Honored Vow

borrowing his daughter, but I needed
    to get your attention.”
    It felt like ice water had been injected into my veins.
    “You have it.”
    “I tried to speak to you in Sobek, but you wouldn’t listen, and then
    you announced to the priest that we were khet , dead to each other, and so I
    had no recourse but this. The tribe of Mnevis is trying to take over my
    territory. I need you and your sheseru and your khatyu to come and align
    with us and help us drive them out.”
    “Why would I do that?”
    “Your reah is the son of my sylvan, this was his first tribe, and we
    have a covenant bond.”
    “You’re insane,” Logan said flatly. “We have nothing, and your
    sylvan is dead to me, as are you and the rest of your tribe.”
    “If this is your final word, then I will have no choice but to put to
    death the beset of your reah, who I have in my possession.”

    Honored Vow

    9

    I didn’t make a sound, and when Logan’s gaze caught mine, I saw
    his eyes glow with pride. That I trusted him, that I had remained silent, I
    could tell, touched him deeply.
    “If you do not return the beset of my reah, Crane Adams,” he began,
    turning back to look at the phone, “I will come and take him, along with
    your head. I have, as you know, a member of the Shu living in my home,
    and once he speaks to the priest on my behalf, I will have a mandate for
    your life, semel of the tribe of Anuket.”
    There was a long silence.
    “You thought I would just say yes because you know that Jin loves
    Crane. Your sylvan, Jin’s father, and your sheseru, Crane’s father, were
    probably in agreement with this plan, but I will not grant you aid for one
    man, especially as I have a true covenant bond with the man seeking to
    take your territory from you, Derek Jackson.”
    “He’s filth! He’s—”
    “He’s passionate,” Logan said, cutting him off, “and younger than
    you and stronger than you. He wants a tribe that is racially mixed, not
    racially pure. He wants diversity because he wants the strongest tribe, the
    best, and accepts all based on nothing but their desire to stand with him. It
    makes sense to me.”
    “You cannot—”
    “I have, I did. It cannot be undone; it’s sealed in blood, mine and his.
    So you will return Crane Adams and all will be well, or I will come with
    my sheseru and my khatyu and however many members of the Shu the
    priest decides to send with me and I will kill you, your sheseru, and your
    sylvan, destroy the tribe of Anuket, end its lineage, and leave it to Derek
    Jackson. Choose your course.”
    Archer was breathing hard over the line.
    “Now!”
    Every eye in the room was on Logan. He was absolutely still,
    absolutely certain of his decision. And I held my breath because I wanted
    Crane more than anything, but I knew, in my heart I knew, that if they
    didn’t choose to give him back to Logan, I wasn’t getting him back at all.
    “You must come for him and speak your words to my tribe, in front
    of my tribe, and tell them all that you refuse to aid us,” Archer told him.

    10

    Mary Calmes

    “I will aid them, semel,” Logan assured him. “They are all welcome
    to come and take refuge on my land and with my tribe if they do not want
    to become part of the tribe of Mnevis. I would welcome them all.”
    “You said my tribe was dead to—”
    “ Your tribe, semel,” he clarified. “If any panthers come to me
    seeking sanctuary, seeking shelter, I will take them in, and so they are then
    members of my tribe. Do you understand?”
    Archer Pike had no idea the kind of man that Logan Church was, and
    that had been his biggest mistake. Logan would never, ever turn his back
    on fathers and mothers and children. He’d pay to relocate them all, speak
    to Derek Jackson on their behalf, and do whatever was necessary to create
    a smooth transition if and when he had to.
    “Your answer, semel,” Logan demanded.
    There was a deep exhale of breath. “Come, then, and claim the beset
    of your reah.”
    “I will leave tonight,” Logan told him. “I will call you after I meet
    with the semel of the tribe of Mnevis, and you will grant he and I, our
    sylvans, and our retinue safe passage.”
    “You will not bring your sheseru?”
    “I will not.”
    “Then who will—”
    “As I stated before, I have a member of the Shu here on my land, Taj
    Chalthoum; he will act as my sheseru and come in Yuri Kosa’s place.”
    “I do not understand you leaving your sheseru behind if your