Shadowkill

##

“Ingalina chal Beastmistress.”

A thin wiry woman came forward, tanned leathery skin, sun-bleached blonde hair cut short.

Matja Allina took the last of the rolled up sheets, passed it across to the Beastmistress. “Ommla. Jhapuki. Fraji. Rafiki. Zhya Arru. Tsipor pa Prool. Go with the Beastmistress and do what she tells you.” She settled back into the cushions, accepted a cup of hot broth from Aghilo. “That ends that,” she said. “Ulyinik Polyapo, come here, please.”

She continued to sip at the broth as Polyapo waited across the table from her. Finally she set the mug down. “The supplies I brought from Nirtajai have been stored and inventoried?”

“It is being done, Matja Allina.”

Kizra blinked. That’s a lie, she thought. She glanced at Allina, decided the woman knew perfectly well that her Ulyinik hadn’t stirred herself, that the supplies could have sat out and rotted for all Polyapo cared about them.

“Good. I will expect a plan and a listing, a full accounting by sundown. I’m sure that will be plenty of time since you are already working at it. However, I would appreciate your personal involvement in this inventory since you’ll need to know exactly what you have to work with during the following months. Chapa Tinoopa will assist you in this and in anything else that will ease your labors. Amurra’s Blessing, Ulyinik Polyapo.”

“Blessed be Amurra, Matja Allina.” Polyapo creaked stiffly through the ritual bow, then went sweeping off with Tinoopa following placidly behind.

Aghilo brought out the flask of broth, touched the mug, but Matja Allina shook her head. “No more, thank you. Aghilo chal, your arm, please.”