Snippet #1689385

Kes' past history meant that he always edged on the wary side. Others might have called it paranoia, but, as he'd reply in his deep Welsh lilt "If everyone really is against you, how can it be paranoia, look you?"

So he'd been keeping an eye on Ranthol ever since they'd set out, sensing the man's hostility. It wasn't fear as such - his customized skeleton could stand up to anything that could be thrown at it short of a neutron blaster - more a sense that it would be shaming to be caught by surprise. Sooner or later, he'd have to bring it out in the open, and ask just why Ranthol had taken such a dislike to him. For now, he'd watch and wait.

And when he saw the ring around Ranthol's neck - and the efforts he made to hide it - he managed to control his start. His eyebrows didn't lift so much as a micron. But now his mind was churning frantically.