bay, its darker earth cut by shallow streambeds from the seasonal flow. A brickyard spread mountain-ward, sun- drying bricks laid in ranks. On the coastal side, fish racks stretched as far as she could see. Children crouched where women filleted caught fish, stringing fish heads. Where stonework marked the end of the underground channel, the color of the soil had darkened in a wide skirt.
'Did the reservoir take water from the rains?' she asked. 'Is the underground channel going to work?'
Tuvi squinted, but said nothing.
Priya said, 'It will take many years for the entire conduit to be dug. There was such a channel in Kartu Town, bringing water down off Dezara Mountain.'
'That's where O'eki earned coin, didn't he?' said Mai. 'The channel had to be repaired and cleaned out.'
'Dangerous work,' said Priya. 'But he supervises now. Others take the risk.'
Down on the flat land, fields might bloom, although the landscape looked dusty and brown. Last night's storm had been the first substantial precipitation since she had arrived weeks ago. The season of Flower Rains was giving way to that of Flood Rains.
'Strange to think of this place as becoming green,' Mai said. 'I would love an orchard, with sunfruit and almonds. And white-stone fruit. If it will grow here. Maybe it is too hot.'
She wiped sweat from her brow. A stream of laborers hauled materials up into town. They wore kilts or long jackets much worn and faded, their caps sewn of scraps of material in every color: peacock green, dingy brown, clay red, fig yellow. Some acknowledged her with a nod; others ignored her. She noted those with a morning spring in their step, and those with a slump in their shoulders despite the early hour. She felt compassion for the weary, but in another part of her mind she toted up the cost of maintaining laborers who were not as strong. Shelter, now that they had set up the barracks tents, demanded little coin to maintain, but food enough to fuel labor did not come cheaply, since much had to be brought in from Olossi. She wanted her outlay on foodstuffs to be used at maximum efficiency, with strong workers, not lagging ones. Rice was easy to transport, but quantities of fresh water to boil it in remained problematic. All in all, the difficulties of this holding seemed overwhelming despite Chief Tuvi's assessment of its superior defensive capabilities.
Yet that did not mean that strangers did not on occasion walk into the settlement, seeking employment or, perhaps, less tangible goals.
'Is that a priest? An envoy of Ilu, by his clothing.'
A man was climbing the road. He was a man of mature years, not yet elderly, and dressed in a bright blue cloak, dark-red trousers, and a tunic dyed a brilliant saffron yellow. As he approached the gates he looked up, saw her, and smiled as though they were old friends. She smiled back. He did look familiar, but she could not place where she had seen him.
'Greetings of the dawn,' she called, abruptly sure that her day would pass without undue troubles to disturb her.
The guards shifted to take up flanking stations, but the envoy of Ilu flashed no weapons and made no threatening gesture.
'Greetings of the dawn.' As he halted in a neighboring patch of shade along the raised gateway, he mopped his brow and chuckled in an amiable manner. 'Whew! Hot today, despite the storm last night, neh?'
'So it is,' she agreed.
'Where did you come from?' asked the chief.
'I walked down from north of here. That way lies the Ireni Valley. Isolated country.'
'Why are you here?'
'Why does any envoy of Ilu walk the land? I come to pass on what little news I have, and to take away news in turn, if any have news to share. I can bide at the temple of Ilu here. If there is one. Where do the locals make their offerings?'
'We have no temples,' said Tuvi.
'None are built yet,' added Mai hastily, not wanting to offend the man. 'Some among us say prayers to the Merciful One. How the rest manage their prayers and offerings I do not know.'
'Is it forbidden to build temples to the gods?' he asked, although his tone remained congenial.
'Not at all. But you see, holy one, that we must first build shelter and set up our markets and walls.'
'Folk must eat,' added Tuvi, 'and they wish to sleep with some surety they will not be murdered at their rest. Surely the gods do not begrudge us that much.'
'Not at all, ver. And with the Flood Rains entering, you'll certainly wish for shelter. You are outlanders.'
'Given title to this land,' said Mai. 'It is all perfectly legal, holy one. Perhaps you could advise me on where temples might be most properly sited.'
'A worthy endeavor. I would be willing to bide a few days before going on my way. There's a substantial ruin a few mey distant. Do you know it?'
'I do,' said Mai. 'There are substantial sinks of naya there, and a cave where a flame burns without cease. But the city fell into ruin long ago.'
'You know the place, truly.'
'A Qin soldier was murdered there by a demon several months ago,' said the chief.
'A demon! Eiya! I'll avoid it henceforth, then. My thanks for the warning, ver.' Yet somehow, he did not seem surprised. 'What is the other thing you wished to consult me on, verea?'
'I was just thinking — you're the first holy priest who has walked
out this way — a long way, I admit! I don't know what the proper customs are for the marriage ceremony, beyond a contract.'
'That's simple enough, verea. But you'll need established temples here, nothing elaborate. An altar with a single attendant will do. However, no marriage can be sanctified without the proper offerings being made to each of the gods. Surely any of the local women who live here could have told you that.' He reached into the sleeve of his robe and produced a sunfruit, small but perfectly ripe. This offering he presented.
'Thank you!' Mai blushed as she accepted it. 'Where did you get this, holy one?'
'North of here, about twenty mey distant, there lies a deep valley of particular fertility nestled in the high foothills. Hard to spot from the ground, and difficult to enter. Now if you will, verea, I'll take my leave and go into camp, see if any wish to arrange evening prayers.'
'Take a meal with me tomorrow, holy one,' Mai called after him. He acknowledged her invitation with a wave as he strode up the hill into the lower town.
The fruit was perfectly ripe, fresh, moist, and sweet without tartness.
The chief meanwhile took his hand off his sword hilt and called over one of the guards. After a consultation, the soldier hurried after the envoy.
'I recognize him, Mistress, said Tuvi. 'He walked with the caravan most of the way over the Kandaran Pass, and at some juncture left us and walked on ahead. He might be a holy man. I hear some among them walk into the empire to buy silk for their temples. Or he might be somewhat else.'
'He can't be a spy for the Red Hounds, surely. He's local, a Hundred man.'
'Locals can be bought. I'm not saying he was. He might be what he seems. I'm saying it's best to observe caution.'
She thought of the demon who had ridden into her house and murdered two Qin soldiers. Indeed, the demon's actions had sent Mai and her household into exile in the Barrens.
'I'll be cautious,' she assured Tuvi. 'Yet I have so many fine guards that I cannot help but feel well protected.'
He smiled.
'When do you think Anji will return?'
'That I cannot say. Yet look who approaches. A reeve may bring a message from the captain.'
'Chief Tuvi?' The reeve wore a cap against the glare. He looked Mai up and down in a way that made the chief place himself between them.
'I am. You are?'
'This is the captain's wife, I take it. For once I must say that Joss did not exaggerate.'
The words had no charm, and she wondered whether he meant them to cut, or whether he could not manage to utter a pleasing compliment because he expected it to be thrown back in his face.
'I don't know your name,' said Mai in as pleasant a voice she could muster, although his sneer set her on
