The gray mare waited by the wagons in the care of one of the maji and whinnied when I came into view. Somehow the sight of Shaia only made things worse. Miserable and unable to even accept her open affection, I bundled myself into the back of Nona's wagon and curled up on one of the benches with a patchwork quilt wrapped around me.

I was alone the remainder of the night and most of the next day, with only the old woman checking on me from time to time. Not once did she try to ...