“Is that all, Rae?” he asked.

“I was just frightened when I woke. I… I must have had a dream. And the sky…” She gestured to the steely clouds. “And the wind… I was just… I must have been confused when I woke up.” She looked from Mop to Nessa, their faces now softening with relief.

“I should say falling asleep in such heat would confuse you. Well, you’re all right, child.” Nessa brushed a few stray hairs from Rae’s face. “And now that you’re back, you can help Mop call the sheep in. If we’re lucky, it will rain this evening.”

“Yes, Ness,” Rae said. She glanced up at Mop, still looking probingly at her.

He offered her his hand. “Come, Rae. The lambs don’t wish to come in so early, but I don’t like them out in this weather. You can help me catch the troublesome ones.”

“Yes, Mop.” Rae took his hand. Together, they began walking toward the small holdout of sheep still grazing in the meadow.

“You might even sing a little, Rae, as we bring them in.”

Rae looked quickly at Mop. His face betrayed no emotion. “I think I’m done singing today,” she said.

“Oh? Sung yourself out, have you?”

“Yes. For now.”

He squeezed her hand. “I hope you’ll sing again later.”

Rae looked toward the hillside. Nothing. No beast anywhere in sight. Still, the guilt was dizzying. She shook her head. “Maybe… maybe later…”

“Can you catch those two littlest ones, Rae?” Mop pointed. “I’m going to bring in this fellow here.…”

That night, after the flock had been settled in their shelter, after Rae and Mop and Nessa had wiped the last of the broth from their bowls with their crusts of bread, after the moon and stars had risen invisibly behind the dark clouds and night had fallen still blowing its hot winds across the fields, Rae lay on her bed staring into the darkness.

When she closed her eyes, she saw only the wolf’s unblinking gray gaze.

What had she done?

All-belly beast.

All-toothy fur.

She could not stop thinking of how her song had brought the wolves to their fields, could not stop thinking of the terror she had felt as the wolf had leapt toward her, could not stop thinking of how she had lied to Mop and Nessa.

The flocks. The lambs. What had she done?

Why had the wolf not attacked her? Why had it attacked the other wolf instead?

And why… Rae stared into the darkness, still seeing the gray eyes unblinking before her, why had the words Ah, there you are come unbidden to her?

She turned on her mattress, pulling the blanket tight to her chin.

All-belly beast.

All-toothy fur.

Ah, there you are.

XIX

AN EMPTINESS ALMOST UNEMPTIED

At first, in those distant early days after the dutiful guard—strange half-moons hollowed beneath his eyes—returned with news of the successful abandonment, the boy-king delighted in the quiet. The oracle’s voice—her echoing unloved and abhorred, her dreadful no one will mourn—had been silenced. At last, he could enjoy the comforts of his position—the fine silks that covered his bed, the finer silks that his servants draped over his body, the cushions that could be propped around him so he might luxuriate in their softness.