Ushulubang eyed her companion, then said mildly: “I should imagine he and his lover have come to live among the demons. Where their—arrangement—would seem natural.”
Shurren’s mantle turned ochre.
“Or have you forgotten, Shurren, that among the demons the males couple with the females?”
Shurren’s mantle turned bright pink.
Indira felt a sudden surge of affection for the old sage. And the tiny hope which she had found the day before grew brighter.
Perhaps. Perhaps . . .
“That is not the same,” protested Shurren. “The demons are—different from gukuy.”
Ushulubang made the gesture of respectful submission—the traditional salutation of a student to the master.
“Ah. I am enlightened. Before this moment, I had always thought gukuy were different from each other as well. But I see now that it is not so. Truly, the pervert Dhowifa possesses a monstrous soul. Why else would he have chosen the organs of Ansha’s greatest warrior to those of the Paramount Mother Ilishito?”
“Ilishito?” exclaimed Indira. “The same—”
“Just so. The same Ilishito who tortured the Pilgrims and slew all my apashoc.”
Indira was confused. “But—this truemale does not seem old enough—”
Ushulubang made the gesture of negation. “Dhowifa was born long after the persecution. Ilishito lived to a great age, Indira. A cruel but vigorous mother. And much given to replacing old husbands with young malebonds.”
Dhowifa spoke.
“Have you—what has happened with my bondbrothers?”
“After you fled with Nukurren, they were disgraced. Almost executed, in fact, but their lives were spared in the end. I do not know what happened to them after. I am not myself in the good graces of the clan, as you know.”
The truemale’s mantle turned deep brown.
Ushulubang made the gesture of acceptance. “What did you expect, nephew?”
“I don’t know. I—could only leave.”
Indira understood, then. Dhowifa had not simply violated accepted standards of sexual morality and abandoned his lawful mate. He had also abandoned his malebond.
The anguish must have been incredible. She stared at the huge, scarred body of Nukurren. There must be something else inside that fearsome figure, to have won such love and devotion.
“Take good care of her,” she said to Maria suddenly. The doctor gave her an unfriendly sidelong glance. As if I wouldn’t?
At Maria’s order, four of the warriors picked up the litter and began carrying it toward her “hospital,” a large hut which the colonists had recently built next to the long houses. As the litter began to move away, Ushulubang called out:
“Have you continued to practice your dukuna?”
The truemale’s voice came back:
“Yes, great-aunt. It has been a comfort these past eightyweeks. I thank you for instructing me.”
Shurren’s mantle flashed orange.
“You instructed him?”
“Just so, Shurren. He was perhaps my best student. Of the clan, at least. He might well have become my best student of all, except that I was unable to visit him often. I was not welcome in the Divine Shell, you know. My visits were infrequent and surreptitious.”
“But—why? Even though he is of your clan, I do not understand why—”
“Why I would waste my time instructing a foolish male?”
Ushulubang made the gesture of abject apology.
“I have forgotten. Only females—and not even most of them; no, only those who follow the Way—feel sorrow at the evil of the world. The rest are dumb beasts.”
Shurren’s mantle rippled pinkish-brown. (A color frequently found upon Ushulubang’s disciples, Indira noted—with great satisfaction.)
“I have offended you.”
“Nonsense! To the contrary, Shurren, you have brought me sudden joy. Your words recall to my memory a long forgotten episode from the days I wandered the streets of Shakutulubac in the company of Goloku. Come, I will tell you about it.”
Ushulubang and Shurren began moving away. Indira heard the sage’s voice drifting back.
“It was a miserable night. The more so because Goloku had gotten drunk. Again.” Indira smiled at the sound of Shurren’s shocked hoot. “Oh, yes—it’s quite true. Goloku was excessively fond of ashuweed. Often made a fool of herself. This night was no different. We encountered a small pack of eumales in one of the back alleys. Six or seven of the disgusting creatures. Beggars and thieves. Would you believe that drunken fool invited them to spend the night in her mantle?”