Lion Head Mesa God knows I could make amends.

they prayed, toula and her holy wolves. tavina snuck a look of encouragement to the girl and another toward senmut, who seemed closed with grief.

she wondered. 

she worked, water for the dry mouth, blood-broth ladled carefully into the weakened jaws.

nazli swallowed what she was able and then was lost to black sleep.

the sesh reclined on her heels. such things belonged to the gods of akashingo now.

but she would not break her vigil, and bathed the still forehead with wet cloths, almost pierced with tears.

as it turned out, neither would senmut; he would cleave to the room as if his heart with tear without it.