“Dead,” said Precious Wind flatly. “She is gone.”
He stopped. Hope leapt within her at this cessation. Would he grieve?
Ah, but he did not stop long enough even to sorrow!
Too quickly, too eagerly, he said, “Well then, there’s nothing we can do. There’s nothing to prevent our going home.”
“I’m afraid there is,” she replied in an icy voice that wiped all eagerness from his face. “My oath, for one. I was sworn to exact vengeance upon those who killed Xu-i-lok. And now upon those who took Xulai. That would be the duchess Alicia and perhaps also her mother. You were also sworn, Bear, sworn in the temple, by the priests. If the Great Bear of Zol returns to Tingawa without having done his sworn duty, he will be known to be forsworn and the family of his bride will not have him.”
Bear had been so involved in his own urgencies he had forgotten the fringing details of his oath. Being known to be forsworn had not occurred to him; he had never considered it, and in his driving need to go home he had forgotten that the princess’s death was the beginning of an ancillary task, not the end of the journey. It had been too long! It had taken too much time!
He said as much, angrily, with evil words cast upon the priests who had sworn him.
“I don’t recall any limitation being placed upon us,” said Precious Wind when he had run out of fury. “In any case, it’s now a matter that can be dealt with in a timely fashion. We know who was responsible. Alicia, Duchess of Altamont, is now either at the Old Dark House or at Ghastain. There is a Tingawan embassy in Ghastain. You have an excellent reason to go there. When I have finished certain tasks I am required to perform, I may have time to join you there. If not, you will find me in Merhaven. Even if you include all the travel needed to get to Ghastain and back, you should be finished before winter is over. The trip home will be easier in spring. I dislike winter storms at sea.”
“What do you have to do?” he asked, grasping at any straws that would force her to go to Merhaven at once.
“I have certain duties to perform for Xu-i-lok’s father that may not be discussed with anyone. Listen to me, Bear, look at me! You may not go near the abbey. They suspect you of having conspired in the abduction and murder of Xulai.”
He glared at her, mouth open to answer but no words coming out, his face reddening. Both his face and his silence damned him.
“I know this is nonsense,” she said in a soothing tone that hid her disgust. “I know you would not be forsworn in that way. We both know no Tingawan Great Bear could possibly do so, but we have no time to spend in allaying their suspicions. You must pass the abbey without being seen. You must go to our embassy in Ghastain and find out whether the duchess is in Ghastain. You must tell our people that she was the mover behind the abduction and death of Xulai. Alicia is the daughter of the queen. The people of Ghastain will not act against the duchess except with the queen’s or king’s permission, which I doubt would be given. You can, however, consult with our people as to proper vengeance. Also, I have something for you and something that must be taken to them.”
She burrowed into her pouch and removed Justinian’s receipt. “The duke sent a treasure to the abbey six months ago, to reward you for your faithful service. Here is the receipt. We found that the prior had stolen the money.” She held it before his eyes and waited. His flush vanished. His face turned pale, ashen.
“He did send it. My bride-price.”
“I told you he had sent it. Yes, your bride-price, and more than that. It is not lost. The prior is dead, and the treasure is being recovered and sent on to Merhaven. It should be there by the time we are ready to leave.” She burrowed a hand into her pocket and removed the three messages that had been sent to Jenger in the Vulture Tower, the three she had brought back from there and had carried ever since Wordswell had returned them to her. “These are in the handwriting of the Duchess of Altamont, Alicia, daughter of Queen Mirami. The first directs her servant, Jenger, to abduct Xulai. The second directs him to murder you. The third directs him to murder any Tingawan he can get hold of.” She sighed deeply. “It was your abrupt departure after Xulai’s disappearance that led the people of the abbey to suspect you, but let me say again: we do not have time to deal with their accusations now. You must avoid the abbey. They have an army and you cannot fight an army.”
Bear did not speak. The news that Jenger had received orders to kill him coupled with the fact he had been wrong about Justinian had, for the moment, frozen him. When he spoke, it was in a whisper. “Xulai. You found her?”
“I received word from those who found her,” said Precious Wind. “I went to the place where she was held and wept at what I saw there.”
“How did you get these?” he demanded, holding the messages out to her.
“I found them in Jenger’s things at the Vulture Tower,” she replied. “He had been killed, possibly by wolves.” It was certainly possible, though she thought it unlikely. “I would have sent them to our embassy by messenger bird when I arrived in Merhaven.”
“You won’t,” he said.
“Won’t?”
“Arrive in Merhaven. Well, not the old Merhaven. It isn’t there anymore. What’s left of the
