Clan Leader Saurika met Ahkio in the Osono square. It was not a market day, so there were few people out to greet them.

Saurika reached for Ahkio’s hands. “Are we kissing now?” Saurika said. “I’d like to welcome you as clan family.”

“I accept,” Ahkio said. He kissed both of the old man’s cheeks.

“Welcome home, Kai,” Saurika said. “Fancy a game before we talk business?”

“I’ve had enough games in Garika,” Ahkio said, and he was surprised when Saurika laughed.

“Welcome to the seat, Kai.” His face grew serious. “You’re here to see Meyna and her husbands.”

“I wanted to tell her myself.”

“Too late for that,” he said. “We had a messenger arrive hours before you.”

“Is Meyna still here?”

“I don’t know if they’ll see you.”

“Let me go with you,” Caisa said, sliding off her bear. Ghrasia had issued her a sword along the way, a plain metal blade, not infused. Ahkio worried she didn’t know how to use it, but she insisted she had taken classes at the temple and was very capable.

“I’m going by myself,” Ahkio said.

“I know Meyna,” Liaro said. “That’s not terribly smart.”

“No wiser than anything else I’ve done,” Ahkio said. “Honestly, both of you. Stay here. This is something I need to do on my own.”

“We’ve had enough funeral feasts!” Liaro called after him.

Ahkio started the long walk to Meyna’s house. He had not slept well since he left, and his pace was sluggish. He did not expect to sleep well for some time. He walked up the spongy ramp to the house. Everything looked the same. He cracked open the door and called, “Meyna? Rhin? Are you home, Hadaoh?”

No answer.

Ahkio pushed open the door.

All was in order. He saw row upon row of carved eating sticks laid out on the table where Meyna had left them. Rhin’s boots, caked with mud from the sheep fields, sat by the back door. Ahkio called into the house again.

He walked onto the back porch. Stared down into the community green behind the house. A dozen children played there, shrieking as they pelted one another with sticky thorn flowers. He saw Mey-Mey sitting away from the group, surrounded by a pool of the purple flowers. She smashed their faces into one another and threw them halfheartedly at the other children.

He recognized big, broad-shouldered Hadaoh speaking to a neighbor across the green. But Rhin and Meyna were nowhere to be seen.

Ahkio walked back into the house, calling for Meyna. He heard movement upstairs. A heavy thumping. He went up the stairs that curved around the inner core of the tree, to the second level of the house.