"As I say, it's probably nothing. She told Jynna that she was using her magic to color just a few of the baskets. But she had all of them spread out around her."

"So she was coloring all of them. You've done enough trading in your day, S'Doryn. You know how much more a Mettai can get for baskets that are colored by hand."

"That's what Jynna and I decided."

The brothers shared a look.

"So, then there's more?" T'Noth asked.

"No. That's it. I know it makes no sense, but something about that woman bothers me. I can't help thinking that she did something else to those people, aside from whatever it was that she did to those baskets."

"But if Jynna-"

"I know. She spent more time with the woman than anyone. She should have gotten sick, too. But then again, all our survivors are children. Maybe whatever the woman did had no effect on Jynna because she was too young."

The two brothers appeared to consider this for several moments.

Finally, T'Kaar stood. "I'm going to check on the others," he said, walking away. "I'll make certain they're ready for the ride back."

S'Doryn nodded and watched him walk away. T'Kaar could be difficult at times, but he was a good man. He'd spent hours with the wounded children, healing their injuries and comforting them in their grief. S'Doryn had been reluctant to let the man accompany them on this journey, but he was glad now that T'Kaar had come along.

"Why would she do it?"

He looked over at T'Noth. "What?"

"Assuming for a moment that the Mettai woman was somehow responsible for what happened, why would she have done it? Do the Mettai hate Qirsi that much? Do they hate the Y'Qatt?"

"Truly, my friend, I don't know. I've never heard of any feud between Qirsi and Mettai. More to the point, I don't know how she might have done it. I know little about blood magic and Mettai spells."

"S'Doryn!"

He turned. T'Kaar was already walking back in their direction, his strides long and purposeful.

"What is it?"

"All three children recall seeing baskets in their homes the day their families fell ill. And two of them remember seeing at least one of their parents speaking with the woman in the marketplace."

S'Doryn felt himself grow cold. "Demons and fire."

"It could mean nothing," T'Noth said, though judging from the young man's expression, it seemed he didn't believe this any more than S'Doryn did.

"What do we do?" T'Kaar asked.

S'Doryn started toward the horses. "We ride home, speak to U'Selle and the clan council of what we've learned."

The brothers said nothing, but when S'Doryn glanced back, T'Noth was just behind him, and T'Kaar was on his way to the injured children. S'Doryn called for Jynna, Etan, and Vettala, and in less than an hour, everything was packed and tied to the horses, and all of them were ready to go.

The ride back to Lowna took less than half a day, and upon reaching the village, S'Doryn and the two brothers carried the wounded children to the healers for further care. N'Tevva was there to greet them, as was T'Kaar's wife and child. S'Doryn would have liked to take N'Tevva home and to bed-eight days was too long to be away from her. But it was a measure of how concerned he was about this Mettai witch wandering the land that he merely kissed her and asked her to follow as he led Jynna, Etan, and their little shadow to the a'laq's home. U'Selle was waiting for them in an old weathered chair outside her house. She was taken by a fit of coughing as they approached, and for some time after they stopped before her, she was unable to speak. Eventually, though, the paroxysm ran its course, and the a'laq managed a wan smile.

"You survived, I see."

S'Doryn grinned. "Yes, A'Laq."

"That's nearly more than I can say for myself." She turned to Jynna. "It seems you're one of us now."

The girl bowed. "Yes, A'Laq."

"You're welcome here, but I am sorry. I had hoped that you might find that your family had survived." She eyed the other two children before meeting S'Doryn's gaze again. "You did find survivors."

"Not many-not nearly enough-and all were children."

She pressed her lips thin for just a moment, but then made herself smile again. "And fine children they appear to be. What's your name, boy?" "Etan, A'Laq."

"Welcome, Etan. Are you prepared to become one of us, to be a Fal'Borna warrior when you grow to manhood?"

The boy dropped his gaze. "I think so."

"Etan!" Jynna said.

But U'Selle smiled. "It's all right, Jynna. That's a good enough answer for now." She looked at Vettala, who shrank away from her gaze, hiding behind Jynna. "What's your name, girl?"

The little one said nothing.

"She's Vettala," Jynna said at last.

U'Selle raised an eyebrow. "She can't answer for herself?"

"She hasn't spoken since… since the outbreak," S'Doryn said quietly. "She said something today," Etan said.

Everyone looked at him.

The boy's cheeks shaded to crimson. "It's true! She told Jynna and me not to fight."

The a'laq appeared to stifle a grin. "Sage counsel from one so young. Very well, Jynna. You may speak on Vettala's behalf until she's ready to speak for herself."

"Thank you, A'Laq."

U'Selle looked at S'Doryn again. "We didn't know that you'd bring others back, so we haven't made any arrangements for them yet. You can take Jynna?"

He looked at N'Tevva.

"Of course we can," she said, smiling. "Gladly."

They'd never had children of their own, and S'Doryn had given up hoping for them long ago. He knew that N'Tevva had as well. But the gods worked in strange and wondrous ways. It seemed they were to be parents after all.

He placed a hand on Jynna's shoulder. "Is that all right with you?" he asked her.

She nodded, though there were tears in her eyes. He could only imagine how hard this must be for her, for all the children.

"I believe that Etan might be happy with T'Noth," he said after a moment, "at least for the time being."

The a'laq smiled. "Is that all right with you, Etan?"

"Yes, A'Laq."

"Good. And perhaps Vettala can stay with me." The woman smiled kindly, but Vettala gave a small cry and buried her face into Jynna's dress. U'Selle's smile gave way to a grimace and she looked at S'Doryn once more. "Perhaps it would be best if you took them both for now," she said. "We can see how matters stand after a few days."

"Of course, A'Laq."

"She doesn't mean anything by it, A'Laq," Jynna said, concern on her pale features. "She's just scared still."

"It's all right, Jynna. I understand. And I think she's very fortunate to have such a good friend."

"With your permission, A'Laq," S'Doryn said, "we've ridden a long way. I'm sure the children are even hungrier than I am."

"Of course, S'Doryn. We'll speak again later."

S'Doryn bowed to her, and he and N'Tevva led the children away from the a'laq's cottage. They walked Etan to T'Noth's house before continuing on to their own. Along the way, S'Doryn wondered how they were going to fit them both. They hadn't a lot of space and while finding a bed for Jynna wasn't a problem, he didn't know where they'd put Vettala. In the end, however, it seemed less of a problem than he had feared it might be. Vettala never strayed from Jynna's side, and when Jynna asked the younger child if she wanted to share a bed for the first few nights, Vettala nodded enthusiastically.

T'Noth and Etan joined them for the evening meal. N'Tevva had made plenty, no doubt anticipating that he would be hungry. She might have even known that T'Noth would join them; he often did. After they'd eaten their fill of stew and greens and dark bread, the children went outside, leaving the adults alone. S'Doryn wasn't sure if they intended to play or merely to speak where they couldn't be heard. It seemed to him that Jynna and Etan had every bit as much to discuss as did he and N'Tevva. His wife, though, appeared concerned as she watched them leave the house.