Twelve

“She’s gone? What do you mean, she’s gone?” Spotted Wrist thundered. Little drops of flying spittle made Blood Talon flinch. He fought the urge to reach out and push the war leader back, out of his face.

Around them, the great room in the Four Winds Clan House had gone deathly silent. People were watching, various expressions of amusement, unease, and surprise mixed with a couple of downright smiles.

The fire burned brightly, pots of food bubbling. The scent of roasted venison, turkey, quail, and fish hinted at the extravagance of the anticipated wedding feast.

Clan Matron Rising Flame—dressed in her finest with white swan feather splays at each shoulder, a brilliantly dyed red skirt on her hips, and an eagle-feather cloak hanging over her shoulders—stood with her gilded-cedar staff of office. The copper-arrow headdress on her tightly wound hair gleamed like liquid blood in the great fire’s light. No hint of amusement reflected from her dark and angry eyes.

“Did you search her palace?” Spotted Wrist demanded, his right hand spinning the thick leather arm guard on his left arm—a sign of frustrated embarrassment that Blood Talon had seen but rarely over the years.

“I myself went through her palace, War Lea … er, Clan Keeper. I had warriors posted on all sides. There was no way she could have escaped. As soon as I determined that she wasn’t in her palace, I sent warriors in all directions. Some to her aunt Blue Heron’s, some to the Morning Star’s palace, others to see if she might be at Rides-the-Lightning’s or perhaps the Sky Watchers’ or the Surveyors’ society, even to the Record Keepers’ society house, and the Women’s house. She wasn’t in any of those places. No one even reported seeing her after she returned from the canoe landing yesterday.”

“What did her servants say?”

“That she left this morning.” Blood Talon fought to keep his face straight. “They, uh … Well, one of them, a big man, almost seemed amused. Made me want to take a war club to his smug face. He assured me that the lady had left just after dawn in company of the Red Wing, but he hadn’t a clue as to where she’d been headed.”

Spotted Wrist’s face worked, the corners of his lips quivering. He twisted his arm guard back and forth so hard that Blood Talon wondered if it would chafe his commander’s skin.

“I won’t have this! Go! Now, Squadron First. You take your men and you find that woman if you have to pick her up out of the Morning Star’s bed and bring her to me.”

Blood Talon bent his head low, smacking a fist to his forehead in submissive obedience. “Yes, War Lead … Clan Keeper. Right away, Lord.”

Spinning on his heel, he winced as Spotted Wrist angrily kicked one of the stewpots, shattering the ceramic and blasting hot liquid to hiss in the fire and spatter on the matting.

I pity Night Shadow Star. Something tells me her wedding night is going to be most unpleasant.