“Do you think any of the temples in Olossi would have listened to me? Master Feden rules the council. A word from him, and the tithes to the temples would have dried up like a dry-season channel in the delta. A word from him, and any merchant who tried to mention his lapse to one of the temples would have lost her license to trade and been ostracized in the bargain. You are so naive, Bai.”

She released him. “Maybe so, but when I was in Olossi twenty days ago, Master Feden was in deep trouble. He’s the one who made a dirty alliance with the northerners, the same people who burned villages and murdered innocent village folk just for whatever sick pleasure they took in the doing.”

“Don’t forget I had to march with that army for an entire day.”

“The council in Olossi now knows what Master Feden did. We needn’t fear Master Feden any longer.”

Having to remember the twelve long years he had served out his debt slavery to the man made him want to kick and punch and destroy some helpless object, breaking it down until it hung in splinters. Wasn’t that the way his and Bai’s life had been destroyed, when they’d been orphaned and their aunts and uncle had sold them on the block rather than raise them? The life they might have hoped to have had been smashed to pieces, and here they were, remade into people he no longer recognized.

She went on, a wolf gnawing at cracked bones. “Once we reach a place we can stop, you have to apprentice to one of the gods. It’s not unheard of to come so late to your year of service. It’s better than carrying around that prison bowl, where the southern god sucks in the souls of his worshippers.”

“You don’t know anything about Beltak!”

“A Hundred man should not be praying to a god from the empire.”

“I only took up the bowl because it gave me an advantage in trade. That way I didn’t have to pay the fines the empire men levy in the market on merchants who aren’t believers.”

“I thought their priests burned anyone who didn’t sacrifice to their god.”

“They do, but they have to accept merchants from other countries, at least in the market, or they’d have no trade, would they? But they can charge them extra, and forbid them to build temples of their own or to say prayers to other gods.”

Her lips, pressed together, made a tight line.

“I did what I had to! I got us free, didn’t I?”

“You did,” she said as the line of her mouth softened. “It’s not too late. The gods will not abandon you. You only need stand before them. It’s just . . . I can’t look at you and easily see to which god your service is best suited. Kotaru the Thunderer? You’re not obedient enough nor do you get into fights just for the fun of it. Ushara the Merciless One? You can’t give up your very self to the heart of the goddess. Atiratu the Lady of Beasts? No, for hers is a caring and selfless heart, and you have trouble looking beyond your own troubles. Taru the Witherer? He who waxes and wanes? I think not, for you have remained constant all these years, and that’s a fine thing, since we’re both free now because of your efforts. Ilu the Envoy? You’ve traveled, but you’re just not talkative enough. You’re observant, but only when you’re totting up things to your own advantage or disadvantage. Sapanasu, the Keeper of Days? It’s true you’re an excellent accountant, and you’ve made good use of those skills in acquiring the coin to free us. But I just can’t see you being willing to shave your head on the day you enter through that gate. You’re too vain of your lovely hair.”