Qeya River run

too long it had been since sun eater had spoken with such emotion to another. sulukinak had seen his anger and perhaps some of his hurt; she had known he now could kill and offered respect. meleys was another way, a closer conduit. she took some of this great pain inside the man was once was cen, and he breathed as her words came.

strong. bitter. like disease his story had spread, and like wildfire the shame of it crept on heated claws along his nape. a man who had thrown aside his band, the memory of his first wife, a son lost — he had not even succeeded in the great sacrifices he had made. it had been for nothing. 

for a moment sun eater was angry that meleys spoke of red leaf in this way, but the wisdom of her tones forced him to think. if she had killed ghaden, why not ghelan? 

death-touched. cursed. the blackroot turned their back on his sister. "suppose — ah. the boy's leg is twisted, from birth he has lived like this. i blamed her. and now — meleys. the sharadoii make amulets. i learned among them to make such magick. have you heard of it? red leaf, she believed i held her soul."