“What?”
“My work here is done. You need to take your chief back.”
She turned away, letting them know they were dismissed. Ell was able to rouse himself and move out of the door under his own power. Shur followed after giving Addie one more lingering glance.
A small huff and a grunt from Chele’s corner accompanied their departure. Addie’s patience snapped.
“Don’t try,” she pointed an angry finger at Chele, “to lecture me. Don’t complain and don’t take up any issue. Say nothing at all.”
Chele’s mouth froze forming a word, so fierce was Addie’s expression. But then her eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you a fearless little animal? You brought unknown males in our teepee to doctor them. What were you thinking? You jeopardized all of us!”
“I did what I thought was right. Ell needed treatment.”
“And the other one?”
“He wouldn’t leave Ell alone. I had no choice but to let him come.”
“You’ll change your attitude when the High Counselor drags you out for judgment. Then you’ll learn to keep your skill a secret, but it will have been too late!”
Frustrated, Addie spread her arms wide. “If you’re so scared of being caught, Chele, why do you bother at all? Don’t practice your craft. Forget all about herbs and take up pottery. You like to whittle. There are lots of other things.”
Chele sat up straighter. “I’m born of this line,” she stated with pride. “That is what my pawi wanted me to do. And I like doing it. I do! But our High Counselor stands as firm as a rock about not interfering with nature. You know that.”
Addie expelled a deep breath. “So, Chele, how’s that hip of yours? Any better?”
“Better,” Chele said curtly and shifted her eyes away. For all her subterfuge, she was far from an accomplished liar.
“Wonderful. I’m glad to hear it. From now on, I consider you recovered. You can do your own chores, and you can run your ownerrands.” She glanced meaningfully at her older friend.
“You can’t stop helping!” Chele’s face registered genuine distress.
But Addie felt no hesitation over her decision. She felt nothing except sadness at Chele’s betrayal.
“I can,” Addie said and yawned, drained by the eventful day. “I won’t go on any more guilt trips you’re sending me on. Because I don’t believe you anymore.”
Without another word, Addie went to her pallet where she quickly tidied up after Ell, and lay down, turning her back on Chele and the rest. She tried to fall asleep, but tired as she was, drowsiness abandoned her.
Chele’s betrayal hurt.
Did Addie mean so little to her?
She swallowed the tears that filled her eyes; pressed the corner of her covers to the nose to hide her sniffles. Finding a home, the sense of belonging - it had all been a dream. She was as alone lying next to Chele as she’d been walking the steppe after the city’s demise, with only Ihr and Ehr her companions.
Chele was using her.
And Zoark was using her.
No miracles.
Chapter 32
The unconscious warrior Egis had died during the night.
His passing sent ripples across the settlement. People felt like they hadn’t been hospitable enough like they hadn’t welcomed him sufficiently. And he’d died.
“We didn’t listen to you,” Shur admitted to Addie amid the funeral preparations that she was called to assist with. “He slipped away so quietly. We should have heeded your warning.”
Surprised, Addie lifted her eyes to him. It was rare that a male engaged her in a conversation, much less admitted she’d been right about anything.
