Naamah's Blessing

of me before the end?” a light, familiar voice inquired. “Do not fret so, Moirin. I will be there.”
    I startled awake, realizing belatedly that I’d fallen into a doze in the hot courtyard, worn out by lack of sleep and worry.
    “Jehanne?” I said aloud.
    “Lady?” Machasu gave me an odd look. “I am sorry. Do you wish to be alone? I will go.”
    “No.” I rubbed my eyes. “Did you say something just now?”
    “No,” she said. “I came to tell you that Prince Manco will see you in a short time. But Ocllo says it is not safe for Cusi to leave the temple now. It will only make for dangerous questions.”
    I took a deep breath. “Well, then, I will have to bring Bao to the temple.”
    Machasu’s eyes widened. “That is worse! He cannot leave the fields! One tried, once.” She pointed to the ants. “They ate him. Alive.”
    “I know.” My stomach churned. “But the ants will not see him. No one will see him.” I held up my injured hand. “Do you trust me? Does Ocllo trust me?”
    Slowly, Machasu nodded.
    “Then tell her I will bring the twice-born to the Temple of the Sun when the moon is high tonight to meet with Cusi.” I fought a yawn. “Tell her I swear no one will know. It is a secret I have not told her yet, a gift I have not shown.”
    “I will tell her.” She gave me a stern look. “And I will bring food. You must eat, lady. You must stay strong.”
    “You are right,” I said. “Thank you.”
    After I had bathed and eaten, I paid a visit to Prince Manco. As Machasu had predicted, it was a useless endeavor.
    The deposed Quechua prince received me in his own garden courtyard where he was engaged in practicing his fighting skills, clad in a full set of D’Angeline armor. I was forced to wait and observe his dubious prowess as he stomped and clattered and slashed his way across the garden. At length he paused and beckoned for an attendant to hold up one of the small hand-mirrors that Eyahue had stolen to trade.
    When at last he was done admiring himself, Prince Manco turned to me, unbuckling and removing his helmet. Without it, he was revealed to be a weak-chinned young fellow with close-set eyes.
    “What is it you want?” he demanded of me.
    Placing my hands together, I bowed to him. “I come to warn you, highness. Lord Pachacuti is not the god you take him to be.”
    He scowled at me and thumped a gauntleted fist on his breast-plate. “Oh? What gifts do you bring, woman? Armor that shines like silver, yet is as hard as stone?” He gestured at my insectile entourage. “Can you command the black river?”
    “No,” I murmured. “But actually, the armor—”
    “I do not care!” Prince Manco’s nostrils flared. “I will not listen to your lies! Lord Pachacuti told me not to! You think you are clever, yes, but I agreed to this only so I might tell him what you say!”
    I sighed. “Lord Pachacuti will use you and discard you, along with all of the Quechua folk.”
    He glared at me. “Lord Pachacuti will give me Tawantinsuyo to rule once he returns to his homeland!” His sword cut the air. “Everyone will fear me. My father’s head will roll! My brothers will kneel and beg for their lives!”
    Ignoring him, I turned to his attendants. “Remember that I brought this warning,” I said to them. “Tell others.”
    “You do not speak to them!” Prince Manco shouted at me. “Go away!” He hefted his blade, menacing me awkwardly. “I do not know why Lord Pachacuti lets you live. I should kill you for him!”
    I stared at him. “Lord Pachacuti
needs
me. Do it, and you will answer to him.” I nodded at the ants. “Or them.”
    Manco lowered his blade. “Go away,” he repeated. “I do not want you here.”
    I went.
    “I am sorry,” Machasu said to me. “It is as I told you.”
    “It is,” I agreed. “Still, I had to try.”
    In my quarters, I lay down on my bed for a few hours of much-needed sleep, instructing Machasu to wake me when the moon began its ascent into the night sky. It seemed only minutes had passed before she shook me gently awake.
    “So soon?” I mumbled.
    “Yes, lady,” she said apologetically. “The moon begins its climb.”
    I ran my hands over my face. “Look away a moment, will you please?” The glistening black ball of ants on their sisal rope caught my eye. “And stand between me and them,” I instructed her. Mayhap the ants could not see in truth, but their faceted eyes disconcerted me, and I did not want their blind gaze