She couldn't stop him.Cinnidar was his home. These were now his people.
"Be careful," shewhispered.
He smiled at her. "Andyou."
The smile was brilliant,loving, its light banishing the grimness from his expression. She felt warmed,comforted, suddenly flooded with confidence. Together they could get throughthis. She stood up. "Finish your coffee, Margaret. I'll go saddle Bedeliaand a fresh horse for you." "It is bad," Dilam said soberlyafter Jane had stopped talking. Then, more firmly, "It must nothappen." She turned to Li Sung. "We must stop them. I will not havethe Savitsars back on my island."
"I'm surprised youinclude me." Li Sung lifted his brows. "Can you women not do withoutthe help of lowly males in this endeavor?"
Dilam grinned. "I toldyou men were fine warriors. It is now time for you to prove yourself."
"I do not have to provemyself to you."
Dilam's smile faded. "No,you do not. I know what you are."
Jane looked from one to theother. The exchange between them held no sharpness, only a gentle raillery andamused understanding. It was clear that the elephant was not the only one whohad won over Li Sung since this clearing operation had started.
"We need your help but wedon't want to endanger your people, Dilam." She added, "Abdar's menhave rifles."
"You told me." Dilamfrowned. "But we know the island. That is also a weapon. Li Sung tells methis Abdar is even worse than the Savitsar who came before. I will not havesuch horrors visited upon our people again."
"It will nothappen." Li Sung smiled into her eyes. "Did you know that in mylanguage there are two characters for the wordcrisis?One means danger,the other means opportunity. We need only to heed the danger and seize theopportunity." He turned to Jane. "You say Ruel wants the camp movedacross the river?"
She nodded.
"Then we will doit." He said to Dilam, "Perhaps you will have the kindness to go toyour village and obtain several more worthless males to fight yourbattles?"
"I might be able to finda few capable of performing the task," Dilam said as she rose to her feet."What of the elephants?"
Jane had forgotten about theelephants. There were so many things to think about, so many dangers to face."Abdar hates elephants. To keep them safe, you'll have to drive them eastacross the river and back into the jungle."
Li Sung nodded. "It canbe done. Dilam and I will start them across the river before she goes to thevillage."
Jane stood up. "Thenlet's get to it."
Chapter21
Ruel arrived at the newencampment across the river near noon the next day. As soon as he stepped outof the canoe, Jane knew the news was bad. His face was drained of color andheld the same strain and emptiness it had reflected when he had looked down atthe ruins of the train tracks at Lanpur Gorge.
"What is it?" shewhispered.
"He's dead," he saidjerkily.
"Who? Kartauk?"
"Ian." He gazedstraight ahead. "Kartauk was brought into Medford's camp unconscious.Tamar struck him on the head on orders from Ian. He knew someone had to delayAbdar or they'd all be caught. Ian decided it should be him."
"Oh no!"Overpowering sadness swept through her. It wasn't fair. Ian—gentle, sweet Ian,who had been robbed of so much. "You're sure?"
"Abdar was kind enough tosend proof. Ian's death mask."
"His what?"
"Kartauk says he collectsthe damn things. Abdar sent Tamar with Ian's mask." He added jerkily,"With a warning to me not to resist him."
"You saw it?" sheasked, sick.
He shook his head."Margaret wouldn't let us open the box. She gave it to Medford to keep.Kartauk had told her what the masks looked like." His lips thinned into apinched line. "Abdar never chose an easy death for any of hisvictims."
