"Ba'an salu-Ba'an." Vaa'ti's familiar face was cool and composed, even when confronted with Lukios' steel. She said the Ba'an in place of her name-chain with emphasis, as though to remind Ba'an of her position.

Ba'an felt Lukios tense. He did not understand the significance of the words, but he had picked up on her tone. It had riled him.

Vaa'ti did not seem particularly worried Lukios would attack her. If anything, she seemed contemptuous, the way one would feel about a particularly yappy lap dog, like the ones fancy Dolkoi'ri women kept.

She ignored him and addressed Ba'an again in K'Avaari. A Dolkoi'ri man was of no importance to Vaa'ti at all—like a gnat on the wall.

"An outlander?" Her jaw tightened. "You replaced my brother with that?"

"He is my guest and you will use your manners. Leave if you cannot." Ba'an's voice cracked out like a whip, though Vaa'ti only sneered. How could Vaa'ti speak like this when Lukios was standing right there?

"Vaa'ti! Stop! We did not come here to pick a fight."

"...Salu'ka?"

Ba'an felt her throat constrict as she swallowed. Both of them? Why? Why would they both leave the shi-vuti to see her now?

...Had something terrible happened to Vala-Tu'rin Tribe?

"Ba'an!" Salu'ka's face was much friendlier than Vaa'ti's. She broke out into a bright smile, though Ba'an noticed her face seemed strangely bloated. Even in the moonlight her complexion was pale and blotchy. A large shadow moved with her.

"Ku'rin."

"Ba'an." Ku'rin held Salu'ka's elbow as they walked forward to greet her. It didn't take long for the reason to be obvious.

Her belly was huge.

Salu'ka smiled at Lukios and tilted her head in acknowledgement. "I am Val-Tur'in na Nur-Yai'na salu-Salu'ka."

"I am Val-Tur'in na Mir-Aya'ka salu-Ku'rin."

Salu'ka's Dolkoi'ri had never been good, but even she could introduce herself. Ku'rin was the same.

Lukios seemed somewhat taken aback by the civil greeting, which was embarrassing.

Vaa'ti had been so rude.

"I am Lukios of House Helios, Synoros Estate."

Ba'an did not know enough about Dolkoi'ri to understand what his name meant. She doubted any of her ex-tribesmen did either, though...House Helios. House Helios. Hm. Something about it tickled the back of her mind, but when she reached out to grasp it, it slipped away like a dream.

Ba'an turned her attention to her apprentice—ex-apprentice—who was now speaking in K'Avaari. The sound of it spoken by her own people was like music, a song Ba'an had not heard in the many years of her exile, and she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat before she continued.

"Salu'ka. Ku'rin. Congratula—" Ba'an broke off abruptly as she felt something in Salu'ka's belly twist. Ah.

Now it made sense.

Ba'an looked at Salu'ka's swollen face, her bloated belly.

"Ba'an?" Lukios didn't take his eyes from the cluster of three in front of him but he did turn his head, just a little. She brushed past him and pressed her hands against Salu'ka's belly.

Yes, she had been right.

Salu'ka pressed her face against Ba'an's shoulder.

"Ba'an," she said, "Help me."

----------------------------------------

Ku'rin refused to let Salu'ka sit outside, so in the end he carried Salu'ka up the narrow, winding footpath up the cliff face, then down into Ba'an's little valley. Vaa'ti followed, with Lukios last. If it bothered Vaa'ti that some Dolkoi'ri man was following her with a sword in his hand, she did not show it.

Lukios, for his part, wore a cool, closed expression Ba'an had never seen on him before. She wondered if that was the face enemy soldiers saw before they met the business end of his blade.

Ba'an would not ever choose to tangle with Lukios face to face. If she ever had to face him, she would choose to do so from a distance.

With magic.

Then again, he was clearly fantastic with a sling. Perhaps facing him from afar would not help much if he truly meant it.

They arrived shortly, and everything was awful.

Vaa'ti sneered as soon as she crossed the threshold into Ba'an's not-vuti. It was obvious what she thought—this was a hovel. Well, fine. But it was Ba'an's hovel, and it wasn't as though she had invited Vaa'ti in—she had invited Salu'ka and Ku'rin.

"If you don't like it," Ba'an told her snidely, "You can sleep outside."

"I'm only here to make sure you don't harm Salu'ka. I'm leaving right after."

"Stop! Vaa'ti, thank you for caring. But Ba'an wouldn't—"

"She would."

A warm hand pressed against her arm. "Ba'an. Want me to kick her out?" Lukios leaned in to whisper into her ear. He was so close that his lips brushed her skin as he spoke. "Just say the word."

The conversation was continuing without them.

"That's enough, Vaa'ti. You're upsetting Salu'ka. At this rate you'll do more harm than Ba'an ever could." Ahh, Ku'rin the Reliable. Ba'an was glad he was here.

"I am Maho-ska Vaa'ti now, Hunter. You would do well to remember this."

"As you say, Maho-ska. It is unwise to upset a pregnant woman, particularly one who is already ill. Of course you already know this...Maho-ska. I am only concerned for Maho-ska Salu'ka's wellbeing—as we all are."

His tone was perfectly polite, but the rebuke was unmistakable. Vaa'ti's eyebrows drew downward, but she kept her peace.

It would be better if he handled it when Vaa'ti inevitably flew off the handle, rather than Lukios.

Ba'an did not think Vaa'ti would survive Lukios.

For all his humour and good temper, he was a dangerous man; he had survived much, as his scars could attest. He was a hardened killer, like all Dolkoi'ri soldiers.

Vaa'ti, on the other hand, had been too young to take the field during the Dolkoi'ri-anta. She had seen death, but never battle. A girl like Vaa'ti would never best a man like Lukios, witch or no.

And Vaa'ti was Thu'rin's sister. Ba'an would not allow her to come to any harm, no matter how poorly she behaved.

She put her hand over Lukios' and gave it a brief squeeze along with a small, quick shake of her head.

"Enough. That's enough." Ba'an raised her voice to cut through the chatter. "Vaa'ti, if you're that worried you can sit over there, but stay out of the way. Ku'rin, can you help Salu'ka to the bed? I need to know what's wrong. What are the symptoms?" Ba'an had a good guess, but it was always better to ask.

"Well, the swelling. You can see it. And...it's hard to see. My head hurts." She put her hand under her heart. "It burns here."

Well, such things were common during pregnancy—every witch knew this, and Salu'ka was a witch, too. Surely she had not come all the way here for something so mundane?

Salu'ka raised her eyes to meet Ba'an's.

She already knew what was wrong with her. That was why she had come.

Salu'ka's eyes flickered to the audience in the room and Ba'an knew they would have to speak alone.

"Everyone, out."

Vaa'ti and Ku'rin said it at the same time. "No."

Lukios glanced at Ba'an, and the question was clear: Should I toss them out?

She shook her head.

"Vaa'ti, Ku'rin. Please. I need to speak with Ba'an. Alone."

"But that's..." Vaa'ti looked taken aback by the request, as though she could not fathom why Salu'ka would want to be alone with Ba'an.

"She's my patient now. You know what that means. You brought her here, now take responsibility and do as I say. Get out."

Vaa'ti looked like she was going to protest again, but Ku'rin, looking grim, gripped her by the arm and dragged her outside. Ba'an could hear Vaa'ti swearing at him as he hauled her from the doorway to the edge of the courtyard. Ba'an gave Lukios a look.

"You as well, Lukios." He lifted an eyebrow but obeyed.

Lukios ambled outside with his sword, and Ba'an could practically feel the tension in the courtyard rachet upward. Wonderful.

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Ba'an turned back to Salu'ka. "You already know what's wrong with your baby."

She looked down. "Yes."

"It's not natural."

"No." Salu'ka pressed her hands against her belly as though she was afraid someone was going to come and tear the child out of her. "Last season there was a sickness that ran through the goat-herd. We tried everything, but they couldn't be saved. So in the end I..."

Oh no. Ba'an had a sudden, sickening moment of insight.

"You made a deal with the spirit out in the basin." Ba'an did not mince her words. This was very bad. Ba'an had never made any deals with the thing that dwelt there. It was as malicious and greedy as it was powerful, and even small children knew not to go there, not to go anywhere near the basin or take anything from it.

Salu'ka nodded.

"I didn't know I was pregnant. Ku'rin and I have been together so long, but we never...I thought it was impossible. Ba'an, this baby is a miracle. We can't lose this child." She reached out and grabbed Ba'an's hands. "Everything has a price, I know. Ba'an, you can use my life and save our child. I know you can do it. You can work miracles. Please. Please."

Ba'an slipped her hands out of Salu'ka's grasp so she could press her fingers over the headache that was rapidly developing between her temples.

"Salu'ka. Do you want Ku'rin to murder me?"

"He wouldn't. He wants this baby as badly as I do."

Ba'an lifted a single eyebrow. "You know he would never agree. Lying doesn't suit you, stop it."

"He doesn't have to know. I'll just tell him there was nothing you could do."

"And Vaa'ti will just keep her mouth shut? You think she won't notice? She's a witch too."

Salu'ka gave her a flat stare, which was very unlike her.

"We both know Vaa'ti can barely read oracle bones." Well, it was true. But Ba'an was truly surprised Salu'ka—kind, gentle Salu'ka—would ever say it out loud.

Salu'ka wasn't finished. "We're not very good witches, Ba'an. We should still be apprenticed to you." This was also true. Neither of them had finished their training when Ba'an had been banished.

She continued in a low, trembling voice. "When the herd sickened, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to come to you, but I was too afraid of breaking the rules."

Her eyes glistened, even in the dim light. "I am not brave, Ba'an. We're not like you. So I went spirit-walking and tried bargaining with every spirit that would talk to me. There weren't many. I finally found the one in the basin, and it...promised to save the herd if I gave it a life in return. I thought it was talking about a strifa, but it was our baby. I didn't know. I didn't know!"

Salu'ka clutched her belly and closed her eyes. A tear trickled down her cheek, then another, and another, and another, until she was finally weeping.

Ba'an pressed her palm over her eyes. This was a disaster. Ba'an could feel the geas, pulling Salu'ka toward the basin. She could not tell what the purpose of this was—Why have her go there in person? Why not simply take the baby's soul while it was in her belly?—but it was the resistance that was deadly.

If Salu'ka fulfilled her bargain, she would live. Ba'an was certain the baby would die—consumed, either in body or soul or perhaps both—but Salu'ka would live.

"Salu'ka." She was crying silently still, staring up into Ba'an's face. For a moment Ba'an saw a much younger Salu'ka, sobbing as she cut the throat of a goat lying on the altar with shaking hands. "You are young. It's true. But you are a witch."

Salu'ka's hands trembled. She hunched over her belly, as though to protect her child from the words that were coming.

"You know what you must do. You sit in the shi-vuti. Your child is not yours."

Salu'ka shuddered and shut her eyes. "Ba'an. Please. I cannot give up our baby. Let me pay the price instead."

Why not? I gave up my name.

I gave up Thu'rin.

I gave up my soul.

Ba'an bit her lip to keep the words from spilling out. Salu'ka had never been suited for the position in the first place. Ba'an had known that for a long, long time.

The only way to break a contract was to fulfill it a different way. She could perhaps trick the spirit into taking Salu'ka instead, but not only would that kill Salu'ka, the timing would have to be perfect if she wanted a chance at saving the baby. On top of it all, the malevolent thing in the basin would likely retaliate.

The tribe would pay.

Hm. There was one other way.

Ba'an could try killing the spirit instead.

It would be...difficult. There would be consequences. Other spirits would not bargain with a murderer and oath-breaker.

But Ba'an was no longer a witch. What would it matter? She had no reason to seek out or maintain contracts, and most spirits avoided her already anyway. Her nur-vuti was bare of spirits, a lifeless hunk of rock in the sand. Before Lukios, the only souls here had been that of animals and her coat of feathers.

"Neither of you have to die."

Salu'ka's head jerked up as she stared at Ba'an with an expression of shock.

"You can...? Is it possible? Truly?" Hope brought a flush to Salu'ka's waxen face.

Ba'an looked at her and felt...old. Terribly, terribly old, as though her bones would creak if she moved.

Had Ul'ma ever felt this way?

Surely she had. Ba'an had always tried to be good witch, a good successor—but trying was not being.

"It's possible. But Salu'ka, there is a price."

"Anything. Anything."

"You must leave the shi-vuti."

Salu'ka blinked in surprise. "Only that?"

"Yes. Step down. Live as a normal woman." Ba'an would handle the rest.

"Yes. Gladly. Oh Ba'an, thank you. This is no price, it is a blessing. Ku'rin and I can get married. We can raise our child together!" She suddenly flung herself at Ba'an and wept into her shoulder. Oh of all the...

Awkwardly, Ba'an patted her back. "There is one more thing. Stop crying on me."

Salu'ka let out a wet, shaky laugh and obeyed. "You haven't changed at all."

That wasn't true. Ba'an had changed a great deal, but she felt too tired to correct her.

Ba'an looked at her former apprentice. A wellspring of feeling pressed up against her heart: Sadness. Disappointment. Gentle affection. The years in the shi-vuti had been cruel to Salu'ka, she could see it.

"Salu'ka?" Ku'rin was in the doorway. He met Ba'an's eyes and dipped his head in respect. "I am sorry, but we must leave soon. My kinsmen are on watch tonight, but only until dawn. After that it will be impossible to return without being detected."

Ba'an nodded. "Yes. Well, Salu'ka needs complete bedrest. Don't let her do anything except go to the privy outside of bed. Bring her all her meals, at least until the baby is born."

He nodded obediently. Ku'rin had always been a good boy, and he had grown into a good man, too. Salu'ka would be well-cared for. She would be well, provided Ba'an succeeded in her own task.

"As for my price, she has agreed to leave the shi-vuti."

Ku'rin froze. He stared at Ba'an, then at Salu'ka.

"She...did?"

"I did. It's not a price, Ku'rin, it's a blessing."

"Is it possible?"

Ba'an rolled her shoulders, letting her tired joints pop. "Of course. Bring me your token once your child is born. I will show you how to break your oath. I will warn you: life will become harder once you dishonour your vows. You will likely be stripped of your magic. But it is better than the alternative."

A slow smile spread over Ku'rin's face. "We can get married. I will take care for her and our child."

That was exactly what Ba'an was expecting. "Good. Now get out, I'm tired."

----------------------------------------

There was one more thing Ba'an had to do before they left.

Ku'rin had carried Salu'ka back down into the grove of trees, but Ba'an stopped Vaa'ti before she could follow them.

"Vaa'ti. What did you do when the goat herd sickened?"

Vaa'ti's eyes narrowed. "That is no business of yours, salu-Ba'an. It's not for outsiders to know."

Ba'an pinned her with the same expression she'd used whenever Vaa'ti had done something she knew she shouldn't have. It had been five years, but Vaa'ti still quailed, just a little. "Salu'ka is ill because she tried to fix the herd. Did you not know this?"

Ba'an could tell by her surprised expression that she had not. "Why was Salu'ka so desperate, Vaa'ti? The two of you should have worked together. What were you doing?"

The expression on Vaa'ti's face twisted. Guilt. "I tried my best. I went spirit-walking too, but I couldn't find one that would help us."

Really?

"Our tribe has a long-standing contract with Bri-ba Valu'ti. Why did you not seek her out?"

Vaa'ti drew herself up.

"I know that. That's where I went first. The price was too high. I couldn't afford to renew the bargain."

"Really. What did she ask of you, Vaa'ti, that was so terrible?"

She went silent, face flushing. "She wanted my...fertility. I would have been barren. Forever. That's too high!"

Ba'an had already known. Salu'ka had been pregnant; that was likely why Bri-ba Valu'ti had simply ignored her. Vaa'ti, on the other hand, should have been given an offer.

"You didn't bargain at all, did you?"

"I tried!"

"Well, you should have paid it."

"You're disgusting."

"Am I?" Ba'an strode forward. "What does it mean, shi-vuti? Tell me, Vaa'ti. What does it mean?"

Vaa'ti stiffened. "I know what it means. You're not my master anymore."

"What does it mean, Vaa'ti."

"I...it means 'the weaving home.'"

"Yes. What does that mean, Vaa'ti? What are you weaving? Why does the chief bother consulting you, Vaa'ti? Do you think perhaps he gets bored? What of the hunters? Perhaps they too, simply get bored from time to time?"

Ba'an took another step and Vaa'ti stepped back. Humiliation flashed in her eyes as she realized she'd given ground and her chin went up in defiance.

"Because we are fate-weavers."

"And what does that mean?"

"Did you keep me here to ask asinine questions all night?"

Ba'an's expression didn't change, didn't flicker.

Vaa'ti never saw the slap coming. She cried out, falling to the side, just barely catching herself with her walking stick. Ba'an raised her hand again and Vaa'ti stumbled backwards, cradling her rapidly reddening cheek.

"How dare y—"

"It means, Vaa'ti, that a witch's life is not hers. It belongs to the People. Did you think it was free? The power? The prestige? Everything has a price. Your seat in the shi-vuti wasn't free. It means if a spirit wants your fertility to spawn baby spirits in exchange for a healthy herd of goats, you do it. It means if your man gets you pregnant, your baby isn't yours. It means—"

Ba'an thought of Thu'rin's waxy face, his throat gaping open and bleeding on the altar.

"—you do whatever you have to do to keep weaving."

Vaa'ti read the thought on Ba'an's face and her expression twisted. "Is that what you tell yourself? Is that your excuse? Is that what—you—you—you!"

The girl sprang at Ba'an with a scream, enraged. "Monster! Abomination! How dare you pretend—!"

Vaa'ti's body jerked backwards and she cried out as her arm was twisted painfully behind her back.

"That's enough." Lukios' grip was unshakeable. "Leave. Now."

Vaa'ti's expression shifted from shock to open scorn as she burst out laughing. "Outlander dog," she said in Dolkoi'ri, "Do you know what she is?"

He responded coolly in K'Avaari. "You can walk or you can fly in pieces. Decide."

That stunned her into silence.

It didn't last long. "I'm going." He released her, and she sneered at him as she straightened her cloak. When Vaa'ti reached the top of the cliff trail she turned. "Ask her, dog. Ask her what she did to the last one. Ask her what she'll do to you." Vaa'ti spat on the ground, wasting her water.

She turned and left.

Ba'an stared at her retreating figure until it disappeared under the lip of the incline.

"Your K'Avaari has improved much." She could feel Lukios' incredulous stare, but she refused to look at him. "We should work on your accent next."

"Ba'an." He stepped forward as though he was going to hold her. She turned around and walked away, back into her not-vuti.

"I am going to go to bed. I am tired."

He didn't follow her right away, but that was good. She was still wearing her coat of feathers underneath her travel cloak. It was not something he ought to see. She took her things and went into the cave to change.

Abomination. Ba'an slid her fingers through the feathers of her coat. Latent magic tingled against her skin, and she could hear the faint voice of the god she'd trapped singing, like rain falling against the sand.

Hungry, the soul sang, hungry, hungry, hungry—

Yes. Hungry. The godsoul was always hungry...

...and so was Ba'an.

Abruptly, Ba'an tore the coat from herself and flung it as far away as she could.

It did not matter. Ba'an could always hear Enha-naus-hasa-en and feel its teeth, whether she wore its skin or not.

Shuddering, she dipped herself into the little pool, scrubbing until her skin tingled. Dressing quickly, she fastened Thu'rin's necklace around her neck. She was glad she had not been wearing it when Vaa'ti had been here. That would not have ended so peacefully.

After all, Ba'an had stolen it.

----------------------------------------

Lukios had the cauldron bubbling when she returned.

"Hungry?"

She was. "No."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? It's almost dawn. You've only had a handful of nuts."

It was true. She was being childish. If she wanted to confront the spirit in the basin – which she had to do soon, else she'd risk Salu'ka dying while waiting—she would have to be healthy and strong.

Ba'an sat down next to the fire. "You are right. I should eat."

He smiled. "Good."

They sat and ate in silence. Ba'an tried, but the food stuck in her throat and she gave up halfway. "I will eat the rest later. Thank you for...breakfast. Goodnight."

"...Ba'an."

She waited.

"Are you...alright?"

"I am well. Do not worry."

"Ba'an."

"Goodnight." For a moment she thought he would try to push.

"I...okay. Sleep well, Ba'an."

She was not sure if she felt relieved or not.