People of the Mist(95)
Nine Killer’s grim expression reflected agreement.
Green Serpent nodded, and Lightning Cat and Streaked Bear stepped forward holding a ceramic pot decorated with cord marks and punctations. As Green Serpent sang in time to the shaking of his rattle, each priest removed a sharp chert flake, and bent over the girl.
Panther and Nine Killer stepped back as the War Chief said, “I’m not sure I’m supposed to see this.”
“Why is that, War Chief? She’s a member of your clan. Her soul won’t mind that you’re here. After all, you are working for her.”
“Our being here, it won’t taint the ritual?”
Panther waved it away. “Just between the two of us, no, it won’t. The Kwiokos and his kind like to keep certain privileges to themselves and the gods.” Green Serpent shot him a reproving look and continued with the task of removing Red Knot’s skin.
“What we are doing here is making a familiar place for her ghost to reside.” Panther inspected his hands, watching the lines deepen in his palms as he flexed the fingers. “Whether her ghost stays here is up to her, no matter what rituals we do to bind her to the body.”
Despite periodic inspections by The Panther, Red Knot offered no more clues. He studied her arms in particular, even pulling back the muscles to feel the bones. She had no bruises, no other evidence of violence under the skin, or in the organs. Only the bloody indentations in her skull remained as cause of death. In the end, she lay supine, garishly vulnerable as the last of her skin was carefully cut loose. What had been a girl looked monstrous: exposed red muscle, white tendon, and mottled blood. The sunken eyeballs stared sightlessly up from the stripped meat and cartilage on her face. Black bruises surrounded the wounds in the side of her rounded and naked skull.
“Kwiokos,” Panther said gently. “Please, be very careful in the preparation of her skull. The muscle must be picked away with the greatest of care. If you find anything unusual, please, send for me immediately.”
Green Serpent bobbed his head thoughtfully. “Yes, after watching you work, I think I understand.”
It was late afternoon when Panther led Nine Killer out of the temple, and collected a pale Sun Conch at the doorway.
“Your color looks better,” Panther lied as he greeted the girl.
“I hadn’t expected … to see her… not this way, Elder.” Sun Conch glanced away uncertainly.
Nine Killer took deep breaths of the clear cold air, watching the sun as it slanted down toward the trees in the southwest. “One thing I don’t understand. Why were you so concerned with her arms?”
Panther whirled, his face twisted in rage. “You filthy dog! I’m going to kill you!” And he swung his fist, striking at Nine Killer’s head.
The War Chief threw his arm up as a shield. And at that, Panther danced back, saying mildly, “That’s why, War Chief.”
Nine Killer stood in a half-crouch, tensed to spring, confusion on his face. “Have you lost your senses?” ‘
“Just proving a point. The instant you thought I was attacking you, you couldn’t help but raise your arm to parry the blow. Think, War Chief, in battle, how many arms have you broken with your war club?”
The anger cleared from Nine Killer’s eyes. “A great many, Elder. A man’s first reaction is to raise his arm to block the blow.”
“A woman’s, too, I’d wager. But Red Knot never did so.” “Then she was killed from ambush!” Sun Conch cried. “She never even knew she was in danger!”
“No, and yes.” Panther saw the light come to Nine Killer’s eyes. Yes, the War Chief was a quick one; he already understood where Panther was headed.
“You see, Sun Conch,” Panther said as he began walking across the plaza, “had I not shouted at the War Chief first, he would never have had time to raise his arm. Red Knot’s death came so quickly, she never had time to react to the danger.”
“And the ambush?” Sun Conch asked. “Why do you rule that out?”
“From the nature of the wound,” Nine Killer said grimly. “Her killer was facing her.”
“So if the killer was facing her, and she never raised her arm in defense, she wasn’t anticipating an attack. And that means… it was someone she knew.” Sun Conch’s young brow furrowed.
“And trusted,” Panther added.
Nine Killer watched The Panther demolish a bowl of boiled squash, hominy, and periwinkles. Rosebud had seasoned the whole with beechnuts to give it a subtle tang. They washed the meal down with draughts of walnut milk poured from gourd cups.