Tarashana by Rachel Neumeier (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📕

notice and come nearly into our camp. This time, even when I set myself to be watchful and set our warriors to be watchful.”

I protested, “You guarded all our people well. Only my stupidity made it possible for Yaro to attack me. That is why he set himself here, to attack a warrior—to attack you, if he could, because he could not find a way to come against anyone more vulnerable. I believe this was his intention. I am certain of it, Garoyo.”

“Yes,” Garoyo answered. “I think this is very likely. I should have thought of it and come this way deliberately. I should have thought of all the places he might conceal himself, everywhere the land is too difficult to search thoroughly, and walked through all of those places to draw his attack.”

The thought appalled me. “Garoyo, he would have killed you!” I realized at once I should not have said it that way and amended this. “I know he would not have taken you by surprise, as he took me. But he was far too strong for me, and very fast. I mean no disrespect when I say that I would not have wanted you to fight him.”

My brother's mouth had crooked. He said, “I think I might have held him long enough for more of our warriors to come up, Ryo. I would certainly have preferred to try that rather than permit him to attack my younger brother and a female guest of inGara.” He touched his hair, which came to the middle of his back. “I should cut it again.”

I said, as firmly as I could, “You certainly should not. The gods were kind to guide my steps this way and turn yours aside. Aras might not have acted to protect someone else—probably he would not even have heard anyone else. Promise me you will not cut your hair, Garoyo.” But of course he would make no such promise to a younger brother. I had a better idea. “Promise me you will speak to Hokino regarding the matter before you do it.”

He cuffed me, not hard. “My much younger brother should not advise me in matters concerning my honor.” Then he said, “But it is true I have great respect for Hokino inKera. I will consider your words, insolent as they were.”

Tano had returned. He gave the needles and thread to Garoyo and went to the lake for water, then came back and knelt again, ready to run other errands or do anything else that was required. I thought he should do well enough now, even after I had gone south. A new kind of quiet had come into his expression, his muscles, his eyes. All the lies had finally been brought out into the air. That would be better for him, even if it was hard. The man who had been his father would meet a bad death very soon, and that might be good for Tano, or perhaps otherwise. But certainly that was far better than other outcomes I could imagine.

I asked, “Tano, are you well?”

He began to answer quickly, then paused and considered. Finally, he said, “It may be a long time before I know that.”

I nodded. “Our king’s judgment against the inTasiyo was harsh.”

“Yes. I thought I wanted the inTasiyo destroyed, but I ... now I am not certain I ever wanted that. I never wanted my father—I beg your pardon.” He bowed in apology for his mistake. “I did not want the warleader of the inTasiyo to die in the way he will die. But I think ... I think he brought his own fate on himself. I think all those people did that. I am glad some people left the inTasiyo yesterday, before this happened.” He added earnestly, “I am very, very glad the warleader of the inTasiyo did not kill you.”

I nodded. I was very glad the gods had seen fit to set Tano into my hands. However hard everything had been for him, however hard everything might still be, now that he was inGara, he should be well enough. Already he had learned to do much better. I was confident my father would make certain he did well.

Garoyo tossed down the blood-soaked bandages and began to wipe away the blood so he could see the cut. I leaned back so he could see better and asked Tano, “Where is your brother?”

“With Raga. Ensu will be quiet and do what he is told. He will not annoy your brother.”

“Raga is not at all easy to annoy. He will probably teach Ensu to be less quiet.”

“You should be quiet, Ryo,” Garoyo said, exasperated. “Let me finish this.” He set a row of neat stitches, one beside the next, and grunted with satisfaction. “That was not bad.” Then he ran a thumb across the three scars that stretched across my stomach. “If the gods were not kind, this one would have killed you. The gods have been generous to you many times, Ryo. I suppose I must trust they will be kind again and guard your sorcerer against the madness of the curse.”

“Yes,” I said. “Nothing that has happened will change his nature, which is stubborn as well as generous. He will not permit the curse to become worse than it is.”

“I hope you are right.” My brother got to his feet, then stood still for a moment looking down at me. “I will speak to our father,” he said finally.

“You need not. I am perfectly aware I should not have spoken so intemperately.”

“I will tell him you know that.” Then Garoyo looked at Aras, who had shifted, sighing, in his sleep. Garoyo said, “He will wake soon, I think. Do you want me to stay? Do you want Tano to stay?”

“No.”

“I am not displeased that the gods favored him, Ryo.”

That was more than he had needed to