I held my hand out to Rish. “Can I take a look at your arm, my sweet?”

Rish’s eyes grew round when I scooted close, and he pulled his arm away from me. Even in the dim candlelight, I could see the infection starting down at the bottom of the slash near his wrist. Could smell the bad humors beginning to fester. I pulled out my bone needle and thread from my healing satchel, but tucked them into my tunic so he couldn’t see them.

“What happened, bub?”

He buried his face in Dagan’s chest, and Shep’s nostrils flared as he answered. “Guardsmen came to the farm and grabbed Ummum. A couple of them held me, Qishti, and Marduk back. They thought we were the only ones who could hurt them, but they didn’t count on Rish.” His eyes momentarily glowed with pride. “He flew out of the house with a dagger and slashed a guardsman’s leg with it, and the man got mad and yanked the thing away. Sliced him right up the arm. He’s lucky he didn’t get him in the throat. It came close.”

“Did they say why they took her?” Iltani took a swig from her flask.

Shep looked Dagan in the eye. “I suspect it was because of you. They’re probably torturing our ummum to find out where you’ve gone. They have to suspect you left with Kammani and the nin, though no one has said anything about it.”

“Uruku’s likely afraid to admit it for fear of looking weak,” I said.

Shep’s amber eyes, so similar to Dagan’s yet set in a lean, rangy face, glittered with malice. “When I get a chance to repay Uruku for doing this to Rish and taking Ummum away, he will regret it. I promise you that.”

Dagan met his brother’s eyes over the top of Rish’s head. “And I will help you avenge them both. Are there others who would help? We need to get Arwia back on the throne, and we’ll need a majority voice from the ensi’s council to do that.”

Shep nodded. “I know there are others who would help. Ensi Puzu only sits on Uruku’s council to try to stop him. I’ve spoken with him in Assata’s Tavern. He says that Uruku is the evil Alani’s puppet and there are several of them who agree. Uruku maims or starves or kills those who don’t listen to him, so people have been quiet.”

“But no one else has tried to challenge his throne?”

“He kills anyone who’s tried.”

“Tell me what’s been going on,” Dagan insisted, and Shep launched into the details.

While they spoke, their deep voices resonating softly as the locusts chirred, I gently tickled Rish’s tummy until I got a grin.

“Rish, please. May I see your arm? I’ll make it so it doesn’t hurt as much.”

His fat lower lip quivered for a moment, and two round drops appeared in his eyes and fell down his cheeks. I smoothed my hand over his brunette curls. “My sweet, I can make you feel better. Will you trust me as your big brother does?”