“Why?”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Do you wish me to find him?”
Atotarho hated it when Ohsinoh answered a question with a question. It was irksome. “If you can, I will reward you well.”
“Ah, I see. You’ve always been jealous of him. For most of your life the Hills People have believed that you were the human False Face, the Spirit-Man who would save them at the end of time. But now people are starting to whisper that Sky Messenger …”
Atotarho bravely turned his back on the man, and hobbled toward Negano. The warrior’s sharp gaze remained focused behind Atotarho, on the Bluebird Witch, apparently cataloging the man’s every movement until certain he wasn’t going to attempt any evil tricks.
Finally, Negano said, “He’s gone. Are you all right, my chief?”
“Yes. Call to your men. Let’s get home. I have a task for you, and it will take you most of the night to complete it.”
Negano, accustomed to such orders, nodded obediently. “Where am I going?”
“The same place.”
Negano pursed his lips and made a sound like a pygmy owl. The call echoed softly through the trees, barely audible, but Qonde and the other guards immediately appeared out of the darkness and surrounded Atotarho.
The trail was slick. It took him time to find firm places to prop his walking stick. Getting back to the village in the streaming moonlight seemed to take forever.
Twenty-three
As Sky Messenger stowed the last packs in the canoe, sleet began falling, creating a staccato among the tree branches and drumming on Taya’s hood. She morosely folded her arms beneath her cape and let her gaze drift over the faces of the people who had come to see them off on their journey. Grandmother stood beside Speaker Koracoo, talking quietly. Around them, elders from both villages had gathered. In the distance, more people stood watching from just outside the dark palisades of Yellowtail Village and Bur Oak Village. Everyone had already said good-bye and wished them well, then had returned to their village.
They weren’t even gone, and Taya was fiercely homesick. She didn’t understand why she was being forced to leave her home with a man she barely knew, and travel into enemy country on a mission she did not understand. It was foolish! She had objected heartily when Grandmother ordered her to go, but to no avail. Even worse, as they’d packed and prepared to leave, she had, several times, caught Sky Messenger staring at her with a look of stunned surprise, as though he’d briefly forgotten she was going, and couldn’t figure out why she was packing.
Angry tears swelled her throat. She had never imagined her marriage would begin this way. Through blurry eyes, she stared at the birds hopping from cattail to cattail in the marsh. Every instant she was not inside her safe, warm longhouse, her fear increased. Would they see war parties? Would they be chased? Her betrothed refused to carry weapons. How would he defend her? What if she was captured by enemy warriors? All the horrifying images ever stirred by stories of rape, torture, and murder crowded her thoughts.
Sky Messenger straightened up. “Are you ready, Taya?”
She turned and blinked owlishly at him. He’d tied his black hair back with a cord. It made his dark eyes seem larger and more deeply set. Almost menacing. “No. But I don’t have any choice, do I?”
“I don’t like this any more than you do. Let’s just make the best of it.” He gestured to the canoe.
Taya turned to look back one last time. She longed to run as hard as she could to Bur Oak Village. Her heart seemed about to burst.
Grandmother frowned at Taya, broke away from the crowd, and walked over. Her beautiful face seemed the embodiment of malice and evil. “You are about to embark upon a Spirit journey. Few people ever have such an opportunity to distinguish themselves. You should be going.”
“But, Grandmother—” Taya started object.
“Get in the canoe,” Grandmother sternly ordered, and pointed to the boat.
Grudgingly, Taya climbed in and flopped to the bottom of the canoe, rattling the oars.
Sky Messenger respectfully dipped his head to Grandmother and said, “I’ll take care of her, High Matron.”
As Sky Messenger shoved the canoe into the river and leaped inside, Grandmother called, “She needs to learn to take care of herself! Did you hear me, Taya?”
A smoldering mixture of anger and embarrassment stung Taya’s veins. Sky Messenger picked up his paddle and began guiding them out into the current.
When they hit the full force of the stream, the canoe jostled violently.
Sky Messenger looked over his shoulder and, as though taken aback, called, “Taya, you must help me paddle.”