Spirit Gate

They got within sight of Dast Olo before Talker got through with his description of the last twelve-year of caravan stories, and given that no more than a pair or three of caravans braved the Barrens Road every year, he took a long time telling an awful lot about not much.

"So the strangest part of it all, after the last caravan left and the girl paid her fine to the Witherer's altar-and you can be sure that the arkhon had a long talking to old Silk Ears-!"

Silent snickered.

"-then we in the village were thinking it would be all the travelers until the flood rains passed, and we two were leaving anyway to come down here Olossi green land way for our three year, and what do we see as we start out the walk? Heya!"

Kesh barely had time to open his mouth for the polite reply before Talker rushed on.

"We go passing an envoy of Ilu, walking up the long west-facing slope as cheerful as a redbird and him walking west on the Barrens Road he told us because we did stop and ask thinking he was headed for the village or maybe Falls or maybe Dritavu, because you know that everyone knows there's a Guardian altar up past Dritavu way that is forbidden but sometimes we see a light up there."

"He talked as much as you do!" said Silent with another appreciative grin, although this one had no lascivious edge to it.

"I do not! That envoy, he'd have talked all five seasons from then until now if that reeve hadn't flown patrolling overhead and scared the donkey! So we must run after, and the envoy must go on his way west over the Barrens Road. I wonder if he's still alive, or come back to the Hundred as a living man, or only his bones! Say. Did I remember to tell you how we came to get that donkey?"

"We're here," said Kesh with relief.

Dast Olo rested on a huge platform that some said was a natural escarpment of rugged rock but which Sapanasu's clerks and the Lady's mendicants claimed was the base of an ancient fortress whose pillars and roof and walls had long ago been obliterated by wind and rain and the passing of years. The high ground kept the feet of the village out of the waters, even during a ten-year flood. Dast Olo boasted also a lucky five-set of i

"Straight to the pier," he said as they paused at the base of the wagon ramp. "I'll give you vey for beer at the i

"Seeing so much water makes a man thirsty," agreed Talker as they trotted up the ramp, not even panting. They had a fu

Dast Olo's villagers were farmers, fishers, or marketers catering to the flow of pilgrims. The village was already awake. Most of the fishing boats were long since out on the waters.

"Only a city man sleeps abed after the sun is risen!" proclaimed Talker cheerfully as they trotted through the streets to the pilgrim's pier.

Used to everything and anything, none of the folk out on their errands gave the curtained litter a second glance. The transaction at the pier-the price of a half leya per person was fixed by the temple-went swiftly. He handed two leya to an uninterested man with a flat-bottomed scow. The boatman tucked the coin in his sleeve and waited as Talker and Silent hoisted the litter in and settled themselves cross-legged in the rear with practiced ease, barely rocking the boat. Kesh had an ungainly time of it. He was shaking. Every surface seemed slick under his hands. Once the boat stopped rocking, the boater sighed, then poled away from the stone pier, and pushed along the cha

At last, the boat nudged up against Ba

As Talker and Silent got the litter onto the pier, a bare-chested, dark-haired lad dressed in a novice's kilt walked up to Kesh. He was yawning as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"You're early." He gri

"It's nothing to do with shame," said Kesh, a tide of heat and anger swelling over him. His head throbbed, and he wanted it all to be done with and him walking away with what he had come for.

"Eiya! No harm meant! Which house is yours?"

"I'm here to see the Hieros."

The lad's mouth formed a circle.

A raucous cry split the air. Keshad actually jumped because he was already so on edge, but the others only tipped back their heads as folk always did to mark a reeve passing over along the northern edge of the delta and circling in toward Olossi.

"Uncle Idan says there were more of them reeves back when he was a lad," said Talker. "Bad days, since that drought. It just goes to show that when folk don't keep order in their own houses, pretty soon the land begins to suffer. So the gods teach us."

"Bad luck on them who deserves it," muttered the lad under his breath, making the cross-fingers sign against ill fortune close against his body, as if he didn't want the others to see. He saw Kesh watching him, flushed, and turned his attention to the two bearers. "If you will wait in the outer court, I'd much appreciate it."

"I need the litter brought with me," said Kesh. "Then they can go and wait wherever you wish."

"Are you sure?"

"That I need the litter brought with me?"

"That you want an audience with the Hieros. No one ever asks for that. If you knew her, you'd know-" He flicked hair out of his eyes and sidestepped away. "No one in sight. Not a soul come so early, and there's none to leave."

"Damn all," said the boatman. "First come in the morning means a long wait, or a return trip made empty. My old arms!"

"Sorry, old man," said the lad. "It wasn't a lantern night, last night. You know the rules."

"I won't be long," said Kesh, "as I'm not here to worship the Devourer, just to conduct a bit of business. If you'll wait at Leave-taking Pier, I'll pay you passage back, same as came here."

The boatman gri

The lad hopped from one foot to the other. It was evident he wanted to ask what was going on, but novices did not ask about the business or predilections or desires or identities, if veiled, of pilgrims. It was against the rules.