Page 186 of Moon Chosen

Thrumming with barely contained hysteria, the women surged forward, spreading around Mari and down and across the dock. The first woman took Isabel’s hand. Another stepped forward taking Mari’s other hand, and then, like a ripple over water, all of the women joined hands.

Mari tilted her face to catch what was left of the moonlight. She closed her eyes and began to sketch within her imagination the most intricate, most beautiful drawing she had ever created. In her drawing she imagined the power of the moonlight to be like rain. She drew it falling from the sky in a beautiful, shining downpour, filling every woman below and Washing all sadness from them in a torrent of benevolent power.

Mari felt the wind whipping around her, lifting her hair and caressing her body as if to encourage her. Holding the image firmly in her mind, Mari spoke the invocation to the moon.

“By right of blood and birth channel through me

That which the Earth Mother proclaims my destiny!”

Power such as she had never before known flooded Mari, filling her… filling her… filling her until she overflowed—and that overflow spilled into the waiting women, Washing through them, and carrying away the despair that had clung to them like a rancid smell.

When the power was drained completely from her, Mari opened her eyes. Everyone was staring at her. The silence was so profound that it seemed to be deafening.

And then a woman whose face Mari recognized as one of the Clan, but who had gone missing so many winters before that Mari couldn’t recall her name, let loose her neighbor’s hands and stepped forward.

She spoke simply, though her face was alight with joy. “Thank you, Moon Woman.” She bowed deeply, reverently, to Mari.

All around her the women mimicked her actions. Each spoke their gratitude, and then showed homage by bowing deeply to Mari.

Mari stood on the impromptu podium, tears of happiness overflowing her eyes, as she accepted their thanks as simply and honestly as her mother would have accepted them.

Then one woman spread wide her arms as more wind whipped around them. Laughing, she began to dance, her feet tapping a fast, joyous pattern on the dock. Other women joined in the dance, until the music of their feet vibrated across the dock, lifting into the wind with their laughter.

Mari searched over the sea of dancing women until she found Nik. Their eyes met and she felt the touch of his gaze like a caress. He smiled and nodded his head, mouthing the wordswell done Moon Womanto her.

“Get back in your houses immediately and no one will be hurt!”

At the sound of the shout, Mari whirled around. Kayaks filled with Companions and their canines surrounded the floating houses. Each had a crossbow lifted, aimed at the crowd of dancing women.

Sol began pushing his way through the crowd, heading for the far side of the dock facing the throng of boats. Nik hurried to Mari. He reached her as the women’s dance faltered and they began to mill around in small clusters.

“Wilkes, I am in charge here!” Sol’s deep voice echoed across the water, stilling the frightened voices of the women behind him. “These women, these captive women we call Scratchers, but who are really Earth Walkers, have been mistreated by the Tribe for generations. Their melancholy, which grows so great they will their lives to end, is unnatural, and only occurs because they are prisoners. It is unjust and inhumane. As your chosen Leader and Sun Priest, I cannot, in good conscience, allow their abuse to continue.”

“So instead you would consign your own people to death?”

Sol searched the faces before him until he found Cyril. “No, my old friend, instead of allowing their abuse I would ask my people to do the right thing.”

“Take me to your father,” Mari told Nik. Without questioning her, he quickly guided her through the clustering women. They stepped beside Sol, Rigel and Laru flanking them. She faced the old man who had been speaking, and raised her voice so that it would carry over the wind and water to all of the watching Companions. “I can cure your blight.”

One voice, fueled by hatred, could be heard over the disbelieving outcry. “That’s her! The mutant who is not of the Tribe, but who has lured a canine to her!”

“Ah, so this group is here because of your poison, Thaddeus,” Nik said. “I should have known.”

“This group is here because Thaddeus had the presence of mind to come to me when he discovered you and your father had allowed an intruder among the Tribe—one who is here expressly to rob us of our Scratchers!” Cyril shouted.

“They’re Earth Walkers! And they’re people, not property. They cannot belong to you,” Mari told the old man.

“Young woman, you should learn your place and not speak back to your elders,” the old man said.

“Is that how you rule in the Tribe? Through intimidation and ignorance?” Mari’s questions shot out.

“That’s enough! Silence that creature and get the Scratchers back in their houses,” Cyril commanded.

“Cyril, Mari is here by my invitation and under my protection,” Sol said.

“Then you choose her over your own people!” Thaddeus sneered. “I see where your son gets his twisted propensities.”

“By choosing to protect Mari Iamchoosing my own people,” Sol said. “She is Earth WalkerandCompanion. She is both in one. You know my words are true, Cyril, and you know why they are true—even if you will not admit it. Mari can also heal the blight. I have witnessed it.”