Page 51 of Circle of Days
She found Han coming out of the priestesses’ village. He looked stressed, and she was shocked to see blood on his cheek. “Han!” she said. “What happened?”
“Murder,” he said. “It was awful. I’m very glad to see you.”
She hugged him. She could not help being thrilled that she was the one he wanted when he needed comfort.
She took his hand and led him away from the village. They sat on the outside slope of the earth bank. “Tell me all about it,” she said.
“There was an argument between a priestess called Inka and a herder called Robbo, and it turned violent. She hit him over the head, twice. I grabbed her to restrain her, and while she was helpless he slit her throat with a flint knife and she died.”
Pia gasped. “So you saw everything!”
“I was part of it. It might even be my fault she died.”
“No,” she said immediately. “Robbo held the knife. You were just trying to stop the fight.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.”
“You’ve got blood on your face.” She pulled up a handful of grass, wetted it with her saliva, and scrubbed the stain off his cheek. “That’s better,” she said.
“Thank you. There was such a lot of blood, all of a sudden, then it stopped, and she died in my arms.”
“Who was with you?”
“My sister Joia. She was terribly upset. She’s a priestess, as Inka was.”
“Where’s the body now?”
“I carried it here. The priestesses have it.”
“You should eat something. It will make you feel better.” Pia took from her bag some goat cheese wrapped in leaves. “Here, eat this. My mother makes it. It’s delicious.”
He hesitated. “Is this your supper?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get something. Eat it, please, it will do you good.”
He unwrapped the leaves and ate the cheese. “I didn’t know I was hungry,” he said through a mouthful. “You’re right, it’s delicious.”
When he had finished, she said: “Now you can kiss me.”
“It may be a rather cheesy kiss.”
“It will taste delicious.”
They kissed for a long time, then she said: “Let’s go and see your mother. Does she know about the murder?”
“Joia has probably told her.”
“She’ll want to see you, to make sure you’re all right.”
He looked at her thoughtfully. “You’re very considerate,” he said. “You think about people’s feelings—first mine, then my mother’s.”
She did not know what to say to that.
He said: “I think you’re wonderful.”
She did not see herself as wonderful, but she was thrilled that he thought she was.
They got to their feet and headed across the plain toward Riverbend. When they reached the village, he took her hand.
