Lupi 04 - Night Season

They’re moving into their worship circle.” Every night the Ahk sat in a circle and chanted. Cynna had listened in, of course, but the charm didn’t translate most of the words. Still, it was obviously a religious ritual.
    â€œOkay if I join you for a few hands tonight?” Daniel asked.
    Cynna looked at her father. She was getting used to thinking of him that way— my father . He had some color in his face for once, maybe the result of the journeycakes. “Sure. But, um, if you’re feeling up to it, I have some questions.”
    He studied his hands for a moment, then sighed. “I don’t have many answers, but you’re welcome to what I do know.”
    â€œWhat do you know about the Ahk religion? Chulak wants to remake Edge in his god’s image or something. That’s why he wants the medallion. I figure I ought to know more about this deity of his.”
    Daniel glanced over at the Ahk. He spoke softly. “They aren’t interested in converts, but from what I can tell, Hrvash of the Ninety Names—that’s what they’re chanting now, his names—is a lot like the Ahk themselves. Hard, even brutal, but strictly honorable within the framework they understand. I, ah…I’d say Chulak is not a typical priest.” He lowered his voice even more. “More of a fundamentalist. Extremely devout, wants his people to return to the old ways, which he considers the basis of all honor.”
    Great. “We have problems with that type back home, too. A lot of them live in the Mideast, but some—oh, never mind. I’m so tired my brain’s derailing. The main thing I want to know is, what is ashwa ?”
    Daniel’s eyebrows lifted. “Where did you hear that word?”
    â€œI heard it, that’s all. What does it mean?”
    His gaze flicked quickly to Steve and back. He didn’t answer. Just then Gan came hurrying up. “I’m ready to play poker. I want my chocolate, too. Maybe I could have two chocolates this time. I really need two chocolates.”
    Cynna pulled her bag over. “Tell you what. I’ll give you two chocolates if you’ll go play poker with Steve up near the horses. I want to talk with my father by myself for a little while.” She looked at Steve. “Okay with you?”
    Steve shrugged. “I guess.”
    Once the other two had left, Cynna looked at her father. She didn’t say anything. Just raised her eyebrows and waited.
    For a minute she didn’t think he’d answer. That anger was in his eyes again, the anger she’d glimpsed once before. Finally he nodded once. “You might as well know. Ashwa is the agreement signed by the five major power groups in Edge that Gifted humans are to be sterilized.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHush!”
    She lowered her voice. “It seemed strange I never encountered any Gifted humans, but I thought it might be something about Edge itself. I never dreamed…”
    â€œThey’re afraid of us.” The bitter twist to his mouth might have been a smile. “Not without reason, I suppose. Look at what’s happened on Earth, where humans have had free rein. The other races have mostly died or been driven out.”
    â€œBecause the magic died! God, are they just ignoring that? We’ve been cut off from the other realms, but surely they know about ambient magic being real low until the power winds changed things.”
    Daniel shrugged. “I’m telling you what everyone here knows—or thinks they know. Humans tend to take over by virtue of numbers. We’re the most fertile of the races, and if they didn’t take steps to keep our population down, we’d outbreed them all. If Edge were part of Faerie rather than being autonomous—”
    â€œWait, wait. You mean Edge isn’t part of Faerie? It’s high magic, and sidhe live here.”
    â€œTo be part of Faerie, a realm must belong to the two queens, Winter and Summer. The queens don’t govern their realms directly, but they have some essential laws—they’re called, jointly, queens’ law—that are binding on all those in their realms. Edge was given to the gnomes. Queens’ law doesn’t apply here.”
    â€œAnd what does queens’ law have to say about humans?”
    â€œIt’s not what it says. It…parts of queens’ law are actual laws the way we think of them. Written rules.