Funeral pyres, Mather said. The Gunni burn their dead instead of burying them. He looked a little green.

I didnt follow. There arent any dead here. Unless somebody makes some. A symbolic gesture? Funerals in absentia?

The practice is called suttee, Smoke said. I looked at him. He stood straight up and wore a slimy grin. When a man dies his wife joins him on his ghat. If he dies away from home she joins him in death when she learns of it.

Oh? Those women are building pyres where they can commit suicide if their husbands have been killed?

Yes.

A damnfool thing to do.

Smokes smile grew. Its a custom as old as Taglios. With the force of law.

I didnt like the way he was getting happy. He thought he had a tool to use against me.

A waste. Who takes care of the children? Never mind. I dont care. The concept was so alien I discounted it. Im not sure I even believed him.

The Radisha said, The custom is revered by everyone, even those who arent Gunni.

There are crazies everywhere. Its a hideous practice. It should be abolished. But Im not here to change any social sillinesses. Were at war. Weve suffered a setback. A lot of our men are trapped in Dejagore. Its not likely we can save them. More are in flight. We can save some of those. And we have to raise new levies so we can cling to what weve gained.

Swan said, Sweetie, youre missing the point.

I got the point, Swan. Its irrelevant. The Radisha said, Youre a woman. You have no friends. Every man of any substance in every priesthood is going to make a point of your relationship with your Captain. A large point of your failure to commit suttee. That will weigh heavily with a large portion of the population.

It may be the custom. Its an idiot custom and Ill bet its not universal. I shant dignify the suggestion-unless I decide that for bringing it up the suggester will be delivered to his suggestion. Smokes grin faded.

His eyes narrowed and clouded. His jaw dropped for a second. He was staring at my hand. I realized Id picked up Narayans tic, was fingering the bit of yellow cloth peeping from my waist. Smokes color turned ghastly. I said, Radisha, ask these two about my background. I indicated Swan and Mather. Theyd emigrated from my empire while I was at the pinnacle of my power. Some of the Company have fallen but our contract remains in force. I intend to execute the undertaking.

Admirable. But youll find that a lot of people wont want to let you do that.

I shrugged. What they want doesnt matter. The contract has been made. Better understand that. You people think you know more about us than we do. You must know we dont let anybody back out on a contract.