Maia

wouldn' they? I think she was speakin' no more than the truth when she said she'd always been very fond of Elvair. Anyway, she showed it now: either that or else she took a tremendous gamble to save somethin' for herself out of the wreck of Kembri's household. She went to Santil and begged for Elvair's life, and he actually agreed to spare him-I dare say he thought he was hardly worth killin', he was held in such contempt by everyone-provided she took him away somewhere, to the back of beyond.

"And so she did. They raised enough money between them to buy an estate somewhere up by Kabin, and there they are now, as far as I know.",

"Well, I hope they're happy, that's all I've got to say," said Maia. "I always liked Elvair. He was ever so nice to me, and just because he couldn't do that silly fighting-"

"And told everyone he could, and led hundreds of lads to their death," said Occula. "Still, we woan' argue about that, my precious banzi. I'll tell you about another man who's got a nice estate nowadays-Zirek. Santil gave him Enka-Mordet's estate in Chalcon."

"He never!"

"He did. Well, there were no next-of-kin left to inherit, you see, and it needed someone to step in and take over before it all went to pieces. Zirek's married to a Chalcon girl and doin' very nicely, apparently. I can' quite see him runnin' an estate, somehow, can you? But apparently he's thrivin'. He sent me a message-by a pedlar, if you please- sayin' wouldn' I go down there and stay with them? Well, p'raps I will one day, who knows?"

"But what happened when you got back to Bekla?" asked Maia. "To yourself, I mean? Do tell me."

"Oh, to me? Well, it was a bit like you comin' back from the Valderra, only not quite so spectacular, of course. No one knew exactly what had happened, you see. A few people know the name 'Streels'-though it's very unlucky to utter it-but no one really knows what they are, or what happens there. That's why I made you swear, banzi; and I strongly advise you never to break that oath, for your own sake."

"I shan't," said Maia. "Don't worry!"

"Well, anyway: they didn' know what had happened, but they knew I'd put paid to Fornis single-handed, because Zuno told them-that and no more. Santil sent for me and more or less offered me whatever I wanted, within

reason. I said all I wanted were Zai's jewels that Fornis had stolen. The rest I'd do on my own. He gladly gave me all the jewels, every one of them"-Occula touched for a moment the great emerald at her throat-"and then he said that of course I must have a house of my own in the upper city. Well, when I got to thinkin' about it I didn' see why I shouldn'. After all, N'Kasit had got one-and very well-deserved, too, everybody said. Fordil, too, by the way."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Maia. "He was the best of the lot, was old Fordil! If anyone ever deserved honor and glory it was him!" s

"Oh, they come from all over everywhere these days, and pay him thousands to teach them; and he plays for the Thlela, of course. Anyway, Santil did give me a house, and whose d'you think it was? Whose?"

"Never mine?"

Oecuja nodded, smiling. Maia looked at her with tears in her eyes, but whether of joy or sorrow even she herself could not have told.

"You doan' mind, banzi, do you?" asked Occula, with a touch of anxiety.

Maia shook her head. "Does the pantry door still stick? Ogma never could remember to get it fixed. Used to drive me wild, that it did."

"Probably. But tell you the truth, I only lived there until the beginnin' of last Melekril. That was when I joined Shenda and gave up bein' a shearna. We'd both made fortunes, anyway, you see. We're livin' in what used to be Sencho's house: that's a laugh, isn' it? I've changed it completely, of course. You'd hardly recognize it if you went back."

"Oh, do tell me! Every last thing!"

Occula did so, at length and in detail. "Kantza-Merada was still in our old place under the floorboard in the bedroom where we hid her that night-the night of the killin'. Remember?"

Maia nodded. "I'm so glad no one else found her!"

"And I've got Lokris as my saiyett, although, as I said, it's Zuno who really runs the place-specially when we're not there. Only Shenda's been travelin' all over the empire this summer, you see-wherever Santil wants any bar-gainin' or mediatin' done. I rather enjoy it."

"I should just about think you would!" said Maia, re-

calling the triumphant figure riding through the streets that afternoon. "But what about our friends the shearnas, Oc-cula? Do give my love to Nennaunir, won't you? She was always such a good friend to me."

" 'Course I will. She'll be delighted to hear I've seen you again. Well, she's given up bein' a shearna, too, 'cos she married Sednil, you know."

"I always hoped she would. Are they all right?"