Page 78 of Planet Zero
Addie saw that arguing wouldn't help; Chele’d face was set in hard lines of stubbornness.
“Will you tell me if you need help with anything at all?”
“Okay.”
Blowing a covert distressed sigh, Addie rose and was almost at the door when Chele called her. “Now that you asked, there might be something I need help with.”
“Yes, what?” Addie paused expectantly, glad for an opportunity to ease Chele’s burdens in some way.
Chele slid her hand under the pallet on which she sat and pulled out a small pouch. “I need you to give this to the queen.”
“What is it?”
Chele’s eyes were intent on her face. “This is a mix of many herbs. None has this property by itself, but in combination, they can prevent a woman from getting with child.”
Addie frowned. “What if someone finds out? What if Net’ok does? Chemmusaayl?”
“They cannot if you want to live. Now, do you understand why Illied cannot stay with us?”
Addie could sympathize with Qalae’s desire to delay starting a family, but becoming a part of the solution to the queen’s problem was another matter entirely. “And you want my help with this? No, Chele, it’s dangerous! Qalae can’t be trusted, she’ll throw you over to save her own skin.”
“She won’t. But it’s best not to get caught.”
Addie crossed her arms. “I won’t do it.”
“You won’t help me? No? Well, then, Addie-woman,” Chele heaved and started to rise. “I will go myself.”
It took her several attempts to stand up, and each one ended in failure.
The shouts rang from outside, and she dimly recognized her own name being called.
“Fine, I’ll do it.” She snatched the pouch from Chele’s lax grip. “This one time. Rest, Chele. I have to go.” She turned, took a step, stopped. “Please, Chele…” Tears welled.
“Grateful, Addie. Now go. I’ll be here when you return.”
“I can’t lose you.” Addie’s voice broke.
Chele chuckled. “It’s only my leg. There’s still life left in me. Today is simply a bad day.” She closed her eyes.
Addie hid the herb pouch inside her clothes and left the teepee to help prepare the Elkeks meat. The two slain beasts provided an astonishing quantity of flesh. She’d never seen so much red meat in her life. The place looked like a slaughterhouse.
Almost all the women and several men spent hours cleaning the meat off the bones and slicing it into strips to pack with spices before hanging it to dry. The tribe’s herb supplies ran dry before the job was finished since the women, fresh off the road, weren’t adequately prepared.
In the hustle and bustle of the preparations, Addie almost forgot about Chele’s request, and only after she trudged, exhausted, to a small puddle of Jat sand where she washed and cleaned her clothes, did she realize she still had the pouch for Qalae.
Misgivings flooded her anew.
But staying true to her promise, she made her way back to the settlement and located the queen still outside. She kept an eye on her until Qalae broke off from the cluster of women and started walking toward the plaza.
Addie stealthily intercepted her. “I have a thing for you from Chele, my queen,” she called out quietly.
Qalae halted and speared her with a haughty look.
“Chele knows better than sending a messenger to her queen, strange woman. She will come to me herself.”
“Indeed, I am her messenger, my queen. Chele is ailing.” It broke Addie’s heart to admit this to Qalae. It made Chele’s infirmity real.
The queen’s fine brows rose. “Ailing?”
