'Where are we?' she asked.
'At my family's camp,' he replied. 'Our vardos are outside. We take shelter in this cavern when the storms come.'
Marielle looked at the faces gathered round. Half were male, the others female. Their resemblance to Damius, and each other, was uncanny. A few, like Lizette, appeared young, perhaps no more than twenty, though Lizette herself was no longer among them. The others seemed roughly the same age as Damius, which was indistinct, somewhere past thirty, yet still prime. There were no elders among them; the silver-haired gypsies in the alcove had vanished. Nor were there any children. Perhaps the young and old had left the cavern and retired to their wagons.
Lizette reappeared, carrying Marielle's clothes. 'They are dry now,' she said. 'I washed out the mud.'
Marielle thanked her and took the bundle, then looked around for a place to dress.
'Shall I go outside?' she asked. 'The storm seems to have lifted.'
Lizette and Damius exchanged glances and smiled faintly.
'It has not yet gone,' said Damius. 'We are very sheltered here, and the sounds of the heavens can be difficult to discern. You can dress in the shadows. 'He motioned toward the alcove where the elders had sat. 'Lizette will stand before you, if you have decided to be modest.'
Marielle rose and crossed the cavern. The elders' campfire had faded to ash and glowing embers, but its acrid smoke still filled the small chamber. Marielle turned her back toward the others. Lizette took a position behind her, watching as she pulled on her skirts and then her blouse.
'You are very lovely,' said Lizette. 'You needn't be shy among us.'
The remark made Marielle uneasy. She quickly tied her shawl around her hips and returned to Damius. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her neck.
'Let's go out into the woods,' she whispered.
He smiled. 'We will break away later when the storm has fully passed. But for now, my tribe would like to welcome you. We do not have many visitors. And one so special as you is rare indeed.'
Lizette stood beside them.
'Damius,' she said softly. 'You must ask her.'
'Not yet,' he replied. 'Soon.'
'Ask me what?' said Marielle.
'It is not important now,' he answered. 'It can wait until after the dance.'
The fiddler once again lifted his instrument to his chin and began to play, spawning a dark, hypnotic melody. The five women beside the fire rose and formed a circle. Each held a black silk scarf in her hand, tracing circles in the air.
Lizette stepped into the shadows, then returned with a small bundle. She unveiled its contents slowly: a drum with a livid hide, a pair of slender white sticks, and a string of tiny silver bells. She passed the instrument to the man seated beside the fiddler, then tied the bells around her ankle. When she had finished, she stepped into the circle of dancers.
The women began to move slowly with the music, hips swaying, arms writhing like charmed white serpents to the fiddler's dark tune and the drummer's sensual beat. Their black skirts swirled in the shadows, layer upon layer of silk and gauze fluttering about them like crows'wings.
Lizette left the group and approached Marielle. 'Come and dance with us,' she said, extending her pale hand. Her eyes were lowered seductively, and a faint smile played on her lips. 'Come and dance with me.'
Marielle hesitated. Damius's arm slipped from her shoulder, and he leaned in close. 'Yes, join her,' he urged softly.
The fiddler picked up the pace. The women opened their circle, and Marielle stepped to the center. A tempest of arms and silks whirled around her. Each body entangled her for a moment, then set her free as another took its place. Lizette joined her in the vortex and grasped her hands. They began to spin as one, turning round and round until Marielle grew dizzy and her legs felt weak. The music reached a crescendo, then stopped abruptly. Marielle and Lizette collapsed to the ground, exhausted. The dance was done. The five women nodded at Marielle and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only Lizette and Damius beside her.
Damius stood. 'I must see whether the storm has lifted,' he said. 'I will return shortly. 'He bent and kissed Marielle on the cheek. 'I enjoyed the dance,' he whispered. 'I hope it pleased you as well.'
Marielle started to rise and follow, but dizziness overcame her.
'Stay with Lizette,' said Damius. 'And keep her company. 'When Marielle turned her head, he was gone.
'Yes, stay with me,' said Lizette, lying at Marielle's side. She leaned over and kissed Marielle on the knee. 'Damius has kept much about you hidden. Tell me about your tribe.'
'There is little to tell,' Marielle replied, withdrawing her leg. 'I'm sure it would bore you.'
'Not at all,' said Lizette. 'We meet so few others when we travel.'
'My tribe also keeps to itself.'
'Are there many of you?' asked Lizette casually.
'Twenty-seven,' Marielle answered. 'Twenty-eight with the new baby.'
Lizette paused. 'The baby. . 'she said softly. 'Such a gift. If it is healthy. .'
'It's quite so,' Marielle replied.
'And so it should be,' said Lizette. 'Tell me, how old is this child? '
'Not yet a month.'
'So sweet,' murmured Lizette. 'Is the mother young? '
'Just seventeen. But already she has three children.'
'That must be very nice for her,' Lizette said evenly. 'And is the father handsome, like Damius? '
'Handsome,' Marielle replied. 'But not like Damius.'
'No, of course,' added Lizette. 'Not like Damius. Are there no other babies but this one? '
'No. Only one child was born to us this year. Why does this subject interest you so? '
'Surely you must have noticed that we have no children ourselves,' Lizette replied.
'I thought perhaps they were simply sleeping.'
'No, not sleeping,' said Lizette softly. 'Gone from our midst. Ours is not a fortunate tribe, Marielle. We have been cursed with barrenness. But perhaps, you yourself might change that, should you decide to remain with Damius.'
'He has yet to ask,' Marielle replied.
'But he will,' said Lizette, rising to her feet. 'And you will say yes, won't you?'
Marielle did not answer.
'Of course you will,' said Lizette. 'It was meant to be.' Damius returned and announced that the storm had ended. Lizette said good-bye to them both, disappearing in the shadows.
Damius took Marielle by the hand and drew her to her feet. Then he led her into the passage from which he had come. As their path rose, so too did the mists, until Marielle could see nothing around her. Damius gripped her hand tightly and bade her not to let go. They walked for what seemed an eternity. Marielle heard a strange sighing all around her. Then the fog grew less heavy. Trees took shape. They were in the forest, at the clearing in which they had met the night before.
Damius drew her close and kissed her fiercely on the mouth. Desire flared within her as if she were nothing but dry tinder and he the spark. She slid her hand beneath his tunic.
'Tomorrow,' he whispered. She felt him press an object into her hand: the ebony ring.
'I must ask something of you, Marielle,' he said. 'And your answer will seal our fate. 'He took the ring and placed it on her finger. At once, the silver band contracted, fitting her snugly. For the first time, she noticed the small white stones encircling the ebony gem. No longer beautiful, the ring appeared to be a mouth. Damius stroked the side of the gem three times. A tiny barb rose from the center, forming a sharp and eager tongue.
Marielle gasped.
'Lizette told you of our plight, did she not?' Damius said. 'We are childless. It is a curse that you alone can lift. Draw a drop of blood from the baby in your tribe tonight, and bring it to me here. No one must see you draw the blood, else your efforts will be spoiled. It is a small thing we ask. Yet it means everything to my tribe, and to us both.'
Marielle began to protest, but he raised a finger to her lips. Then he pulled her tight against his chest and
