Shadowkill by Jo Clayton

Author:Jo Clayton [Clayton, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: sf_action
Published: 1991-04-21T20:00:00+00:00

3

They threw Tamburra’s body into the river for the fish to eat. The locals didn’t want l’borrghas to get a taste for flesh that walked on two legs.

At the same time, the smoke from the pyre they built for Kulyari on Amur Hill rose black and solid into the clouds. She was Irrkuyon and couldn’t be discarded like offal; there was only the briefest of ceremonies with Polyapo there to represent the family and the Amur-speaker to say the Rest-rites, then the fire was lit and a cadre of charcoalmen left to keep it burning until even the bones were ash.

Ghanar Rinta settled into peace.

There were no more attacks from bands of tumaks. No one said anything, but they all knew what that meant-the supply of gold was cut off when the supplier died.

Allina continued healthy.

Tinoopa ran the House with unobtrusive efficiency, making points, as she’d say, with every easy day.

Pirs lost his strained look. With a facility that amounted to a Talent, he forgot old terrors and went back to his books and the business of running the Kuyyot.

Shadith’s restlessness increased. She got Pirs to let her look over his histories and the atlas he kept on his desk. Whenever the Matja gave her some free time, she was in the study, making notes, trying to work out a way of reaching Nirtajai without getting herself killed.

And she began looking about for allies.

The chal wouldn’t run with her, she knew that. She didn’t bother thinking about them.

Vuodee and Vassika had settled in and started courting almost immediately; now they were promised, with weddings due before the month was out. They were full of plans and elated because their contracts were to be voided as soon as they took the chal-oath to the Arring and the Matja.

Tictoc, Evalee, and Dorrit had been having a grand time flirting and generally making mischief among the men, but they too were beginning to settle down. According to Tinoopa, the betting was Evalee would be promised before Summerhighday and the other two soon after.

Lyousa va Vogl was blissful with the opportunities offered by the weaving shed. Nunnikura. Weavemistress had recognized her gifts and left her free to improvise. It would take a planet wrecker to blast her loose.

Jassy and Eeda had a widening circle of friends; they were hard workers, cheerful and outgoing. Contract levies were all they knew and they were content to have it so. Jassy was a practiced storyteller and she had an endless supply of strange, wonderful tales to liven meals and sit over brushtea with; in a world where books were scarce and most entertainment homemade, she was a treasure.

Beba Mahl had settled into embroidery. She’d bargained for night work and gotten it. She had a room of her own and almost no contact with the rest of the Kuysstead. She could complete her contract and move on. No one would miss her and she would forget them as soon as she joined a new levy.

Ekkurekeh and Yerryayin were hard workers and unambitious.

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