dripping dipper of cold water. He didn't want to touch her.
'Move, puppy,' Capiam said contemptuously. 'I'll do this. You go find the najd and hurry him this way. And Heckram. I've words for him.' As the youth scrambled out of the tent, Capiam knelt by Ketla. He eased an arm under her shoulders, muttering to her softly. Her head lolled on her shoulders. Tillu supported her head and held the dipper to her lips. The cold water lapped against her chapped lips.
'Drink,' Tillu urged her softly, and as if the words wakened her, Ketla surged against the dipper. 'Slowly, don't choke,' Tillu cautioned her as she gulped the water down. She gave her another dipperful, and then motioned to Capiam to ease her back down.
'That's enough for now. We shouldn't give her too much cold water on an empty stomach.' A sudden thought occurred to her. 'Has she or Rolke eaten anything today?'
He tucked the soft hides around her. 'Earlier Ibb came in and made broth of the rabbit meat for them.'
'And you? Have you eaten anything?'
He made an irritable gesture of dismissal. 'Yes. Joboam and Pirtsi cooked earlier, and I had some. I'm not sick.'
'Not yet,' Tillu agreed sourly. She stirred the two simmering pots, and then scooped up a fresh dipperful of water. 'Rolke,' she said, nodding toward the boy. Capiam moved to support the boy's shoulder and head.
But as Tillu held the dipper to his lips, she felt that sudden coldness in her belly. She was seldom wrong. Maybe it was his sunken, darkened eyesockets or the indifference of his shallow breathing. She tipped the dipper, so the water lapped against his dry lips.
'Rolke,' she said softly. 'Drink this. You'll feel better.' He didn't move. 'You must be thirsty. Drink.' Capiam watched his son's face intently. With her free hand, she parted Rolke's lips, spilled water between them. He aspirated it in, choked slightly, and let the rest dribble from his mouth. Without a word Capiam eased his son down into the hides.
He covered him very carefully, snuggling the blankets around him. Then he sat down on the traveling chest and stared long at the tent walls. Tillu didn't lie to him.
The sorrel had simmered into a thick mass. She set it aside to cool. The tea of willow and yarrow was ready. She added cool water so it wouldn't scald the lips, and ladled portions into three cups. Taking the first one to Capiam, she said softly, 'Drink this.' His black eyes were empty. He took the cup from her silently and drained it. Then he helped her with Ketla, who gulped the tea thirstily. And on to the sham of trickling a little into Rolke's lax mouth. Capiam watched silently as she smoothed the sorrel paste onto Rolke's swellings. She was treating Ketla's when the tent flap was lifted.
Pirtsi came in cautiously. Heckram was behind him. And behind him came Carp, with Kerlew on his heels. The boy's eyes were wide with excitement. He clutched a small skin drum and stared at everything with interest. He was the only one who looked pleased to be there. Heckram looked both wary and stubborn, while Carp wore an expression of resignation. Capiam's assessment of them was plain.
'Pirtsi. You may go now, back to your own tent and fire. I thank you for your aid this night. Carp. When you joined my herdfolk, you said you would be najd for us. Little have I asked of you. I now ask that you speak to the spirit world on behalf of my son and wife. Heckram. You have both grieved and offended me. You seem to think that my authority is not ...'
'I will need the liver of a newly killed reindeer,' Carp intoned across Capiam's words.
'And its caught blood and marrow bones. I will need the fat of a bear, and the smoked flesh of a river fish.'
For a moment Capiam's jaw hung ajar with outrage. Then his eyes hardened and he demanded gruffly, 'What for?'
Carp sighed theatrically. 'Has it been so long since you had a najd among you, Herdlord? The spirits are not dogs to come wagging at my call. I must invite them as honored guests. Your daughter Kari must cook the liver and prepare the fish while I chant to my spirits and ask them to honor your herdfolk with their presence. When they come, my apprentice and I will eat of the food to show them how good it is, and how well the herdlord treats their friends. Then I will drum and chant, and ask that they find out what troubles Ketla and Rolke.'
For a long moment Capiam was silent, considering. He frowned, the lines in his face going deeper. He looked from Carp's mask of earnest sincerity to Kerlew's stare.
He spoke slowly and heavily. 'Tell Pirtsi to give you my harke, the one with the streaked tail. He knows the one ...'
Carp shook his head sadly. 'No, Capiam. That will not do. The spirits must know it comes from you. You must lead the harke to the slaughter place, you must kill it and take the liver and blood and marrow bones. Leave the rest. Then you must bring them to Kari's fire, where I will be drumming and chanting.'
'But ... Ketla. My son.' Capiam gestured helplessly. 'I cannot leave them alone.'
'The healer will be here,' Carp pointed out implacably. 'And she can send Heckram running if you are needed. What good can you do here? Watch a woman boil herbs, watch your wife mutter and toss? No, Capiam. Your time would be better spent in killing a harke. Or do you wish to sit and watch as their spirits are stolen away from them?'
Capiam shook his head like a reindeer beseiged by gnats. He glanced at Kerlew and away, his distaste plain on his face. 'No. I will come.' His voice was dull. When he looked at Tillu and Heckram, the command had gone out of his eyes. 'You will stay?' he asked uncertainly. 'You will come for me if I am needed?'
Tillu nodded solemnly. She did not enjoy seeing the man humbled so suddenly.
Heckram spoke softly. 'I have always been ready to do whatever the herdlord needed and asked of me.'
Capiam didn't reply. He moved like an older man as he pushed aside the tent flap and went into the night. Carp followed him, and Kerlew, clutching the drum, drifted after them.
'Kerlew?' Tillu asked as the boy brushed past her. Then, as his eyes found her, she asked awkwardly, 'Were you all right today? Did Carp and Kari look after you?'
'Yes.' He lifted one hand to scratch the back of his neck, and then looked suddenly at the drum he held.
'Did you ... ,' Tillu began, but Carp thrust his head back into the tent. His filmed eyes were narrow with anger.
'Kerlew! Will you keep your master and the herdlord waiting? You have more important things to do than babble at a woman. Come along!'
'I have important things to do,' Kerlew echoed without apology. He hurried after the old shaman.
Silence thick and choking as moss-smoke wafted through the hut. For a long time Tillu stared at the door- flap, willing it to open, willing Kerlew to come back and speak to her, if only a word. But he didn't. There was only Ketla's mutter and the shallow rasp of Rolke's breath.
'I've never known anyone like him,' Heckram said quietly.
'He's always been strange.' Tillu worked the words past the knot in her throat. 'It's not his fault. He's only a boy, in many ways little more than a baby. The last thing he hears is the first thing out of his mouth.' She sagged down beside Ketla.
'I didn't mean Kerlew. Carp. No one has ever spoken to Capiam like that. Yet Capiam meekly obeyed him. I don't understand his power over men. You know what I found when I went to check on Kerlew this evening?'
Tillu gave no sign of interest, but Heckram went on speaking. 'Kari was cooking a kettle of meat. Fresh meat, not dried, with big globs of white fat floating in it. I must have looked surprised, for she smiled and said to me, 'See how generous Joboam has learned to be with the new najd? Soon all will come to respect him.' I can't understand it. I thought Joboam hated Carp and Kerlew.'
'Hate and fear. Carp's best tools, always. Among Benu's folk, there was not a man who dared to forbid him anything. Let a man find good luck, and Carp demanded a share of his fortune as thanks. Let tragedy strike, and Carp was there to wring whatever was left from him, lest something even worse happen. There was no secret shame that Carp had not found out, no hidden treasure that he did not take his share of. His magic is built on pain and greed. You have seen how he mastered Capiam. I have no idea how he has threatened Joboam. No one will ever know, unless Joboam brings Carp's displeasure on himself. Then Carp will ruin him, with no remorse at all. In some ways he is like Capiam. He cannot tolerate one who does not fear or grovel before him.'
'Like you.' Heckram said softly. He looked at Tillu across the fire, his eyes soft and grave. 'What is it he wants
