a sudden notion who could.

Babi, he said sternly to that Place where such creatures went, as he had been calling more than once today.—Babi, get back here, right now. No nonsense.

He had no answer, only what he had had before, a fey, furtive presence, confused and lost, not sure where it belonged now.

“You!” he said aloud, walked back around the corner to the baggage, picked up the vodka jug—

And pitched it at the mast.

It stopped in mid-air.

“Babi?”

The jug waddled forward, with two moonlike eyes floating disembodied above it.

“That’s much better,” Sasha said, folding his arms. “I know who might well give it to you—if you asked him nicely.”

A tonguetip licked invisible lips. The jug waddled past him, around the corner of the deckhouse, in search of sympathy.

C. J. Cherryh’s first book, Gate of Ivrel , was published in 1976. Since then she has become a leading writer of science fiction and fantasy, known for extraordinary originality, versatility, and superb writing. Her Downbelow Station won a Hugo award. She lives in Oklahoma and was Guest of Honor at the 1989 Balticon convention.

POPULAR LIBRARY EDITION

Copyright © 1989 by C.J. Cherryh.

All Rights Reserved.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

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December 03, 2002

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