Ouroboros Spine [m] ⊡ ukaksitaak ⊡

she was shaking where she stood. none of this made sense to sulukinak except the prospect of departure, of banishment. if this was how people behaved when they lived together to such quantities, she knew she would be happier and safer away from this place.

they each looked upon her with shock, disgust, and rage; she saw her mother's face in her mind and smelled the blood that vaire's spirit summoned to their eye.

there was always a caveat.

we go, far, as he says. so far the name of moon village is not known. away from sunshine place; please! please. could she do it? sulukinak had made such a journey once before and it had nearly ended her - and dutch, would he understand? he had his family, now. he had the sunshine.

to vaire, take your blood price, but not all of him. please.

her mother would have beaten her for such a choice as this, ignoring what she had been well taught as a child; having heard the stories of these horrible men and what they had traded in their travels. but sulukinak was desperate now - she thought only now of cen and their shared blood.

if spilling some would appease these people enough, let them take an eye, let them wound him with traitor's marks, so his crime could be seen plainly.