“I didn’t bargain for this,” he added, eyes taking in the silent forest.
“Yes, you did,” she said thoughtfully. “Bargained, and lost.”
He pinched his eyes closed. “Why me? Why not Amber Bead or one of the others?”
“Because you were there.” She turned her head, her long hair curling about her shoulders. “Power has made its gamble, picked its players. They have passed the test. Now we need but follow the Dance. One foot after the other, and trust to Power.”
“Trust to Power? Look where that got me!” He reached down, angrily throwing a moldy hickory nut at the forest. It bounced hollowly off an oak tree and rattled on the dry leaves.
“It placed you right where you need to be,” she said simply. “And we have a part to play … assuming you live that long.” She turned her attention back to the river. “The brothers are coming ever closer. Blood has been spilled and cries for vengeance. Old fires still burn in men’s souls. Power balances on so fine a thread … .” Her voice trailed away, her attention fixed on something in the river.
Paunch hurried over, fearful that she was watching a canoe load of warriors making shore just below them. It would be just his luck to have to run—and his pot full of cooked fish too hot to handle! Reaching her side, he peered cautiously over. The steep bank had been undercut by the current, and a stone’s throw below him, the thin section of beach lay empty.
Paunch vented a sigh of relief. “What is it? What do you see down there?”
“See?” she asked absently. “Can’t you hear it?”
“Hear what?”
“Singing. The most wonderful Singing. He’s there, waiting. Watching the present slipping away.”
“Who? Who’s watching?” He glanced anxiously back at the forest.
“He knows they are coming.”
“They, who?”
“A seed to be planted deep inside me. Copper, and a Contrary. Your new masters, with wealth to humble high chiefs.” She gave him a searching glance. “Are you ready?”
“Gods, girl. Do you always have to talk in nonsense words?”
“You shall see, Grandfather. Chaos is about to burst loose on the land. Red Power is swelling. Gods and heroes shall tremble before this is all over. And Horned Serpent shall have his due.”
“Horned Serpent?” he scoffed. And then he followed her gaze to the center of the river, seeing the water swirl. For the briefest instant he thought he heard Singing. The gentle melody played across his souls, too low for ears to hear. Then the water sucked and eddied. Paunch would have sworn he saw a great scaled body slip into the depths, the colors of the rainbow glinting from its sides.
“Bless me! Was that … ?”
“Our final hope,” she answered. “If we live that long.”
“Would it have been so bad to have lost?” Born-of-Sun asked as he tossed a stick for Swimmer.
Trader watched Swimmer tear madly after the whirling piece of wood. The dog’s coat was flying, his feet pounding the ground like a wild buffalo’s while little frantic barks escaped his throat.
They sat at the edge of Rainbow City’s steep eastern bluff, just south of the high chief’s great mound. The slope here was nearly vertical, dropping the length of a bow shot to the slow-moving Tenasee. There, in shadow, the waters swirled as though listening. Behind them, Rainbow City had settled into a gentle slumber, worn out from the days of solstice celebration. A chill lay on the land, and Trader fought a shiver as his eyes traced out the cloud patterns above the eastern horizon. The winter-bare trees stood somber across the far shore, and he could see open patches where cornfields had been carved out of the virgin forest.
“No, High Chief. It would not have been so bad. I would have served you to the best of my abilities. Old White, however, would have continued on. No matter what, he must return to Split Sky City. He’s a driven man. Whatever happened there, whatever secret he carries deep inside, it is a thing he must do.”
Born-of-Sun nodded. “Power rides his shoulders like a heavy cloak.” He shot Trader a sidelong glance. “You don’t need to go on, you know. Just because you won our bet, you could still stay here. You … and that fabulous piece of copper. You could buy anything you wanted. A clan? Half of Rainbow City? Anything.”
Trader smiled wistfully. “Once, High Chief, that was my Dream. Slowly, dimly, however, I have come to understand that Power gave me the copper as a test. A wise man once told me that a person doesn’t own copper. He only holds it for a short time, and while men die, copper is forever.”