“Some of the old ones say her spirit was separated from her body in the explosion, that it is wandering in the dark and will never find her body if she is moved from that cave. Once I was confident I had learned so much, but now I know how hollow that knowledge is. What if they are right? Yankay insists the best healing place for her is right where she is. And the nurse knows many of the old ways. She rubs Natalie’s pulse points and sings to her, saying if she can just ignite a tiny spark inside her, it will kindle her life fire again. And some of the old women have been summoning the Mother Protector, never stopping no matter what the hour.” He shrugged. There was anguish in his voice. “Who are we to say a hospital will be better?”

“But isn’t it a lie to keep acting like she died?” Shan asked.

“You saw her. Which is the lie? That she is dead, or that she is alive? Does it change anything you are doing?”

When Shan had no reply, Lhakpa turned back to the trail and led him into the gathering shadows.

They were already walking along the empty shelves where the artifacts had been stored when Lhakpa held up his hand in alarm. There were strange sounds coming from the campsite by the Talons. It took them a few moments to realize it was laughter.

As they reached the little flat, Jaya was speaking excitedly with two Tibetan men, some of the herders who were helping her, and pointed to Zhu, who sat by the fire with a cup of tea.

“Did you find all the devices?” Shan asked as he reached the young lieutenant.

“I had some devices of my own,” Zhu reminded him with a mischievous smile.

“They may never come back!” Jaya said with another laugh.

“You used your own devices?” Shan asked.

It was Jaya who responded. “We found all their listening machines and moved them to the top of rock spires or down animal burrows. One went inside an old pilgrim’s cairn. We placed one of Zhu’s boxes with each of the listening devices, rigged with a loop, a recording that will just repeat until the batteries run down in a few days.”

“A loop?” Lhakpa asked.

“We got one of the old shepherds to record for us. Whenever Public Security listens to their sentry devices they will hear nothing but the mani mantra! Lord Gekho will be speaking to them!”