As understanding dawned on her face, Balsa groaned inwardly. She had expected Yuguro to do all he could to prevent people from finding out about her and Jiguro. It had never occurred to her that Yuguro would tell everyone, even boys such as Kassa, and twist the truth for his own ends. He was much more cunning than she had thought. And he must excel at spinning believable lies.
But she had no intention of telling Kassa and Gina the whole story. They belonged to the Musa clan, and given their innocence, they would find it hard to live among their own people if they knew too much. In fact, she had never intended to involve them at all. She had planned to write a letter to the chieftain and have one of the Herders say they found it in the mountains. In it, she would request a meeting to explain the situation in person.
But Toto pointed out that the men of the clan were convinced that she was a treacherous woman bearing a grudge. Whoever read her letter would see it as a trap. Instead he suggested that she talk to Kassa. He reasoned that as Balsa had saved the boy and his sister, he would feel indebted to her. Both he and Gina were very intelligent, and as children of the chieftain’s sister, they would know who in the clan was most trustworthy. Toto insisted that if she wanted to entrust her message to someone, she should meet Kassa, explain at least some of her story, and ask him to take it for her.
But if he already knows about Jiguro, what should I tell him?
Watching her think, Kassa suddenly decided he had had enough. He sensed there was some important secret between this woman and Master Yuguro, and he was tired of being treated like a child, excluded from adult conversation, denied the truth, and brushed off with lies.
“Mistress Balsa! I’m sick of lying and of being lied to. Please tell me the truth. Did you come here to get revenge, to shame Master Yuguro in front of the clan?”
Balsa fixed her piercing gaze on him, then nodded. “When I first came here, I wasn’t even thinking of Yuguro. But now, yes, I’d like to pay him back twice over for what he did to me.” Her expression was stern. “But not because he killed Jiguro.”
“Then why?”
She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t want to tell you.”
Kassa looked grim. “Then I’ll have to tell the chieftain you’re here.”
Gina stared at her brother in shock. “Kassa!?”
“I can’t stand by and let someone harm the clan. I vowed when I received my dagger that I would lay down my life for my people.”
Balsa saw the desperation in his eyes and smiled. “I understand. You must do what you feel is right. But at least wait until I’m well enough that I won’t get the Herder People in trouble. You owe me that much, don’t you think?”
Kassa felt as though she had effortlessly parried a thrust aimed with all his skill and determination. Then another combatant entered the fray.
“Kassa!” Gina said determinedly. “I’m going to stand by Balsa no matter what. And if you try to tell on her, I’ll do everything to stop you!”
“Gina, stay out of this!”
“I won’t! I’ll risk my life to repay what we owe her!”
“Damn it! Can’t you see? I don’t want to tell on her either. If she would just tell me the truth … If she has a good reason, I’ll risk anything to help her too.”
“Shh! I told you to keep it down.” Toto gave each of them a light slap on the head. “Kassa boy, she’s just trying to protect you. She doesn’t want to bring misfortune on two innocent children by getting you involved. She won’t be able to move properly for another day or two, so there’s no need to be hasty. Take your time and get to know her a little better before you decide.”
Kassa took a deep breath and nodded.
It was almost dusk by the time they came down to the highlands and reached the clan settlement. Gina rushed toward their house, shrieking that she was going to be late helping with supper. Kassa, however, stopped at the sight of a man leaning against the wall of the winter goat pen and gazing absently at the sunset. It was Kahm.
He turned when he noticed Kassa approaching. “Hello there,” he said. Kassa dipped his head in greeting and his cousin smiled. “I just dropped in on your mother, but I’m glad I bumped into you. You’re the one I really came to see.”
Kassa looked up at him in surprise. Kahm was a quiet man with high cheekbones and thick eyebrows, the very image of a warrior. Yet Kassa knew that despite his forbidding appearance, he was very kind. He had often played with Kassa when they were younger, but since his move to the capital a few years ago, they had rarely had a chance to talk.
“You came to see me?”
“Yes.” Kahm smiled, embarrassed. The last rays of the setting sun lit up his profile. “Tomorrow I leave for the capital. I wanted to see you before I left … because the other day you seemed to be the one person in the great hall who was worried about me.”
Kassa’s heart ached for him. “How’s the injury?”
“Oh, it’s fine. It wasn’t very serious in the first place.”
As he looked at his cousin’s profile, Kassa wondered if he had really smeared poison on his spear: Kahm, who more than anyone else hated dishonesty. But he could not ask. Instead he mumbled, “Thank you for coming specially to see me.”
Kahm laughed suddenly. Then his face grew serious and he murmured, “Kassa, do you like Kanbal?”
Kassa glanced at him questioningly. “Yes. Why?”
Kahm gazed down on the forests covering the western lowlands. “I’ve been to other countries, and I know that Kanbal is poor, yet I can’t help thinking that it’s beautiful too.”
Kassa too looked out over the plateau that rolled away to the cliffs and the conifer forests that covered the valley below. He saw what Kahm meant, but he said nothing.
“Soon,” Kahm whispered, “the Giving Ceremony will take place. The future of Kanbal rests on the outcome.” Still staring at the forests, he continued, “If I should fail to return from the Mountain Deep, I want you to know that I’ve died because I loved this beautiful land. Be good to my son Kahmuro.”
Kassa looked at him in surprise. “But … do people die at that ceremony?”
Kahm smiled, but beneath it, Kassa sensed that he was afraid. “I’m only telling you in case, because no one knows what really happens under the mountain.” He placed a hand on Kassa’s shoulder and shook him gently. “I’m sorry to have bothered you with such foolishness. I’d better be going.”
Kassa stayed rooted to the spot, watching his cousin walk away. What was that all about? he wondered. It was almost as if Kahm had been giving him his last will and testament. He shivered and kept his eyes fixed on Kahm as he vanished into the darkness.