Free Serpent and Storm by Marella Sands Page A

keep his voice from cracking on the last phrase. Sky Knife’s heart went out to him, as it always did to the sacrifice. But a sacrifice had to face his fate alone. Sky Knife pretended not to have heard.
    â€œNot that having the Storm God as a protector kept Black Coyote’s father alive,” said Sky Knife.
    Deer shrugged. “As I said, I don’t know about the gods.”
    Sky Knife sighed. “All right. If the family is unavailable this morning, I’ll go out and see some of the city. Perhaps I’ll be better able to understand why the king was killed if I familiarize myself with the people here.”
    â€œCouldn’t you just ask your god to tell you who did it? Isn’t that what priests do—read signs and omens and whatever?” Deer punctuated his statement by throwing his arms out as if to call up divine omens.
    Sky Knife grinned. “Sometimes. But it’s generally more helpful to go out and ask a few questions yourself.”
    Deer frowned. “You’d know best, I’m sure. Is this something you do a lot?”
    â€œNo,” said Sky Knife. “No, I wouldn’t say that.” He put a hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”
    Deer bowed slightly. “Until later, my friend.”
    Sky Knife left the palace. Outside, the bright morning sun warmed his skin. The guards at the front patio let him go without a glance. Sky Knife took a deep breath and stepped out into the street, tensing himself against the crowd of humanity passing by outside.
    â€œLord Priest,” said a familiar voice. Sky Knife looked around for the source.
    Whiskers-of-Rat lounged against the painted wall of the palace. He wore a different tunic today—this one was blue with orange stripes. The bright embroidery of animal figures stalked their way across the material as they had on the red tunic. Whiskers-of-Rat waved and came over to Sky Knife. “Do you remember my help yesterday?”
    â€œYes, of course” said Sky Knife. “But you left before we could discuss payment.”
    Whiskers-of-Rat dropped his gaze, all innocence. “I knew where I could find you,” he said. “And I thought you might yet need a guide.”
    â€œSo you figured you’d get two days’ fee out of me instead of one,” said Sky Knife, amused. He was more glad than he could say to see the guide, actually. He did not want to face this city alone. “Perhaps this time we should discuss the fee.”
    â€œNothing…” the rest of Whiskers-of-Rat’s speech was lost on Sky Knife.
    â€œI didn’t understand,” he said. “Nothing what?”
    â€œToo much,” said Whiskers-of-Rat. “More than you have.”
    â€œExorbitant,” Sky Knife said in Mayan.
    â€œAs you say.”
    â€œAnd what would you consider not too much? You may have noticed I didn’t bring much with me.”
    Whiskers-of-Rat grinned and tapped a temple with a long forefinger. “You are rich, Lord Priest. Rich in knowledge. I want some of that.”
    â€œYou want me to teach you?” Sky Knife was surprised. He hadn’t expected that. “What do you want to know?”
    â€œNo problem. We can talk of that later, surely,” said Whiskers-of-Rat. “It’s such a bright morning, after all. You should be seeing the city now while the new sun makes the city shine.” Whiskers-of-Rat turned to go.
    â€œNo,” said Sky Knife. “Wait.” He stayed where he was and waited for Whiskers-of-Rat to turn back.
    â€œYes?” asked the guide. The morning breeze flipped a long strand of hair in his face. Whiskers-of-Rat pushed it aside lazily.
    â€œI want to know now, before we go anywhere,” said Sky Knife. “What is it you want?”
    Whiskers-of-Rat threw out his arms and heaved an exaggerated sigh. “He doesn’t trust me,” he said to the sky. “What is the world coming