“How do you know?”
“It’s how we find ‘em, Brother. An arm here, a leg there. A bone raggedy from teeth.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Something to tell us why they died, mostly.” Brother Mainoa looked at him curiously. “From what you say, you’ve seen plague, haven’t you, Brother. You know it exists.”
The other nodded. “They never told me so, but that’s what killed my family. And the Hierarch died of it. Lots of the people at Sanctity have it. I may have it, without knowing it.”
“Well, there’s some of us think that’s what killed the Arbai. Better tell you now, it’s not Acceptable Doctrine; so don’t go talking about it.”
“Killed them,” breathed Rillibee. “Going to kill us.”
“Ah. Well, there is that. Maybe not, though. If we could find out something…”
“Do you think we can find out anything about the plague?”
The other turned, the wrinkles around his eyes made deeper by the speculative squint with which the Brother was evaluating his new family member. “What I think,” he purred, “is something you and I may talk about someday after you’ve been out in the grass.” He pointed downward. There, spread across the short turf of the north, were the uncovered walls of the Arbai city and the complex network of ditches dug by the Brothers, some of them roofed with arched bundles of tall grasses. Mainoa pointed again, in the direction of their flight. Almost on the horizon, the ramified mass of the Friary bulked darkly against the pale sky. As they drew nearer, Rillibee/Lourai sucked in an astonished breath. Above the Friary floated a city of cobwebs, netted arches, and skeletal towers that moved in the light wind as though they were living things rooted in the soil far below. From some few of the lofty pinnacles flew the banners of Sanctity, complete with golden angels. On seeing these. Rillibee Chime gave one last, dwindling snarl.
“Home,” said Brother Mainoa. “Not a bad place, really. Though the sky climbers will probably make paste of you for a few weeks. Heights frighten you, boy?”
“Falling frightens me. Heights don’t.”
“Well then, I’d say you’ll survive it.”
“What are sky crawlers?” Rillibee’s stomach knotted at the picture this brought to mind.
“Boys no older than you. most of ‘em. Most likely they won’t harm you much. You’ll get by; that is, you will if you can apply a few sensible restraints to your conduct.”
“Yes, Brother,” said Brother Lourai, his eyes cast humbly down. “I will try to restrain myself.”
8
Before Rigo had a chance to meet the Green Brothers, a morning came when the tell-me shrilled news of the lapse. The bon Damfels had assembled for the Hunt, but no hounds or mounts had appeared. Salla. one of Roald Few’s informants, had sent word to Commons and Roald had messaged Opal Hill.
Long-set plans moved into action. The embassy swarmed with cleaners and cooks, readying for the evening three days distant when the awaited reception would occur.
In the little house, Eugenie bit through a thread and bid her docile pet turn a quarter turn to the left- No one else at Opal Hill had seen Pet yet. And no one anywhere would have ever seen her like this.
At the bon Damfels’, Stavenger ticked off the list of those who would attend. Shevlok, yes. Sylvan, yes. No one younger than Sylvan. None of the young cousins. Shevlok would be ordered to pay putative court to thefragrasgirl, Stella, and that would solve that problem.
In Commons the musicians went over their music and instruments, the wine merchant checked his stores, the extra cooks rolled their knives in their aprons. Aircars began to dart toward Opal Hill.
At bon Smaerlok’s estancia. and at bon Tanlig’s, at all the estancias, the grown women went through their ball gowns, deciding what to wear, while their daughters sulked. None of the young women were going, it had been decided. Too dangerous. Only older women, women with good sense, women with a number of liaisons behind them. Several of them had been picked to flirt with the Yrarier son, several good-looking, experienced ones. Whatever else might occur as the result of Sanctity’s embassy reception on Grass, an inappropriate liaison with a young Yrarier was not going to be allowed. So said the elder bons.