Traitor's Moon

front.”
    â€œI’m here,” Alec said, coming out to join them. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
    â€œYou’d better wear your sword,” Seregil said.
    Alec glanced down in surprise. “I’ve gotten out of the habit. It’s upstairs.”
    Seregil clasped him by the shoulder. “Good hunting, talí, and be careful.”
    Alec smiled slightly. “I was about to say the same to you. I’ve got the easier task, I think.”
    â€œProbably. I doubt Ulan will be glad to see me again so soon.”
    He watched Alec out of sight, then went out the back way toward his sister’s house.
    Alec retrieved his sword belt from the bedpost and buckled it on as he hurried back down. In his haste, he nearly fell over Beka, who was sitting alone on the stairs just below the second-floor landing. She shifted closer to the wall but remained where she was, the picture of exhaustion.
    â€œWhen did you get back?” he asked.
    â€œJust now. I’m on my way up to see her, but I needed a moment alone. This seemed as good a place as any.”
    â€œThere’s no change.”
    â€œSo I heard. It’s good news in its way, I guess.”
    â€œHave the Haman done anything interesting?”
    â€œNot a thing. Steb told me about Seregil’s run-in with Emiel last night. Is he all right?”
    â€œOh, yes. Seems more his old self than he has for days, in fact.” Alec hesitated, then said quietly, “About Nyal—”
    â€œYou think he has something to do with all this, don’t you?” She looked down at her clasped hands.
    â€œSeregil does, but so far it’s just a hunch.”
    She sighed. “I’ve asked him to come back to Skala with me.”
    Alec blinked in surprise. “What did he say?”
    â€œHe asked me to stay. I can’t.”
    â€œAre you—I mean, I heard—” Alec broke off, feeling himself blushing.
    â€œPregnant?” Beka favored him with a dark look. “Heard about the bounty, did you? It wasn’t an order, just an opportunity. Kipa and Ileah think they may be. It’s not the road for me.” She yawned suddenly, pressing a hand over her mouth. “You’d better get moving.”
    â€œAnd you’d better get some rest.” Alec started down, then paused a few steps below her and reached to grip her by the knee. “Just—well, be careful.”
    She gave him a sour scowl. “I’m not love blind, Alec. I just hope Seregil’s wrong.”
    â€œSo do I.”

33
B ACKTRACKING
    A sizable entourage awaited Alec in front of the house. Säaban and Kheeta had half a dozen kinsmen with them, all with swords and bows. Braknil and his decuria flanked them, dressed for battle.
    â€œHave you something of Klia’s for me?” asked Säaban, his long face graver than usual beneath his dark green sen’gai.
    Alec handed him the tunic Klia had worn to the hunt, still stained with dirt and blood. Säaban held it between his hands for a moment, then nodded. “Good. The feeling of her khi is strong. I can even sense her illness. If she touched some object that caused her harm and it is there, I should be able to sense it. It does take great concentration, however. I can’t just ride along picking things out of the air.”
    â€œBut if I show you where she fell, you could check the immediate area, couldn’t you? Emiel may have dropped the ring or whatever it was into the stream.”
    Säaban shrugged. “It is possible.”
    Possible
. Alec sighed, doubting they’d come back anything but empty-handed. “All right, then. Let’s get going.”
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    They followed the same route as before, riding hard for stretches, stopping when Alec recognized places they’d halted the previous day.
    This was the first time since his arrival that he’d had the opportunity for any extended conversation with Säaban, and it occurred to Alec as they rode that if not for the standing ban against Seregil, he and Säaban would be calling each other kin.
    The man’s quiet demeanor made him easily overlooked at banquets. Today, however, he proved to be a valuable companion, a skilled and patient tracker. He reminded Alec of Micum Cavish, and the similarity was underscored by the sword at Säaban’s side. The hilt was worn with use, the scabbard scarred and