Page 181 of Circle of Days

Outside the hall, Sary confronted Joia. “May I have a few words?”

“Of course.” Now, Joia thought, I’ll find out why she was unfriendly to Dee.

Sary said: “If Dee becomes a priestess, are you going to make her Second High Priestess instead of me?”

Joia was surprised by the question. “Why do you think Dee will become a priestess?”

“Why do you think she came to eat with us?”

Joia was taken aback. “Well, she’s never said anything about becoming a priestess.”

“It’s obvious to everyone else. She’s been sleeping next to you every night.”

“I don’t know what that’s got to do with anything.”

“Don’t you? Why did she say she would see you this evening?”

“Because she’s coming to supper with my mother.”

“Really?”

Joia got fed up with this. “Look, Sary. You’re Second High Priestess and that’s not going to change, no matter who may join us. You’re good at what you do and you’re a very good friend. I’m sorry if I’ve done something to make you think that’s going to change, because it’s not.”

“All right.”

“You do believe me, don’t you?”

“I suppose so.”

“Will you give me a hug, then?”

Sary stepped forward and they hugged.

Joia went to Ani’s house. She had not yet had a chance to talk properly to her mother. She found Ani cleaning the inside of a sheep’s skin, using a wood scraper so as not to tear the hide. Joia sat beside her, enjoying resting in the summer sun.

While Ani worked, Joia told her the whole story of the mission. Remembering everything that had happened, she was quite shocked at all they had done. They had dealt with one problem at a time, but now that she related them one after another they made a formidable list.

“You were clever,” Ani commented.

“Seft was the clever one, really, thinking up ways to do things that have never been thought of before. I just tried to make sure the volunteers kept their spirits up.”

“Which might have been the most important thing of all.”

Joia lay on her back. It was a pleasure to be still and not have to go anywhere or heave on a rope. She closed her eyes. “I don’t think it was the most important thing of all,” she said. “But it was important.”

Ani said something that Joia did not hear well, but it did not matter. She was luxuriously weary and the sun was a warm blanket. In a few moments she was asleep.

Ani woke her, shaking her shoulder. “You slept all afternoon!” she said.

“Did I?” Joia was momentarily confused. She looked at the sky and saw that it was evening. “Why did I sleep so long?”

“Because you’re tired. Dee is here.”

Joia turned her head and saw Dee smiling down at her. “You were sleeping like a baby,” Dee said.

Joia sat up, afraid that there was something she had failed to do; then she remembered that the mission was over, and she had no obligations, not today anyway. She could relax.

Ani had put away the sheepskin and was stirring a pot at the edge of a fire. Joia smelled sorrel and mutton. She felt happy. The three of them would eat and talk as long as they wanted to. She could not think of anything nicer.