“If Si and the White were allies, we could help each other in many ways. You know of Huan and a little of the other gods. Our priests and priestesses can teach you more. They can also increase your knowledge of magic, writing, numbers and healing. If you wished, the Temple would send a few priests to Si to live among you. Siyee might come to the Temple to become priests and priestesses themselves. There are many advantages to this. Messages can be sent telepathically by those priests and priestesses, so you would know what is happening in the world outside. Reports of attacks upon Siyee would reach the White quickly and be dealt with. People—landwalkers—would understand the Siyee better, and Siyee would understand landwalkers, too. Understanding brings respect and friendship. Friendship brings peace and prosperity.” He smiled and nodded several times. “Thank you for listening.”

The Siyee remained silent as Gremmer stood up and backed away from the edge of the outcrop. Tryss found that his heart was racing. We could learn so much from these landwalkers, he thought. Things we lost when we came to the mountains. Things the landwalkers have invented since. But Tryss read doubt in the faces of his people. Sirri stepped forward.

“We, the Speakers, will now talk with our tribes.”

The Speakers leapt off the outcrop and glided down to their tribes. As Sirri landed and joined Tryss’s tribe several people spoke at once. She raised her hands to stop them.

“One at a time,” she said. “Let us sit in a circle and speak our minds in turn.”

Tryss’s mother and father sat down and he settled behind them. Sirri nodded to the man sitting to her left, Tryss’s uncle, Till.

“It is a good offer,” he said. “We could use their protection. But we have nothing to offer in return. Gremmer speaks of fighters. We have none.”

Sirri turned her attention to the next Siyee in the circle. He repeated the same doubts. As the rest of the tribe spoke, Tryss felt frustration building. Then Tryss’s aunt spoke up.

“Does it matter?” Vissi said darkly. “They are the Gods’ Chosen. Who would dare to fight them? Gremmer is right. We would probably never need to fight. We should agree to this alliance.”

“But what if there is a small war? Between countries allied with the White. Or a rebellion,” Tryss’s father asked. “What if they ask for our help then? Do we send our young men and women to a certain death?”

Vissi looked pained. “Not certain. Possible. It is a risk, yes. A gamble. We are losing young men and women to these settlers all the time. And older men and women. And their children. We will keep losing them—and our land, too. That is more certain than the chances of us being called to war.”