Shadowkill

##

Slowly, laboriously the Kuysstead recovered from the terror. New gardens were planted, ditches dug, and a waterwheel erected by the river to bring water to the plants. It was dry season, high summer, it wouldn’t rain again until fall.

Matja Allina nursed her son and worked tirelessly to restore the Kuysstead, alive only when Pirs called.

Shadith continued her riding lessons and began gathering supplies for her flight to Nirtajai.

Aghilo came into the Matja’s sitting room, stood quietly beside the door, waiting for Allina to look up from the account books.

The minute she saw the chal, Shadith knew what was coming; she set the arranga aside, crossed the room to Matja Allina. She touched the Matja’s arm.

Allina yawned, stretched. “What is it, Kizra?”

“Aghilo.”

“Oh.” She set the stylus down, flattened her hands on the table. “Aghilo chal, come.”

Aghilo walked slowly across the room, stopped beside the table. “I…”

“Tell me quickly. Don’t make me wait.”

“My half sister, you know, Tribbi. She called to warn us. Mingas is… is bringing the Arring’s body home.”

Allina closed her eyes, moved her tongue over her lips. “Amurra…” she said finally. “And the chals?”

“No. The Artwa must be keeping them. Tribbi says the only men with Mingas are his own guards.”

“Aaaaah…” Allina’s hands twitched on the pages of the account books. “Mingas. The Artwa isn’t bothering to come.”

“So it seems. Um, Matja Allina, there’s something else Tribbi said.”

“About Mingas?”

“Yes. He got drunk with his men and started boasting. He’s turned off his wife, sent her back to her parents. He says he’s going to get him a new one, a young one. Unspoiled. Ingva.”

“I see.”

“And… um…”

“You don’t have to tell me what he plans for me.”

“Tribbi says he went into lots of detail what he was going to get out of you. She didn’t repeat any of it, just said it was enough to make a goat sick. She called soon as she could, he’s still drinking, him and his men. They won’t leave the aynti until tomorrow sunhigh at the earliest which means it’ll be round sunset tomorrow before he’s here.”

“Yes. The word was hardly more than a whisper. Allina shook herself, scrubbed her hands across her face. “Find Ingva, will you, dear? Send her to me.”