Free Heavens Before by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow

pleased with her victory, Iltani sauntered toward the settlement, never looking back.
    Annah lay on the moist earth and wept.

    Eventually, recovered enough to move, Annah got toher feet and put on the veil. All the way back to the settlement, she blamed herself for not properly concealing the precious shell carving. How could I have believed it was safe? I should have known someone would see it eventually. How can I go to the river and face him without the carving? I have to get it back .
    She entered the lodge warily. There was no sign of Yerakh, but she heard voices at the far end of the lodge, behind the taut leather partition where Parah and Iltani stored the dried grains, spices, and roots for cooking. Annah paused and listened. Iltani was actually chattering pleasantly.
    “I found this while I was looking for the honey, and I’m so glad! I wanted a sea stone like the one that trader wore last year, but it’s no use asking Yerakh for such a thing. Anyway, this is pretty, isn’t it?”
    “As you say,” Parah agreed, noncommittal. “I haven’t seen anyone wearing it in the settlement. You found it in the open? On the path?”
    “Didn’t I say so?” Iltani huffed. “Anyway, I’m going to use some of the honey for cakes tonight.”
    “Who could have dropped such a thing?” Parah asked, obviously still pondering the shell carving.
    “I don’t care who dropped it,” Iltani said defensively. “I found it, so it’s mine.”
    Liar , Annah thought, shutting her eyes. She had no strength to fight Iltani for the shell carving. She would have to bide her time and steal it back.
    The sound of water being poured made Annah lick her dry lips. She had eaten no solid food for more than two days; by now she was so hungry that plain water seemed like a feast.
    “Come here,” Parah called out. “Annah, come here.” Realizing that her mother had sensed her presence,Annah lifted the veil from her face. Eyes lowered, she crept past the taut leather partition and knelt on the mat near her mother, like a trained creature.
    She felt her mother’s impassive scrutiny, then heard her sigh and turn away, apparently giving her attention to an assortment of spices, flavoring pastes, and grains she had gathered on the tray before her. Iltani’s opened leaf-packet of honeycomb lay beside the tray, and Annah’s discarded grass bag was beside the mat.
    I’ll get it later, when Iltani’s not looking , Annah decided. Now, however, I need some water. I’m dying of thirst .
    As Annah was thinking this, she heard her mother pouring water into a wooden cup and carefully setting the small clay water jug down on the tray.
    “What are you doing? ” Iltani demanded. “That’s mine! I gathered that honeycomb, you didn’t.”
    “And I gathered the last store of honeycomb, which you ate,” Parah responded, wearily. “You can part with one piece.”
    “To sweeten water for that creature?”
    “She needs nourishment, Iltani. She’s missed at least a full day’s worth of meals. Have you ever missed a meal in your life?”
    “Are you saying that I eat too much?” said Iltani, her voice rising dangerously. “Next you will say that I don’t deserve your son!”
    Setting the cup down before Annah, Parah said, “I meant no offense, Iltani. And I know Yerakh does not admire women who are too thin. Now, if you aren’t going to clean those sweet-bean pods, give them to me.”
    “Well,” Iltani said, still irate, “from what I hear, Tseb-iy likes his women to be thin. And young.”
    “We will not talk of Tseb-iy,” Parah answered quietly.She began to split the long, dark sweet-bean pods with her thumbnails.
    Annah sipped her honeyed water unobtrusively, casting quick, sidelong glances at her mother’s hands. Parah was too busy, too intent upon her work. She looked tired. Bloodless.
    Iltani sighed—a sweetly false sigh of concern—and scooped some dried grain from a deep storage basket. “Oh, I’ve upset you, I’ma. Don’t