Rthan
A shadow fell across the door curtain. Brena did not wait for a greeting. She pulled the hanging aside to let Kavio in.
"You can have him back, as far as I'm concerned." She stepped out of the hut. But she looked back, a small frown on her face.
Rthan watched her leave. Then he turned to face his enemy.
The two men stared at each other.
Rthan had not promised Kavio he wouldn't escape. But the sun was going down. The warriors had already blown the conch shells, calling curfew. The gates were shut and locked. Outside, in the courtyard, Initiates laughed and sang as they ate dinner.
It was not a good time to run away.
Also, just outside the hut, Rthan saw Kavio's new helper—a strange, hairy man pulling a big rock. The man looked strong enough to crush bones. Maybe he was a guard. Maybe a slave. Either way, not someone Rthan wanted to fight right now.
Kavio smiled, his eyes bright. He was holding something.
When the shark smiles, beware.
"I brought you a gift," Kavio said.
He sat on the mat near the fire and waved for Rthan to join him. "Go on. Open it."
The house smelled of sage and rosemary, but the package smelled worse. Rthan opened the leaves.
His eyes lit up.
"Hakurl!" Then he narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"To say sorry. I made you lose your last batch."
"I planned to kill you." Rthan did not touch the hakurl. "If you owe me anything, it's a deathdebt, not a gift."
"You still owe deathdebts to Yellow Bear. But not to me. I paid the debt between us in battle." Kavio lifted the shark meat toward the fire. "If you won't eat it, I'll burn it before the smell kills me."
"No!" Rthan grabbed it back. "Are you mad? It takes six months to make this! You can't find it in Yellow Bear. Where did you get it?"
"I traded for it. A whole herd of young aurochs. I had too many. After Hertio's nice speech about me, the parents of Initiates kept giving me things."
People gave gifts to heroes. To allies. Never to enemies. Never to slaves.
Rthan frowned. In Blue Waters, they had a name for men like Kavio. Too clever. Slippery eels.
"You want something from me."
"I do. I've come to collect on your deathdebts to Yellow Bear."
"So this is my last meal?"
"No. When you chased me, I saw how you and your men fought in the boats. You used a special way to fight and paddle. You shouted strange commands. I want you to teach me that."
Rthan laughed. "Those are Tavaedi secrets."
"Perfect. I dance Blue."
Rthan's eyes moved toward the corner of the hut—but the Blue Lady was gone.
"You want me to trade my people's secrets for a fish?"
"I offer more. Teach me, and your attack on the Initiates will be forgotten. You'll no longer be a slave. You'll be free to return to your people."
He smiled a little. "Or stay, if you've found something worth staying for."
The more Kavio wanted this, the more Rthan knew he had to say no.
"I already gave my word to partner with Brena this winter. You want me to break my word?"
"Winter? Oh—fertility tama." Kavio waved that off. "Don't worry. If you show me your tricks, you'll have plenty of time to dance with her."
He leaned closer.
"This is your chance to start a new life, Rthan. War Chief Hertio has asked to speak and trade with War Chief Nargano. The Yellow Bear Elders agreed."
"Nargano will never say yes. You don't understand how deep his hate goes."
"You're wrong. He invited a peace party to Blue Waters. Hertio is picking who will go. We leave the day after midwinter festival. If you teach me, I'll ask Hertio to send you as part of the peace group."
Rthan was too shocked to speak.
What was Nargano planning?
Not peace. That much was sure.
Kavio was clever, but still young. He still believed people could change.
"I want something else," Rthan said. "Besides freedom. A name."
"What name?"
"The name of the Yellow Bear warrior who killed my family."
Kavio's forehead wrinkled. "That's not possible. The New Moon Raid was eight years ago. The fight happened at night. In the History Dance, the warriors burned huts without seeing who was inside."
"Maybe. But one warrior burned my house. Killed my wife. My daughter. I want his name. I want to look him in the face."
"And then?"
"I will kill him."
"We must let go of the hate that keeps tribe against tribe, clan against clan, man against man," Kavio said.
Idiot.
Rthan snorted.
He would never rest until his family was avenged. Everyone in his tribe felt the same. All had lost kin to Yellow Bear. In this generation or the one before.
"You can't drain the ocean with a jar," he said.
"Haven't you found something new with Brena? I've seen you with her. You look almost happy."
"She is a good woman," Rthan said softly.
He would not break his word to her.
But Kavio lived in a dream. Nargano would never agree to peace. And Rthan—
It didn't matter what he wanted.
He had promised to help Nargano. Even if it killed them all.
Kavio would learn the truth the hard way. One man cannot stop a tide.
When they practiced on the river, Brena and her daughters would not be there. Rthan would have his chance.
"I will teach you," said Rthan. "When do you want to start?"
Kavio grinned like a boy and jumped up. "I'll tell you when I'm ready."
"The sooner, the better," Rthan growled.
His chest felt hot and cold at the same time. What if he never got to say goodbye to Brena? What would she think, if he killed Kavio and ran away after dancing the Winter Solstice ritual with her?
Idiot.
Even if he stayed to dance, what would she think when he came back with war canoes to crush Yellow Bear? To make slaves of her and her daughters?
The sea would not be wide enough to hold her hate.
Outside the hut, Kavio's henchman stayed behind after Kavio left.
"Don't you have somewhere else to drag that pebble?" Rthan asked.
The shaggy man stepped closer. "I heard you ask Kavio for a name. A Yellow Bear name."
"So? Do you have a problem with that?"
"I also want a name. A Blue Waters name. Maybe we can trade. Your name for my name."
"What's your name? Whose name do you want?"
"I am Gremo. Of Lark Creek. Maybe you've heard of it."
Rthan had heard of the Battle of Lark Creek.
"Before my time."
"But you've heard of it. You know who fought there. I can describe the warrior's tattoos. You'll know who he was. And I can ask questions about the New Moon Raid—questions no one would answer if you asked. We can help each other."
"You want revenge too?"
"I want my father."
Rthan leaned back in surprise. "You're Blue Waters kin?"
Gremo showed his teeth. Maybe it was a grin.
"Yes," Rthan said. "I will trade names. But you must prove your name is true."
That seemed good enough for Gremo. He left, dragging his boulder behind.
But Rthan was not at ease.
The deal with Gremo made him nervous. But the deal with Kavio… that troubled him more.
He had agreed to teach the enemy war skills. That felt like betrayal.
He saw only one choice. If he didn't want to give away his people's secrets, he had to escape first.
The Blue Lady had warned she could not help him.
But Kavio, the fool, planned to train with him on the river.
Rthan lifted his arms to the sky.
"I beg you, Merfae! Help me! Don't leave me in the hands of the enemy!"
The only answer was the sound of the river—and frogs singing in the reeds.