“Good.” Kerrick reached up to the ring around his neck, to the knife hanging there. He seized it and pulled it free, handed it over to Lanefenuu. She would not reach out for it so he dropped it into the dust at her feet.

“You will take this to Vaintè. She knows it, she knows what it will mean. She will know that it is I who have done this thing and why I have done it. She will know that you had no choice in what you did.”

“I care nothing of how Vaintè feels, what she knows.”

“Of course, Eistaa.” Kerrick spoke slowly, with controllers of cold anger. “It is just that I want her to know that I, Kerrick, have done this to her, stopped her in her tracks. I want her to understand exactly what I have done.”

With this Kerrick turned on his heel and stalked away. Out of the ambesed and past the gawking fargi who had gathered in terrified crowds. They moved away from him in fear, for all had seen the talking from afar. They did not know what was happening—only that it was terrible beyond belief. Two uruketo were dead and this ustuzou-Yilanè walked with death all around him.

Kerrick walked through Ikhalmenets to the shore, turned to the Yilanè and fargi there.

“In the name of your eistaa I order you from here. All of you. She commands you to attend her in the ambesed. Leave.”

Incapable of lies themselves, they understood what he had spoken as a command and hurried to the ambesed.

As soon as he was alone, Kerrick jumped down to the sand and made his way out of the city.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

“You sent for me,” Enge said. “The message stressed great urgency.”

“Any order that I issue is urgent, though your slothful creatures fail to realize that. If I do not stress urgency then the would-be-messenger would discuss the probity of her acting as my fargi and other irrelevancies.”

“There is truth in that, for as Ugunenapsa said . . .”

“Silence!” Ambalasi roared the command, her crest rising and falling with rage. Her assistant, Setèssei, fled in panic, and even Enge bowed before the storm of the elderly scientist’s wrath. She signed apologies and obedience then waited in silence.

“A slight improvement. From you at least I expect some attention, a slight amount of courtesy. Now, look here, at this splendid sight.”

Ambalasi indicated the Sorogetso who rested in the shade—a splendid sight only to Ambalasi for she shivered with fear and had curled herself into a ball, eyes closed and waiting for her death.

“Not you, foolish creature, my anger is for others,” Ambalasi said, then controlled her temper with a great effort and spoke in the Sorogetso manner. “Attention, little one. Friendship and aid.” She caressed Ichikchee’s green crest until she fearfully opened her eyes.