“Rank, perhaps. Skill? Hah.” She snorted. “Put the two of us on the same island with a knife, and I’ll eat twice as well as you.”
He swatted her away. “Only if you cheat.” He lost his smile. “Talk to Brithanas, Nori. He’s one of the bigger guns coming up in the counties. With his family behind him, he can pressure the Lloroi in ways we can’t imagine. And now that he knows you’re a wolfwalker, he’ll know just how to snag you.”
“Alright.” She sighed. “I’ll talk to him again.”
“Tonight,” he said firmly. “You don’t want to wait till Wakje or Ki gets involved.”
She nodded soberly.
XXIII
The night has always had ears.
—Randonnen saying
Fireside was typical, with the usual business and requests for trade, after-dark complaints, and a dispute over chovas assignments that almost came to blows. The Solomon solution laid down by the Ell pleased neither man, but pride was in the way. Nori endured as usual. She was between Payne and Kettre, almost flinching each time someone jostled her. The smells of humanity clogged her nose, and her eyes seemed blind with movement: people shifting, getting up, edging past each row of legs. Colorful clothes like a visual whirlwind. The waves of murmurs that rose after each judgment or resolution. Her head seemed overfull.
Payne nudged her, and she tried to focus. A trader had discovered that his entire shipment of soft-leaf herbs was molding, and he accused the pack master of sabotaging his goods in favor of the cozar herbalists. Then the team master reported that half the lice wash had become tainted with a harsh bubble soap, as if someone had thought it would be fun to turn the insect wash bottles into endless bubble machines. Brean almost blew his temper over that, and more than one person glanced at Payne, not just at the other youths. Payne was equally angry. Soap in the lice wash wasn’t a prank. The wash was absorbed into the dnu’s skin to prevent lice from feeding on the beasts, and it would take the harsh soap with it right into the dnu’s bloodstream. It could make the beasts sick for a ninan or more, delaying the caravan enough that they might not even make Shockton.
Then Nori flinched as an almost hysterical older woman rushed in from the message master and interrupted the meeting. Her grandfather had died, and the landholdings along a trade route that she’d inherited had somehow been sold instead of being passed along to her. She had four days to reach the assayer’s office on the Eilian border while her family went on to Shockton. She needed a driver to take over her wagon while she rented some riding dnu. The woman was wailing curses up one side and down the other as she arranged the dnu for herself and her son and then galloped away in the night.
Nori had been aware of Hunter the entire evening. He hadn’t spoken, but it surprised her that he’d paid such close attention when the woman’s request was made. Fentris, too, seemed suddenly interested. In fact, she realized, B’Kosan and one of his friends were also watching the Tamrani. Nori almost missed the call for her apology as she frowned across the circle.
Belatedly, she stood up and turned in place till she had seen and been seen by the whole circle. She’d given Brean an informal apology earlier, but a search required one to the caravan. When she faced the Ell again, she began, “I offer my thanks for your support when the search was called, and my apologies that it became necessary. I did not intend to cause such worry, nor to take away the eyes and skills of the chovas who would otherwise have guarded you. All debt is mine and mine alone. Jeferen keyo’andyen.” She spoke the guest-debt phrase, bowed her head, and waited.
The old Ell nodded, pleased by the courtesy. Most keyo didn’t bother using the cozar tongue even if they knew it. He studied her bowed head. Normally he’d have let Brean assign at least three full days of duty, but Black Wolf had already done seven debt chores. Considering that she’d tended their dnu freely since she’d joined the caravan, any guest debt she could accumulate had already been repaid. The andyen chores had been merely for form. The Ell waited only the required twelve seconds before saying firmly, “Hashtik jeni sur’niloni andyen e’abran, Keyo Black Wolf. The stones have fallen, no debt remains. Be at peace.”
From the circle of elders, Mato seemed to pounce at the words. “May I speak?” he asked quickly as Nori sat down in relief.
Payne looked over sharply, but Mato was already standing, barely waiting for the Hafell to acknowledge him. The elder gestured behind him. “This man, neDoshru, has need of a veterinary.”
Payne’s eyes narrowed at the hostler. With his lips barely moving, he whispered to Nori, “Stay alert, Nori-girl. That’s one of Mato’s cousins from his mate’s side of the family. He runs three of the stables along this stretch, and he’s after an animal healer.”
“You checked him out today,” she remembered.
“Aye, and I’ve used his dnu before. The man’s always bragged about Mato and the other elders in the family.” He listened as Elder Mato continued with his request. But Mato did not explain the relationship to neDoshru, and Payne was surprised. Family relationships were important to the cozar. Keeping an identity unknown during a trade talk was considered a breach of contract.
But Mato merely added, “The local animal healer is in the outlying district. NeDoshru has asked if the duty healer will come to his stable instead and treat the mounts for blue mange. There are several animals in need of attention. An hour or so of work.”
“How many dnu?” asked Brean.
“Ah.” Mato looked at his cousin. “There might be a dozen or more.”
“How many exactly?”
Mato looked irritated. He answered finally, “Forty-three have been brought to that particular stable for treatment.”
Brean’s voice sharpened. “Forty-three beasts is a full day’s work or more. That’s a clear county duty, not just “an hour or so.”
Mato looked directly at Nori. “I’m sure we can negotiate the terms.”
Ten or more hours, away from the caravan? Nori didn’t need to catch Payne’s warning nudge. She tried to keep her face expressionless, but she could feel the snarl on her lips. She was not the caravan duty healer. She was a keyo, a guest. Technically, to outsiders, she was only a skilled chovas. The original duty belonged to a man who had skipped out on the train in Sidisport—or been done away with, she thought darkly. Since then, Ell Tai had assigned Vindra Twitch-Whickers to the position, but it was Nori who did most of the work. Here, if she responded to the call for a duty healer, she would put herself in the position of holding that position more formally. It was a small step from cozar to council duty. In this case, because the hostler was Mato’s cousin, the elder could even claim she had done duty for an elder.
Kettre leaned toward Nori on the other side and whispered, “I saw that man ride in when I was putting up my dnu. His beasts have softhoof disease, not just mange.”
Nori nodded almost imperceptibly. That would explain the need for another healer. Softhoof required constant attention.
From across fireside, Hunter was watching her curiously. She couldn’t help raising her chin stubbornly at him as the Hafell glanced at her and waited a few seconds. When she didn’t stand up, Brean turned back to the elder. “We have no duty vet with the skills you need, Elder Mato. NeDoshru should—”
“Excuse me, Hafell,” Mato cut in.
Payne raised his eyebrows at the interruption. He wasn’t surprised when the Ell directed a hard gaze at Mato.
The elder didn’t seem to notice. “As of three months ago, Black Wolf is a fully ranked vet with three bars. She has extensive experience with both indigenous and oldEarth livestock. And rumor has it she began her training when she was twelve. She can calm crazed dnu with a word.”
Brean’s face was carefully expressionless. “This is not a gossip fence, Elder Mato. This is fireside. Requests for cozar or guest skills are made based on rankings within the caravan, not on rumors heard in town. As I have stated, we have no duty vet. Do you request the use of guest skills?”
Mato opened h
is mouth to protest, but hung up on a frown. “Guest skills?”
Brean nodded shortly. “Noriana maDione is not cozar, but guest in this caravan. A request for her skills must be made to her, not to me.”
“Black Wolf is no guest here,” the older man said flatly. “She was raised cozar. She lives like a cozar. You treat her like cozar, and even punish her like a cozar when she’s wrong. Hells, she just apologized to you in the cozar language. You use her just as any county elder would.”
Brean’s face stiffened. “Nevertheless, she is a keyo, a close guest, not cozar.”
“And I’ve been told that she is as cozar as you.”
“By whom?” Brean said sharply.
Mato’s gaze flickered, but he said quickly, “It does not signify, but you can’t expect me to believe that she lives like you, speaks like you, and still claims she isn’t cozar.”
Nori had almost been enjoying watching Mato insult Brean, the caravan, and the cozar in general. Now her violet eyes went cold at Mato’s assumption of her lineage, and she did not realize that, for an instant, her gaze echoed the chill of her father.
The Hafell looked across the fire, saw her expression, and hid a faint smile. Perhaps for once, she wouldn’t need her brother. “Keyo Noriana Ember maDione,” he summoned.
She stood reluctantly.
“If you’re willing,” he said. “Black Wolf, are you cozar?”
“No, Hafell,” she answered truthfully. She started to sit back down, but Payne’s words about standing up for herself came back to her, and she found herself adding, “To be completely honest, I believe—as someone pointed out so clearly earlier—” She looked directly at the elder, and her lips curled slightly. “—I am a stubborn, shortsighted, small-minded mountain rat whose only real value to the county is in plunging to my death before I can breed more of the same.”
There was a collective gasp around the circle, and Payne was on his feet beside her.
Elder Mato’s face turned beet red.
Payne made the gesture for an interim speaker and stepped slightly in front of her. “I apologize for my sister, Hafell,” he said quickly. “She is overwrought from the events of the past few days.” Nori kicked his foot, but he didn’t turn a hair as he finished smoothly, “I believe she meant to say that she was a stubborn, shortsighted, small-minded, Randonnen mountain rat.”
The titters around the circle couldn’t quite be suppressed. Kettre turned quickly away, but her fist was stuffed in her mouth, and her shoulders were shaking. Mato ground his teeth, and the Hafell regarded the two for a long moment. From the contortions of the muscles on the sides of Brean’s jaw, Nori had the impression the Hafell was struggling as hard as the others.
The old Ell spoke for him. “As you heard, Elder Mato, Black Wolf is not cozar. She is only another guest among us.”
“A guest,” Mato snapped. “So you give her the haven of the caravan, and expect no work in return.”
Payne stiffened, and several merchants frowned. A wise man didn’t insult the traders with whom he might have to negotiate later, but Mato was in his righteous robe and drawing his line in the sand. Nori stepped out from behind Payne before he could retort for her. Her quiet voice carried clearly as she faced the old Ell. “I have always appreciated the keyo berth the cozar have extended to me. I am pleased to perform any task that helps smooth the road for my friends. Seye in ’stina in yo.”
Ell Tai inclined his head approvingly. Salt and bread and water—it meant she had shared life with them and so was bound to them as a sister by all but blood. It was the travel oath for the cozar, as good as a contract in almost any circle. The old man turned sternly back to Mato, but Elder Connaught stood quickly instead. “May I speak?”
Both Brean and Ell Tai gave the elder a sharp look, but Brean nodded.
Connaught cocked his head at Mato. “I see that this is important to you, Elder Mato. Perhaps you would be willing to trade Black Wolf a dozen hunting shafts of Poorford Cedar from your Diton holdings, in place of the usual vet right.”
There was another wave of murmuring at the suggestion of the rare wood. Nori and Payne both stared at Connaught. The elder winked subtly at the wolfwalker, and Payne felt the grin start on his face. Now, that was a payback favor. And while Nori was doing the vet duty, Payne could use that as an excuse to check in with the local council. If they did need to leave the caravan, this would be the perfect excuse to do so.
Mato stared in turn, then sputtered. “Poorford Ced—? But that’s—” He broke off again. “Those are worth a fortune. Do you know how rare those trees are? We don’t make three hundred shafts a year—”
“One silver for every three dnu is a bit steep for blue mange,” Connaught agreed. He added smoothly, “Unless the animals are suffering other conditions that will require more attention once the keyo vet is on site. I hear that your friend’s mount has a bit of softhoof. I understand that’s quite contagious.” Mato’s lips thinned as Brean’s expression went cold. Connaught smiled blandly. “And as you know, Black Wolf lost her bow and quiver at Stone Ridge. With her scouting duties, their replacement is as important to her as your friend’s dnu are to him.”
“You might as well ask for singing spruce,” Mato snapped.
Connaught shrugged. “A dozen shafts of either, Elder Mato, would cover ten or twelve hours of a ranked vet’s time.”
“That’s . . . that’s blackmail,” he sputtered.
Nori said diffidently, “If it would help, Elder Mato, I am willing to forgo charging your cousin for the medicines for mange and softhoof. Instead, I would provide any needed medications from my own supplies.”
Payne hid a wider grin. He knew as well as she did that, although the herbs used to treat blue mange and softhoof were worth as much as the arrows, they could also be gathered fresh in spring—if one was willing to brave the wilderness to find them. That had never been an issue for Nori.
Mato started to speak, then caught Nori’s reference to his cousin. “My cousin? How did you—” He caught the dawning expression on the Ell’s old face and glared at Nori. “Four shafts, perhaps,” he snapped. “No more than that.”
Connaught had also caught the reference, and he glanced at Nori, then Payne. He raised one eyebrow. Payne nodded almost imperceptibly, and the old man turned back to the cozar council. “A dozen shafts,” he said firmly.
Hunter was staring at Nori now, and Fentris was regarding both the brother and sister with a thoughtful expression.
“Six shafts,” Mato countered.
“A dozen.”
“You’re not even trying to bargain.”
For the first time, Connaught let a flicker of anger into his voice. “This isn’t a negotiation. It’s payment for vet services rendered to you from a fully qualified vet, who has extensive knowledge of the indigenous life on this world, and who is ranked in two related fields. You would be hard-pressed to find someone else as knowledgeable and skilled as Noriana maDione on the road and available at this time of year. A dozen shafts, Elder Mato.”
“Chak take you,” he snarled. “A dozen shafts.”
Connaught glanced at Payne for his approval, Payne glanced at Nori, and she nodded her agreement. The Ell held up his hand, though, before Payne could formally acknowledge the deal. The old man’s face was hard, and he stared coldly at the elder. “You agree, Elder Mato: a dozen shafts of Poorford Cedar?”
“Aye,” the elder snapped.
“You agree, Black Wolf: three hours of your healer skills?”
“Three?” Mato blistered. “We bargained for ten or twelve—”
The glance of the old Ell silenced him like a knife. “Three hours, Black Wolf?”
Nori didn’t hesitate. “Aye, Ell Tai.”
“Then this bokat trade is concluded.” There was a darker murmur, and it took Mato a second to realize what the Ell had said, but even as he opened his mouth to curse, the Ell quelled him with a glare. The old man glanced at Nori, then back at the flushed elder. He d
idn’t take his eyes off Mato as he said softly, “You may begin your service, Black Wolf, as soon as the bokat shafts are delivered. This contract is in effect from this moment through noon tomorrow. If the bokat shafts have not been delivered by dawn so that you can complete the service within the contracted time, this trade is annulled and your duty is considered done.” It was another statement, one even harsher, since payments of unusual materials could usually be delayed for up to a year. The Ell knew Mato had not brought the arrow stock with him; it was unlikely he could come up with the payment before the contract time expired.
Nori didn’t look at Mato as she nodded respectfully. “Aye, Ell Tai.” She stepped back to take her seat again, but she was shaking. Payne rubbed her arm up and down to soothe her, but the wolf in her was bristling. She barely waited for fireside to be dismissed before stalking away from the crowd.
She snarled low at Payne, “He’s not just being used to push us. He’s with them.”
But her brother shook his head. “Take a breath, Nori. He’s a chak, nothing more.”
“How can you say that?” She almost spat the words. “Every duty he’s asked of me would remove me from the caravan, just as Uncle Wakje said a raider would try to do.”
“Aye, but he’s not from this part of the county. He couldn’t know of the cassar root stands if he hadn’t been told about them. And he’s never met his cousin till now. Why would he seek neDoshru out unless that had been suggested?”
That stopped her.
“Look, Nori-girl, I had time to check into his background.”
“And?”
“And he’s nothing more than a midrange elder. He’s never made enough of an impression on anyone to be accused of more than making his mind up too quickly and sticking to his position after that no matter how wrong he is. And,” he added softly, “he wasn’t a problem for us until after Sidisport.”
She halted at their wagon. She was beginning to feel the ebb of her anger, and now she flushed that it had been so strong. It had been . . . animalistic, she realized. She’d wanted to tear at Mato. She took a breath, let it out, and managed, “B’Kosan joined us in Sidisport.”
Wolf in Night Page 28
