Spirit Gate

"Walking north," it said in a voice all raspy, neither high nor low. "Best not go that way. It's all run to blood."

"Where's your string?" Bai whispered into Kesh's ear. He had closed the string of coins into his weaponless fist, and she pried his fingers open, slipped off ten half leya, and strode across the grass to the creature. She sank gracefully to both knees-kneeling, she was still almost as tall as that shrunken, wasted body-and held out an open hand.

"An offering, holy one. Go in peace."

The crabbed hand moved so fast that it was too late for Kesh to protest. It grabbed the silver, and scuttled away. "A blessing on you, child! Do not kiss ghosts. The twice dead ca

It staggered out onto the road as Bai reached down and-as if bespelled-scratched at her left ankle, then barked a curse, jumped up, and repeatedly slapped the skin where she had just scratched, as though she could batter the stinging bite into submission.

"Five leya!" cried Kesh. "No wonder you ran up debts!"

"Are you blind? That was a gods-touched vessel!"

"Some old beggar, you mean. Anyone can wear rags and stumble along the road mumbling well worn phrases. 'The twice dead ca

"I have a hankering to get ourselves into the trees and hide for the night. Scout ahead at dawn."

"You don't believe in all that ranting?"

But she did believe. She had been raised in the temple, at the heart of the goddess, if the Merciless One could be said to have a heart.

He touched the blessing bowl at his belt, thought about his evening prayers, and shrugged. "The woods it is. Must we take turns at watch?"

"No need. The gi

HE SLEPT HARD, curled on his side, but an animal pushing up against his back made him snort awake.

"Hush," murmured Bai. He saw her form sitting upright beside him. Her hand touched his hair. "Don't move."

To sleep, they had crawled into a thicket situated on a rise that allowed them to see the road with little risk of being seen themselves. One of the gi

The light faded away. A night-hatch chirped, answered by a second.

Bai leaned so close against him that her hair tickled his cheek. Her breath was hot on his ear. "We'll go just before dawn. Follow after them. See what they're doing."

"We won't! We'll head east and then north!"

She shifted away, but remained silent. The gi

"Come on!" Bai rose. She slung the rolled-up cloak and jacket over her back. "Let's go. It's light enough to walk the road."

"Who do you think they were?"

She was already moving through the brush, pausing at the sloped verge to listen and look. Then she scrambled up, the gi

"Come on, come on."

"What's the hurry? The sun isn't even up."

"Just a feeling in my bones."

From Olossi to a short way past the East Riding, West Track ran on an almost due west to east axis, parallel to the River Hayi. Past the East Riding, the river curved to the northeast and the road with it, the river dwindling as it moved upstream toward its source and the road reaching for its terminus at Horn.

Standing on the road, Kesh faced Hornward. Bai faced Olossiward. He began to walk east, not looking back. The idiocy of throwing away coin on a useless old beggar still made him burn. His stomach gnawed at nothing. He was hollow and he was angry. But at least he was free. Even free to walk away from Bai, if need be. From everything and everyone, alone in a way that made a smile tic up on his face every time he bit it down, because if he let that smile hit his face in full he would laugh, or he would cry, and he wasn't sure which.

She padded up beside him. The gi

How could anyone be so stupid and pious as to give away coin that recklessly? To rack up debts the way she had?

And yet, did it matter? After all these years of toil, of being separated, they had actually succeeded. They were free, and together, able to walk where they willed and disagree as they wished, and no one to tell them otherwise!

Even the road welcomed them, although it could be said that the road welcomed all travelers. It was the coolest part of the day, and the sweetest. But at last the sun rose above the trees and chased away the shadows that protected them.

"The gi

"Three hundred and twelve?"

"I probably missed a few. Three cadres should have three hundred and twenty-four, plus their sergeants and captain."

He whistled softly, wondering if she were joking, or if she had really been able to count them all.

Her stride caught a hitch; she skipped a step to catch up with him, grabbed his elbow, tugged him to a staggering halt. "Look! Crows and vultures."

North, above the trees, the dark wings circled.