Gonda whispered to Jigonsaseh, “Don’t jump to conclusions. You can’t possibly know for certain in this light.”
She seemed to realize she’d slumped against the palisade, and her warriors were watching her. She straightened to her full height again, braced her feet and propped her hand on her belted war club. “That’s Sky Messenger. Believe me.”
Sindak’s teeth ground beneath his cheek. He studied her for a long time, before he said, “If you’re right, Wenisa is going to use him against us. That’s why he’s still alive.”
None of them said anything for another twenty heartbeats, then Jigonsaseh responded, “Sky Messenger is more valuable to him alive. If Wenisa takes him home and parades him around as proof that he has greater Spirit Power than the renowned Standing Stone Prophet, Wenisa’s reputation will soar.”
Sindak’s head waffled. “Maybe.”
As the possibility that it really was Sky Messenger out there began to solidify, Gonda’s chest seemed to hollow out and refill with panicked desolation. He blurted, “Then he won’t kill Sky Messenger unless we force him to. Is there a way we can get to our son? If there’s a break in the battle and we can send out a party to…”
Sindak and Jigonsaseh both stared at him as though his souls had flown away and his body was a senseless piece of useless flesh. I’m a selfish fool. Any party sent out to rescue Sky Messenger will be slaughtered like dogs at a ritual sacrifice. Jigonsaseh would never kill twenty in a vain attempt to save one. Not even her son. The suggestion had been ludicrous. He whispered, “I—I wasn’t thinking.”
A small commotion erupted along the eastern wall overlooking the marsh.
Jigonsaseh ignored it and reached out to put a hand on Gonda’s shoulder. “If I could, Gonda, you know that I…”
“War Chief Sindak?” Wampa called as she trotted down the catwalk.
Sindak stepped away from the palisade, and walked out to meet her.
Wampa glanced at the warriors nearby and very quietly said, “There’s a man in the marsh asking to speak with you. He says War Chief Negano sent him.”
“Negano?” Sindak strode down the catwalk briskly, heading for the group of warriors who’d gathered to peer down into the marsh.
Gonda squinted after him. As did Jigonsaseh.
Less than two hundred heartbeats later, Sindak straightened and turned to Wampa. “Get every water pot and canteen you can find and lower them down to Yekonis. Do it now, before it gets light enough that he becomes a perfect target.”
Wampa didn’t bother responding. She charged down the catwalk, tapping men and women on the shoulders. Her rushed words sent them scurrying down the ladders and toward the longhouses.
As Sindak’s stride lengthened on the way back toward Jigonsaseh and Gonda, the news was already spreading around the catwalk like wildfire.
“… Sindak working with Negano … not possible … Atotarho must have thought he could talk Sindak into betraying us … I don’t believe…”
Sindak didn’t bother to respond. He just clenched his jaw and kept his eye on Jigonsaseh.
Gonda saw her turn. By the time Sindak arrived, she stood facing him, her feet braced, a beautiful muscular woman with obsidian-hard eyes that could cut out a man’s heart. She’d removed her foxhide cape and slung it over the palisade where the wind softly ruffled the fine red hair. She still had CorpseEye tucked into her belt, but her fingers had tightened around the smooth wooden shaft. She stared at Sindak: a silent question.
“His name is Yekonis, Hawk Clan, from Atotarho Village. He’s going to fill as many pots and canteens as he can before full dawn. He’s vowed to serve me as a loyal warrior.”
Her face showed nothing. “Why?”
“I made no promises. I wouldn’t do that without your app—”
“What does Atotarho want?”
Sindak propped his hands on his hips and bowed his head slightly. Gonda watched him. He appeared to be hesitating because he didn’t know what to make of the message himself. “It isn’t Atotarho who’s asking. It’s Negano. He suspects Wenisa is going to betray them, and he wants to save as many of his warriors as he can.”
The breeze tousled Jigonsaseh’s gray-streaked black hair around her still face. “Do you believe this?”
Sindak kept his head bowed, and Gonda suspected he was considering the fact that she hadn’t yet asked him “how?” He’d known her a long time. Perhaps Sindak understood that how mattered less to her than his opinion of Negano’s trustworthiness.
Sindak looked up. Their gazes held. Finally, he replied, “I don’t think we have a choice.”