People of the Black Sun(77)

Hikatoo’s eyes narrowed, as though he knew something.

Adusha said, “Some people—the kind ones who love you—say that Atotarho lied to you when he told you that our former High Matron had named you to succeed her, and you unwittingly accepted the position without further verification. After all, we were headed off to war with the Standing Stone villages. There was no time, and someone had to lead the nation.”

Kelek hesitated. “And what is being said by those who do not love me?”

Adusha stared at her. “They say you so coveted the position that you were the one who approached Atotarho. That you offered him—”

“I most certainly did not!”

“No? Well, those who have ears find it odd that as soon as you ascended to the High Matronship you announced the marriage of your granddaughter to Atotarho.” She cocked her head in a distasteful accusatory manner. “Is it true that you agreed to link Atotarho to the Bear Clan so he could remain as chief?”

“Stop looking at me like that,” Kelek ordered. “It is impudent. I am the High Matron!”

Adusha’s glare dimmed only slightly. “High Matron, these are perilous times. Our nation is split down the middle and Hills People are killing other Hills People. I am under orders to discover the truth. The other leaders of the Bear Clan are deeply worried that these rumors are true.”

Kelek’s knees felt slightly weak. In a dignified manner, she eased down to the bench beside the fire and straightened her buckskin cape around her. As she primly laced her hand in her lap, she said, “Go on. I need to hear every word.”

“Our elders fear that you worked with Atotarho to kill the former High Matron—”

“How dare they! I did not!”

“Kelek, please listen. There is another reason I am here. I was in the Wolf Clan longhouse the day our former high matron died. I saw something.”

“What?”

“I, along with five other people, saw Zateri’s daughter, Kahn-Tineta, leave the former High Matron’s chamber with her cousin Pedeza. Immediately afterward, we saw a man come into the longhouse and enter the former High Matron’s chamber. His face was heavily painted with black and white stripes. None of us recognized him, but we heard later that many people had seen the evil witch, Ohsinoh, speaking with Chief Atotarho that day, and he’d had his face painted with black and white stripes. The man left the High Matron’s chamber in less than thirty heartbeats. When we went to speak with her, to seek her guidance, we found her dead. She still had the corner of one of her bedding hides pressed over her nose and mouth. No one can prove she was smothered, but we all suspected it.”

“If so, I had nothing to do with it. I loved her! She had served our nation well for more than thirty summers!”

“Right now the story is being whispered through the entire nation. If it can be shown that you were involved in her murder, the Wolf Clan will swear blood feuds against every member of the Bear Clan. Isn’t that right, War Chief Tajan?”

He nodded once. “My clan elders have assured me that we will.”

Adusha continued, “If this happens, it will split the Hills People yet again. The Wolf Clan greatly outnumbers us. One by one, they will hunt the Bear Clan down, even if it takes generations. The other Bear Clan elders fear that our clan may not survive.”

Legends spoke of many clans that had been wiped out by blood feuds. The tragic stories were told around the winter fires so that every child knew the possible outcome of a blood feud initiated as a result of the Law of Retribution.

After thirty heartbeats, the blood surging in Kelek’s veins began to slow, and she could think again. Had she been so desperate for her clan to rule the nation that she’d brought it to the brink of destruction? She’d thought her clan would be jubilant. And they had been … for a time. She felt Adusha watching her with eagle eyes, as though waiting for Kelek to lie so that she could give War Chief Tajan the order to strike a deadly blow.

Surely that’s why he’s here. He’s Wolf Clan. Under the Law of Retribution it is his right, the right of his clan.

“The village councils of Hilltop and Turtleback respectfully ask to hear your version of how it happened, High Matron. I will carry the story back for their consideration.”

Kelek swore the ground beneath her feet shifted, as though Great Grandmother Earth was preparing to suck her down into the depths of darkness.

Her mouth had gone bone dry. She licked her lips nervously. “It’s a simple tale, Adusha. The night before our former High Matron died, Chief Atotarho came to me. It was the middle of the night. He was alone. He told me he’d just been with the High Matron, and that she’d named me to succeed her.” Does my face show the truth? “However, since he had no ties to the Bear Clan, he knew we would probably choose to replace him as Chief. He made me an offer. He said that if I would grant permission for him to marry my granddaughter, and work on his behalf with our clan so that he could retain his position, he would assure that by next spring the People of the Hills would be the only nation left standing south of Skanodario Lake. He guaranteed that we would have conquered and adopted everyone else.”