ICE BURIAL: The Oldest Human Murder Mystery (The Mother People Series Book 3) (33 page)

He still had that power, Korg thought triumphantly. Runor would bend to his will if he threatened to tell her secrets, especially to Larak. She would be shocked.

Korg glanced once more at the tall woman behind him, a glance filled with malevolence and
anger
,
then
he ceased to think at all and simply ran on.

Larak
saw the look and
shuddered.
The man was Korg, she was sure.
The hatred that festered in
him
seemed to reach her across the distance that separated them.
She had known he must be nearby a
s soon as the two girls
had stumbled in
and told what had happened to them, or what they could remember of it.
She
saw again
the
ir
hu
r
t and bewilderment
that anyone would harm them. They had thought they would be given food, perhaps a drink. They had
been drugged instead
, and violated.
Larak
had heard many times about the initiations of young girls but until now the words had been hard to believe.

Hular was watching Korg
too.
”
That
must be
Korg,” he said.
“
No one else has legs like that.
I
t
is strange, though,
that the Leader is not with him. They always travel together.
”

Terror
slashed through Larak
, so sharp it left her breathless
.
If
Korg was alone, the Leader was alone
, and
it was the Leader who
terrified
Larak
most.
He,
not Korg,
was the greatest threat to Zena.
The Leader
believed what Korg told him,
what the
G
reat Spirit told him
,
believed it with all his heart and mind, and the most dangerous people of all were those who were certain they were right.
Without Korg to restrain him, the Leader might do anything…
She
had been right to
set off on this journey, to
follow Zena and make sure she was all right
… But she
must hurry…

She glanced up again at
Korg’s
retreating
figure
.
There was a desperate urgency in his movements; he never stopped or rested, hardly slowed even when the path steepened sharply as it wound toward the heights. Was
it the Leader he sought
with such
frantic
haste
?
Could the Leader already be in the village, already be with
Zena
? It must be so; there was no other explanation.

An uncontrollable tremor shook Larak. Always before when she had worried about
Zena
, she had felt the Goddess reassuring her. This time, there was no reassurance, only the overwhelming sense
that Zena was in mortal
danger.

“
Great Goddess, keep
Zena
safe for us,
”
she whispered, and forced herself to go faster. Deep in her bones, she knew there was not much time.

*******************

M
ordor had walked all day and into the night, hardly aware that it had begun to rain heavily. Once, he had stopped briefly to sleep, uncomfortable and restless but paying no attention to the cold or
the rain or
to
food. His
mission was too important
to stop for anything,
even darkness.
He knew this path well and did not fear that he would take a wrong step
.

He saw the pass
ahead
and was cheered.
He would be there soon. Bending down, he struggled into the wind. The rain came harder, slashing into his face with demonic force.
For all these days, it had
not
stopped. Mordor shivered, suddenly fearful in this high lonely place, with the rain pelting down
mercilessly
. The spirit of death was here, or evil spirits; he could feel them all around him. He must get away.

Relief filled him when he caught sight of huts below. Intent now on his purpose, he hurried on. First, he would
have some mead, to restore him
;
then he would find Rofina. Probably she was with her mother. Surely she must be, but if she was not Runor would know where she was. Perhaps she would know where
Zena
was as well, or the girl would, Mara. He would make them tell him if they knew.

Pine scent, sharpened by the rain, came to his nostrils as he entered the woods, and he drew in a long breath, savoring the familiar smell. Soon the hut
Gurd
had built for them showed against the trees
.
He
went straight to the mead
and
took a great gulp. It had a bitter
, rancid
taste, but he d
id not care.
The long journey had tired him, and to feel strong was important now. He would have
Gurd
make some fresh mead later
. Where was Gurd? He must find him.

When he entered the village later, the people looked up, surprised, not that he had come but because he was alone. Runor had told them Korg and the Leader would come soon, had told them
exactly
what they should do. They were not happy with her instructions, but they trusted her and would obey. Still, that the Leader was here alone was
surprising
. Quick as a deer, a young girl ran to Runor
’s
hut to tell her.

“
The Leader is alone,
”
she said breathlessly.

“
Ah! Then it may happen sooner than I thought,
”
Runor answered serenely,
“
though Korg will not be long.
”
She looked out at the
lowering
clouds, the relentless rain
and driving wind
. It was all as she had expected.

“
Remember what I told you,
”
she
instructed
the girl.
“Everyone
must go to the circle of stones. Wait there and do not return until two full days have passed. Then, all will be well.
Bring all of them my blessings
and remind them that no
matter what happens, they must stay in the circle of stones,
”
she repeated
.

“
I will tell them,
”
the girl answered, and kissed Runor gently on the cheek before she darted out again.

Runor nodded to herself.
S
he had always known that it
was not Korg
whose heart was evil
, as
most people thought
.
Still, even
sh
e had not been
entirely
certain until now which
of them
it was
.
Some of the Mother
’s
creatures were very strange,
hard to r
ead
,
harder still to understand
-
or to forgive.

Her face softened with memory.
He had not been like that before
.
But she must not think of that
time
. He had forgotten
, though Korg had not
. Or
perhaps
Mordor
had never really known.
T
o know what went on in such a mind
was impossible
.
H
e had cared very much for Rofina
,though
. Had some part of him understood?
Runor shook her head.
She did not think so.

She set herself to wait. Soon, it would all be over.

The wait was not long. Runor heard feet splashing toward the hut
and
then a face appeared in the entrance.
“
Greetings, Leader,
”
she said calmly.

Her voice came from the shadows and Mordor jumped. He had not seen her. He passed a hand across his forehead, trying to dispel the dizziness that had come over him when he
had
stooped to go through the entrance.
Water streamed from him; he wiped at it impatiently.

Food
, he thought.
Perhaps I need food.
He had not eaten
for a long time,
only drunk the mead. It had tasted very bitter but he had drunk
most of
it anyway. He wished he had more
here
to steady him.

Runor
’s
voice startled him again because she seemed to read his thoughts.

“
Will you sit and have a bowl of mead? The men prepared it only a few days ago. Perhaps some nuts and berries as well?
”

“
I thank you,
”
Mordor mumbled, trying to regain his compos
ure. Lowering himself
to the floor, he took a long drink
from the bowl
and a handful of food. This mead tasted
excellent
, with none of the bitterness of the mead in the old hut. He took another swallow, savoring the flavor.
The nuts and berries dropped from his hand.

“
I thank you,
”
he repeated in a stronger voice.
“
I have traveled many days to come here.
”
He sounded more like the Leader now, he realized, and was pleased.

“
Yes,
”
Runor answered quietly.
“
We have been expecting you. For a long time we have expected you.
”

Mordor frowned. Why had they expected him? Had he planned a ceremony? He could not remember. The dizziness was better now that he was seated, but his mind felt far away, as if it belonged to someone else. For a moment he could not even remember why he was here with Runor. He peered into the dark corner where she sat, trying to see her more clearly. Perhaps her face would remind him.

Again, Runor seemed to read his mind. Reaching out, she lit a flare and set it in a
container
beside her. She did not speak, only sat quietly while he examined her
face.
She was very old, he saw, older than before.
For an instant, he saw her when
she
was quite young, or
he thought he did. Had he known her then or had it been someone else? He shook his head irritably, unable to remember. It was too long ago.

Another m
emory slipped
abruptly
into place. He was here to find Rofina. That was why he had come to see Runor.
“
I must find Rofina,
”
he said
imperatively
.
“
Is she here?
I must see her right away.”

Runor shook her head.
“
Rofina is not here.
”

So he does not know what happened to her,
she thought to herself. She must be careful what she said.

“
Where is she then? I must find her
.
”
Mordor
’s
voice was demanding, almost threatening.

“S
he is in the meadow,
”
Runor answered calmly.
“
The big meadow where the flowers grow. It is very peaceful there.
”

“
I will go to her.
”
Mordor began to stand, but Runor
’s
voice interrupted him.

“
Have some more mead first, to give you strength,
”
she suggested, pouring some into his bowl. She must keep him here,
must
keep him until the G
oddess was ready. The sound of
rain pounding hard on the roof of her hut penetrated her mind. Already it had rained for many days. How much time did she have?

Mordor subsided. Picking up the bowl of mead, he stared at her with narrowed eyes.
“
The people do not obey as they should,
”
he told her angrily.
“
That is why I must have the mead. It is the fault of the people. They must learn to obey!
”