to set some sort of trap, capture the new poet, and give her over to
blind torturers until she makes the world what it should be."
"And what about Eiah?" Danat asked. "If she manages her bind„ ing-
"What if she does?" Otah said. "She's been against me from the start.
She's gone with Maati, and between them they've sunk the fleet, burned
Chaburi-Tan, blinded Galt, and killed Sinja. What would you have me say
to her?"
"You'll have to say something," Danat said, his voice harder than Otah
had expected. "And we'll be upon them soon enough. It's a thing you
should consider."
Otah looked over. Danat's head was bowed, his mouth tight.
"You'd like to suggest something?" Otah asked, his voice low and
careful. The anger in his breast shifted like a dog in sleep. Danat
either didn't hear the warning or chose to ignore it.
"We're trading revenge," Danat said. "The Galts came from anger at our
arrogance and fear of the andat. Maati and Vanjit have struck back now
for the deaths during their invasion. This can't go on."
"It isn't in my power to stop it," Otah said.
"It isn't in your power to stop them," Danat said, taking a pose of
correction. "Only promise me this. If you have the chance, you'll
forgive them."
"Forgive them?" Otah said, rising to his feet. "You want them forgiven
for this? You think it can all be put aside? It can't. If you ask
Anacha, I will wager anything you like that she can't look on the deaths
in Galt with calm in her heart. Would you have me forgive them for what
they've done to her as well? Gods, Danat. If what they've done isn't
going too far, nothing is!"
"He isn't worried for them," Idaan said from the shadows. Otah turned.
She was sitting alone at the back of the room, a lit pipe in her hand
and pale smoke rising from her lips as she spoke. "He's saying there are
crimes that can't be made right. Trying to make justice out of this will
only make it last longer."
"So we should let it go?" Otah demanded. "We should meekly accept what
they've done?"
"It was what you told Eiah to do," Danat said. "She wanted to find a way
to heal the damage from Sterile; you told her to let it go and accept
what had happened. Didn't you?"
Otah's clenched fists loosened. His mind clouded with rage and chagrin.
Idaan's low chuckle filled the room like a growl.
"Which of us is innocent now, eh?" she said, waving her pipe. "It's easy
to counsel forgiveness when you aren't the one swallowing poison. It's
harder to forgive them for having won."
"What would you have me do, then?" Otah snapped.
"In your place, I'd kill them all before they could do more damage,"
Idaan said. "Maati, Vanjit, Eiah. All of them. Even Ashti Beg."
"That isn't an option," Otah said. "I won't kill Eiah."
"So you won't end them and you won't forgive them," Idaan said. "You
want the world saved, but you don't know what that means any longer.
There isn't much time to clear your mind, brother. And you can't put