“What’s a normal life?”
“I was a slave; how should I know? I just don’t think a person should give up trying to find out.”
Raithe looked over at Persephone again. She was crying, wiping her cheeks with the palms of her hands. Their eyes met, and she sent him an embarrassed smile.
“We’re going to stay, Malcolm.”
Malcolm followed his stare. “I had a feeling we might. You like her, don’t you?”
“She’s different.”
“Everyone is different.”
“Then let’s say I like the ways in which she’s different. A wise man once told me no man can escape death, but it’s how we run that defines us. And if I have to run, I think I’d like to go where she’s going.”
—
It began in the late afternoon.
The dead had been buried, and the worst parts of the mess cleaned up. Doing so had put the ground back under people’s feet, and by early evening, as the sun dipped toward the tops of the Crescent Forest, it was clear to everyone that the world hadn’t ended. As the news of Konniger’s death circulated, it also became clear they were leaderless and in peril. Thoughts became whispers, which soon turned into questions.
Sarah, Brin, Delwin, and Moya approached Persephone as she stood looking at the murky crater in the middle of the dahl, wondering what could be done about it. They would need to fill it in if they were to reuse the land, but where would they haul the dirt from, and was filling it the best choice? Perhaps they could use the pit for additional storage.
“This is going to be a problem,” Persephone told them as they came up to her.
Sarah, who led the group, didn’t say a thing. She simply walked over and hugged her. Behind them, Roan watched from a distance.
“Seph, what are we going to do now?” Sarah whispered in her ear. “We don’t have a chieftain or a Shield and no Keeper of Ways.”
Delwin nodded. “We thought maybe you might have some idea. I mean, this hasn’t happened before, has it? Reglan was chieftain for forty years, and his father ruled for nearly as long before him. We’ve always…I mean…we’ve usually just gone father to son, but Reglan’s died and Konniger never had any—”
“Delwin!” Sarah snapped. “In the Grand Mother’s name! Show a little compassion, would you?”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“It’s fine,” Persephone said, offering a forgiving smile.
“It’s just that,” Delwin said, lowering his voice as if the next part were a secret, “Brin tells us that in cases where there is no clear successor, like a son or a Shield, the Keeper of Ways is expected to administrate and oversee combat challenges for the First Chair. But Maeve is dead.”
“We’re afraid of what might happen,” Sarah said. “Some of the younger men are already sizing each other up.”
“She’s right.” Delwin nodded, agreeing with his wife. “Without a Keeper, fellas like Tope’s sons and Wedon’s sons are picking sides. We could have an intraclan war on our hands if something isn’t done.”
“We’ve had enough bloodshed,” Sarah said with a pleading in her voice and eyes. “We don’t need any more.”
“And I sure don’t want to see Tressa in charge,” Moya said.
“Where is Tressa?” Persephone asked.
“Over at Bergin’s,” Moya said. “She’s pretty drunk.”
Persephone nodded.
“So do you know what we’re supposed to do?” Delwin asked.
Persephone nodded. “Of course I do.”
Her words and matter-of-fact tone took all of them by surprise, causing their smiles and looks of relief to be delayed.
“Come on, let me show you,” Persephone said. Taking Sarah’s hand and Math’s spear, she led them to the steps of the lodge. Persephone let go of Sarah and climbed to the porch, then turned to face the dahl.
“You’ve all been hearing a lot of rumors about what happened last night, and you all saw what happened today.” She spoke in a loud, clear voice.
It didn’t take long for people to notice. The lodge steps had always been the altar of the chieftain, the pulpit where he addressed the dahl. Hearing her speak formally while holding that black spear, those who weren’t already on their way rushed over.
“Konniger is dead,” she said. “So is Maeve. They were both killed last night by the great brown bear that has been terrorizing this dahl. They, and many others, died. We mourn their passing, but let us be cheerful that the bear is at last dead.”
With the growing quiet, her voice carried farther and people from outside the walls and inside their homes came crowding around, gathering before the steps.
“Some have asked, Who will lead us? The answer is simple. I will.”
Moya began clapping, a great smile spreading across her face. No one else joined her.
“How can a woman be chieftain?” Cobb asked.
“How? Cobb, I’ve practically been chieftain for nearly twenty years. There wasn’t a major decision Reglan made that we didn’t discuss together before he ordered it. And who was it that brought the God Killer to us and welcomed the Fhrey when they arrived? Who took measures to save Arion’s life—the Fhrey who just saved all of ours? And who was it that called everyone into battle this morning?” She raised the black spear over her head to remind them.
“What about the Ways?” Gelston asked.
“Brin, do the Ways of Succession, as taught to you by Maeve, prohibit a woman from sitting in the First Chair?”
Brin stepped forward. She looked back at her parents just briefly and then said, “No, ma’am.”
Persephone smiled at the sudden honorific.
“But we’ll need a warrior to lead us,” Engleton said. “Not a woman.”
“If there is anyone who doesn’t want me as their leader, they have the right to challenge. That’s also in the Ways, isn’t it, Brin?”
She nodded and, with a poke from her mother, lifted her head and said, “Yes, yes it is.”
“Of course, according to the Ways, I have a right to name a champion. Isn’t that so, Brin?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Raithe?” Persephone looked to where he stood beside Malcolm near Roan’s house. “Would you please act as my champion?”
“Absolutely,” he replied. “But in all honesty, you don’t need me.” Raithe turned so that everyone could hear him. “Persephone left out one important detail about what happened last night. That bear, the one that has terrorized this dahl and killed so many of your men, including the last two chieftains…” He nodded toward Persephone. “She killed it.”
Eyes shifted between the two, clouded in disbelief and confusion.
“It’s true,” Raithe insisted. “She killed that big brown monster all by herself with no one’s help. No one at all. And she didn’t even need a spear or a sword.”
“How, then?” Moya asked, astounded.
Raithe waited a second, then said, “She beat it to death with the edge of a shield.”
Dahl Rhen filled with murmurs.
“With a shield?” Engleton asked.