Page 129 of The Boy Bride

Vanu shook his head.

“What? But—” Halza swallowed his protest, looking up at Vanu with an expression that seemed caught between fear and anger.

Vanu looked at him, thumb scraping reflexively along the scar on his cheek. In some ways, Halza was clearly a brave young man. He’d thrown himself off the wall of Umtúshta to try to rescue Lill, which should make Vanu feel kindly toward him.

“Can’t go after him right now,” Vanu said aloud. “Too many people down here know me on sight. These men—” he indicated the dead man at Halza’s feet “—I couldn’t let them live once they’d seen me. Fine, they were fuckers, set an innocent woman’s house on fire. Those people?” He jabbed a finger after the retreating crowd. “Not the same. Not going to kill them. Don’t want them telling the whole mountain the Lion of the Summer Pass is back, either.”

Halza drew a shocked breath. “I—I didn’t think of that. I didn’t realize. Can … can … ”

“You and Tirtu go? Sure, but what’re you going to say? Give him to us ’cause he’s our shaman? Sure, and who are you, then?”

“Right, right. No, I see we can’t do that. But—we just abandon him, then? My lord?”

“Didn’t say that. Got a plan. Come on.” He pointed at the dead man again. “Finish your job there, hey?”

They returned to the trail to rejoin Tirtu, and here at last they had a piece of good luck. A horse was coming up the trail as they approached. It had no rider but was pulling a litter, with a boy walking beside it. Vanu was planning to commandeer it even before he recognized the thin voice calling out from the litter.

“Can’t you keep this wretched thing from jolting so much, you stupid boy? I am in agony!”

It was Faru.

* * *

“And who are you, then?” Otoni asked in a friendly tone as they walked up the trail.

“Lord Vanu’s wife.”

“But you’re a … aren’t you a … Oh! Like in the lowlands. What do they call it—a boy bride?”

“That’s what I am.”

“How fun. I’m a lady hunter, which has a bit of the same ring to it, hey? Umtúshta’s a nice place—I used to go up there pretty often, before Lord Vanu was captured. But now he’s out!”

Something about the way she chatted was familiar, and Lill realized she reminded him a little of Khatu. Surprisingly, he could see how they would make a good pair.

“He’s not exactly out,” Lill corrected her. “He is living in Umtúshta, and he doesn’t want it generally known that he has a way out.”

“Ohhhh, I see. Heart of the Blue Heaven, I’m surprised Khatu and Barda were able to keep that secret—aren’t you?”

“Er, yes.”

“Is it lovely being married to Lord Vanu? He’s so handsome.”

“Yes, he—he’s a very good husband.” He could do better than that. He tried again: “When I came up from Radush, I didn’t know what to expect. But when I first saw him, I … I couldn’t believe … how lucky I was.”

That was of course a lie; he’d been horrified. He’d thrown up with terror the second time he saw Vanu. But he had thought Vanu was beautiful.

“I’ll bet!” Otoni said cheerily. “Nomi’s not too heavy for you, is she?”

“I’m not heavy!” the little girl protested, tightening her arms around Lill’s neck.

He hoisted her up carefully. She was about the weight of a full campaign pack, but squirmier. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could go on carrying her.

“You are a bit heavy,” he admitted, “but I can manage.”

They had not gone much further before Lill heard horse’s hooves on the trail behind them. They barely had time to move toward the trees before the rider overtook them. It was Vanu. He reined the horse in beside them.

Lill felt an absurd desire to tell Vanu how good he looked on horseback. It was a big grey draught horse, well-sized for him, and he rode like someone who’d been doing it all his life. Lill caught himself smiling foolishly. He stopped when he realized Vanu wasn’t smiling back.