Waterborn

'I don't know why she brought you here,' Ghan said, 'if it was indeed she. It may be that the River did send you, at the behest of the priesthood or the emperor. I doubt that; it isn't their way to act in such a circuitous manner. Your presence here is so bizarre, so unlikely, that I trust it. As to what you are supposed to do, I rather think that will become obvious in the moments and days ahead. In the meantime, should anyone try to hinder your escape, kill them.'

Ghan and Tsem turned and walked back into the city, Tsem with a smoldering backward glance.

'Well,' Perkar told Harka. 'Kill. That's something we can do, isn't it?'

'Just so long as you don't forget,' Harka said. 'Some things even we cannot kill.'

 

 

Just inside the gate, Tsem and Ghan parted ways. It was late enough in the day that Hezhi was probably back in her apartments, so Tsem steered himself toward that wing of the palace.

When he heard Qey weeping, he knew something was wrong. Suddenly frantic, he burst into the courtyard; Qey was there, and two of the priests.

'What?' Tsem demanded, despite the fact that they were priests, despite what they could have done to him for impertinence.

'Your charge ran away,' one of the two informed him— darkly, though his voice was sweet. 'Where were you?'

'Ran? Where?' But he knew, knew with a terrible sinking feeling in his gut.

'I don't know,' the priest snapped impatiently. 'Two priests followed her, but she has not returned.'

Tsem nodded, blood pounding in his ears. The first priest never had the opportunity to cry out; Tsem's fist slammed into his temple with the force and effect of a sledgehammer. The second had time for a terrified squeal before Tsem lifted him up with both hands and snapped his neck like a chicken's. Then, ignoring Qey's sudden, rejuvenated hysteria, he ran as fast as his huge feet could carry him.

X

A Gift of Slaughter

Swaying at the edge, Hezhi heard her name shouted. Not in the high, clear voice of a priest, but in Tsem's bass roar. She gasped, stepped back from her doom, and turned to see where the call came from.

Tsem was loping across the rooftop. As she watched, he caught the struggling priest by the hair. The priest yelped, and then Tsem broke his neck. The second priest, also looking back, screamed shrilly and continued screaming until Tsem caught him. Hezhi closed her eyes, unwilling to watch. When she opened them, the hapless priest had fetched up motionless against the parapet of an adjoining roof.

'Hezhi,' Tsem bellowed again.

Trembling, she watched him approach, and without a backward glance at the long fall, she climbed back onto the slope and, sitting on her behind, began a controlled slide back to the roofbeam. Tsem caught her at the bottom, folded her into his huge arms.

'Did they hurt you, Princess?' he cooed.

'No, Tsem. No, they never touched me. I was ahead of them.'

She tried not to look at the dead men and their bulging, surprised expressions when she and Tsem retraced their steps. Instead, she gave her attention to what Tsem was telling her, though it was difficult, with the relief and confusion that swam about in her skull.

'Ghan has arranged passage out of the city,' he informed her. 'It is all planned, you have no need to worry.'

'There are probably more priests in the apartment…'

'Not anymore,' Tsem growled. 'Their ghosts, perhaps.'

'Oh. Tsem, you shouldn't have done it. If they catch you now…'

'They won't, and if they do, they'll be very sorry. Now come.'

They dropped back down into the courtyard with its familiar cottonwood, and there Hezhi's swirling head spilled weakness down into her knees and she nearly collapsed. Tsem scooped her up and started down the stairs.

The apartments were a nightmare. Qey was bawling and there were two more dead priests, one leaking blood from his mouth and the other with his face crushed unrecognizably. The thick scent of incense still hung in the air.

'Qey! Qey,' Tsem roared, shaking her. 'Cut her hair! Cut it off!'

The old woman, shaken almost out of her senses, looked vaguely at the two of them. 'Her hair…' she repeated.

'Arr!' Tsem rushed into her room. 'Where did you hide your work clothes? The ones I got for you?'

'Under the mattress,' Hezhi called, still watching the quaking Qey.

'Qey,' she whispered.

Qey's eyes sharpened a bit then, and she held out her arms. Hezhi rushed into them, ground her head against the woman's breast.

'Cut her hair,' Qey suddenly muttered. She gently disengaged Hezhi and went to her sewing kit, returned with scissors.

'Turn around, little one,' she whispered. Hezhi did so, felt the peculiar little grinding of her hair being all but sheared off, just at the nape of the neck.

Tsem burst back into the room with her clothes; she had rinsed them of the mud and slime of the underpalace, but they were still deeply stained.

'Put them on.'

'Where are you taking her?' Qey wailed. 'Where are you taking my little Hezhi?'

'Somewhere safe, Qey,' Tsem told her hurriedly. 'But you must know nothing, nothing, or they will hurt you to find out. Do you understand?'

'Come with us, Qey,' Hezhi pleaded. 'She can come with us, can't she, Tsem?'

'She may,' Tsem said a little doubtfully.

Qey stared at them both, then gently shook her head. 'No, little one, I can't do that.'

'Why not?'

'I just can't. I would be in the way, I wouldn't know what to do.'

'Take care of me, like you always have,' she insisted.

'No.' Qey stepped back, still shaking her head. 'No, please, Hezhi, don't ask me to.'

She meant to keep insisting until the old woman agreed, but the finality of Qey's tone convinced her. So, instead, she hurriedly doffed her skirt, pulled on the loose pants and smock.

'That's it,' Tsem muttered nervously. 'That's it, come on.'

'Qey…' Hezhi began, but the old woman shushed her, grasped her head, and planted a little kiss on her cheek.

'I love you, child,' she said. 'I love you very much. Go with Tsem and take care. Live, little one.' Her tears had ceased, and now she seemed calm, in control.

'Come,' Tsem insisted.

'Wait,' Hezhi said. She searched back through her dress, found the little statue Yen had given her.

'All right, Tsem,' she said, feeling stronger. 'Let's go.' Tsem nodded and gestured. Together they set off down the hall, walking briskly, but not running for fear of attracting attention.

 

 

'We'll take the Ember Gate,' Tsem explained. 'You are Duwe, a boy from the docks. I paid you a soldier to help me carry four baskets of fish.'

'Where is Ghan? Will he be at the boat?'

'Ghan has returned to his apartments. We will not see him. He has arranged everything.'

'I have to say good-bye to Ghan.'

'You can't, Princess, there is no time. Soon someone will notice the dead priests. Ghan left a letter for you.'