The Gods of Garran by Meredith Skye

camp but with the storm made that difficult. They must get to higher ground, in case of an eruption of fire, and also to put distance between them and the Dead Knolls, where the brimstone could overflow. They traveled for hours through the night before the storm let up enough that they found partial shelter under a cliff rock.
    Everyone was downcast and in an irritable mood, their anger aimed at Moorhen, as though he had caused the lake of fire to rise. Perhaps he had. He was too tired to think anymore. Soon he fell asleep in the little bit of shelter they found.
     

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    The ride back to Wanthe was peaceful. Asta sent a quick message to the Agency, letting them know that the water situation was taken care of and that she was heading back to Wanthe.
    She arrived back to town as the sun was setting. The first person that saw her stared in wonder and ran. Soon others came and she was heralded like a clan chief and brought through the town. They must have discovered the water flowing already. She was pleased at their reaction. This would help her cause. The fact that Asta must betray them in the end disturbed her somewhat … but their rebellion had to be stopped.
    They led Asta back to the main clan hall where a feast awaited. Heyvaan the chief greeted her, along with brother chiefs from other nearby clans. Molot was there as solicitous as before of her attention. Everyone accepted her with warmth and trust.
    "You were true to your word, Te'jaste," said Heyvaan. "You have pleased the gods and brought back the water. We all thank you." To this, the others voiced their assent.
    "You're welcome," said Asta, not sure what to say, and feeling another twinge of guilt over using these people.
    Everyone sat and the feast began. She didn't usually like Garran food, but to her surprise--it was pretty good. It wasn't the standard thania mash with red beans. They served a well-done orvallin roast, moon squash with sonthhan nuts and alia sweet-cakes, a delicacy. Impressed, Asta ate and drank freely. This wine was finer than what they had served last time.
    "Will you stay here with us, in Wanthe?" asked Molot, eagerly.
    "No, I'm afraid not," said Asta.
    "Where will you go?" asked Heyvaan.
    Asta took a moment to answer. This is the part where she needed their help. "I'm headed to Koshke," she said. "To see if the Clan Conclave will accept me as clan representative."
    To this, Heyvaan nodded. "We will send others with you, to speak on your behalf. This is the least we can do for the Shaheak Te'jaste."
    The use of the title shaheak surprised Asta and she hoped she was not getting in over her head. "Thank you, Chief Heyvaan. You are too kind." She felt she should set him straight about the title but it would be to her advantage, if they thought she was an associate of the gods. Still, she had no priestly knowledge nor did she know what they might expect. "And, I am not shaheak ."
    The chief looked surprised by this. "No one but the shaheak may enter the temple of the gods and live. You did enter it?"
    Here she felt she was on dangerous ground. If she said no, did it mean she'd desecrated the temple? Things were going too well to turn back now. "Yes, Chief Heyvaan."
    "Then you are shaheak ," he said, as though it were a fact.
    Asta nodded at him, in acceptance.
    "My son, Molot, will accompany you, along with his two cousins as escort."
    Not the son. Did the chief hope to marry her off to his him somehow? Asta managed a polite smile. "I thank you, good Chief."
    He smiled and nodded. "We will give you provisions. The journey will take only four days; we can lead you on the best road."
    "Thank you."
    "You must be tired. You should rest," said the Chief. "Six days is a long time to spend in the mountains."
    Six? Surely it had only been four. "Six?" she asked, cautiously. "What day is today?"
    "The 23rd day of Sacrance," said Molot. "You've been gone a week."
    That couldn't be right. It couldn't have been so many days. That left nearly