Page 218 of Circle of Days

“What for?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Seft sighed. “Why have you come here?”

“We were attacked by farmers,” Cam said. “They beat us and took everything we had—food, tools, everything.”

That was unlikely. All able-bodied farmers had died in the stampede almost a year ago. Unless Olf and Cam had been beaten up by women and old men, their story was a lie. But Seft did not challenge it. He did not care what the truth was. He said: “Why have you come to see me?”

“We’re hungry and we have no food and nothing to trade. All our flints were stolen.”

“Come with me,” Seft said reluctantly. He led them out of the Monument, then along the track to Riverbend, then showed them a visitors’ house. “You can sleep here,” he said. “You can eat with my family. But that’s all. We eat outside, so you’ll have no reason to go into my house.” He was going to ask them what their long-term plan was, but of course they would not have one. They rarely planned beyond suppertime.

He noticed that both of them were barefoot. “Ani will give you some leather to make shoes.”

Cam said resentfully: “Why don’t you want us in your house?”

“Because you stink. And because with three growing children there’s no room for you. Stay here until sundown, then come for supper. And if you want something to do in the meantime, go to the river and bathe.”

He left them and went to his own house to tell Neen that his brothers were back again. “You sent them away immediately, of course,” she said.

“I put them in a visitors’ house.”

She was furious. “I don’t want them anywhere near me or my children.”

“I told them they’re not allowed inside our house.”

“Gods, they’re liars and thieves and bullies, surely you don’t need to be told that?”

“I know, but they’re starving. I told them they could eat with us.”

“I really wish you had not done that.”

“I’ll make sure they don’t bother you.”

“And what will happen on the day after midsummer, when you go to Stony Valley to fetch the crossbars for the Monument?”

Seft was taken aback. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Well, think of it now.”

He was inspired. “I know,” he said. “I’ll make them volunteer.”

Joia had hoped to see Dee at the Autumn Rite, the Midwinter Rite, and the Spring Rite, and each time she had been disappointed. But Dee had promised to return, so surely she would come at midsummer.

Joia had been thinking about what she would say to Dee for the whole of the past year. She realized she had to be prepared to make some sacrifice. After much agonizing she had decided to tell Dee that she would resign from the priestesshood soon after the Midsummer Rite, when the five central triliths would have been completed in stone. That would be her legacy, and she would leave Seft and Sary to continue the rebuilding of the rest of the Monument. Joia would go to the North Hills with Dee, and they would be shepherdesses together.

She told herself that this would be idyllic: just the two of them in a little house. Dee would teach her how to care for sheep and nurture the lambs born every spring. They would have no worries. Joia would no longer move giant stones or argue with the elders or cause wars.

She knew she would miss the camaraderie of the priestesshood and the excitement and fulfillment of rebuilding the Monument. She had got used to thinking of the Monument as her life’s work. But she would have to put that behind her in order to live with the one she loved.

The only problem was that it would break her heart.

She had rehearsed her speech many times, lying awake at night and wishing she were back in Stony Valley with Dee by her side.

As things turned out, she never delivered it.

The traders began to arrive two days before the Midsummer Rite and, to Joia’s delight, Dee appeared with a flock of hoggets.

She was even more beautiful than Joia remembered, her hair like a tree in autumn, her smile like the rising sun. They hugged and kissed, and Joia had a feeling that everything was going to be all right.