And with a bow of courtesy, he walked away to the bow, a figure of loneliness among so many enemies. His dignity made a silence among them.

“If you will,” said Kurt, “I will go there too.”

“You are of Elas,” said Kta fiercely. “Stand your ground.”

There were hard looks at that. It came to Kurt then that Elas had lost a great deal with Tavi,not alone a ship, but brave men, staunch friends of Elas. And those who surrounded them now, with the exception of Irain, Ilev and Isulan, were Families which sympathized less with Elas.

And even among those, there were some who hated humans. Such, even, was Ian t’Ilev; it radiated from him, a little shiver of aversion whenever eyes chanced to meet.

Only Lu and Toj t’Isulan, house-friends to Elas, elected to sit by Kta at the sharing of drink: and they sat on Kta’s left, Kurt on the right.

Kurt accepted the cup into his fingers gratefully and sipped at the hot sweet liquid. It held its own memories of home and Elas, of sanity and reason—as if there was no power on earth that could change or threaten this little amenity, this odd tribute of the Indras to hearth and civilized order.

Yet everything, their lives and Nephane itself, was as fragile at the moment as the china cup in his fingers.

One round passed in silence. So did most of the second. It was, as the nemet would say, a third-round problem, a matter so disturbing that no one felt calm enough to speak until they had waited through a third series of courtesies and ceremony.

“It is certain,” said Ian at last, “that the Methi’s word is good so far. We are not pursued. We have to consider that she is indeed a Methi of our own people, and it is unthinkable that she would lie.”

“Granted,” said t’Nechis. “But then what does the truth leave us?”

“With Nephane standing,” said Kta very softly. “And I do love the city, t’Nechis. Even if you hate me, believe that.”

“I believe it,” said t’Nechis. “Only I suggest that you have perhaps loved honors the Methi promised you—more than is becoming.”

“She gave him nothing,” said Ian. “And you have my word on that.”

“It may be so,” conceded t’Nechis, and yet with an uneasy look at Kurt, as if any nemet who consorted with humans was suspect. Kurt lowered his head and stared at a spot on the deck.

“How bad,” asked Kta, “have things in Nephane become?”

“T’Elas,” said the younger son of Uset-in-Nephane, “we are sorry for the misfortunes of Elas. But that was only the beginning of troubles. In some houses—in Nechis, in Ranek—men are dead: ypai-sulimhave been drawn. Be careful how you speak to them. Understand the temper of their Guardians.”

The Great Weapons, drawn only for killing and never resheathed without it. Kta made a little bow of deference individually to t’Nechis and to t’Ranek, and a gesture with hand to brow that Kurt did not understand: the other men reciprocated. There was silence, and a little easier feeling for that.

“Then,” said Kta finally, “there would seem to be question whether there is a city to save. I—have heard a bitter rumor concerning Osanef. Can anyone tell me? Details were sparse.”

“It is bad news, Kta,” said Ian. “Han t’Osanef killed Tlekef t’Tefur. The house of Osanef was burned by the Tefur partisans, an example to other Sufaki not to remain friendly to us. The vandals struck at night, while the family slept, invaded the house and overthrew the fire to set the house ablaze. The lady Ia, Han’s honored wife,—died in the fire.”

“And Aimu,” Kta broke in. “Bel and my sister?”

“Bel himself was badly beaten; but your lady sister was hurried to safety by the chanof Osanef. Both Bel and Aimu are safe, at last report, sheltered in Isulan with your father’s sister.”

“How did Han die?”

“He chose to die after avenging lady Ia. His funeral was the cause of much bloodletting.—Kta, I am sorry,” he added, for Kta’s face was pale and he looked suddenly weak.

“This is not all,” said Toj t’Isulan. “The whole city is full of such funerals. Han and his lady were not the first or the last to lose their lives to t’Tefur’s men.”

“He is a madman,” T’Nechis said. “He threatened to burn the fleet—to burn the fleet!—rather than let it sail with Indras captains. They talk of burning Nephane itself and drawing back to their ancestral hills of Chteftikan.”

“Aye,” said young t’Irain, “and I for my part would gladly have the city in Indresul’s hands rather than t’Tefur’s.”

And that sentiment was approved by a sullen muttering among many of the others. T’Nechis scowled, but even he did not seem to be in total disagreement.

“Sirs,” said Kurt, startling everyone. “Sirs, what has Djan-methi done in the situation? Has she—can she do—anything to restore peace in the city?”

“She has the power,” said t’Ranek. “She refuses to control t’Tefur. This war is of her creation. She knew wewould never turn on Indresul, so she puts power in the hands of those who would, those who support her ambition. And that does not respect her office, but neither does she.”

“I do not know,” said the youngest t’Nechis, “why we answer questions from the Methi’s leman.”

Kta moved, and if the elder t’Nechis had not imposed his own discipline on his cousin with a sharp gesture, there would have been trouble.

“My apologies,” said t’Nechis, words that seemed like gall in his mouth.

“I understand,” said Kurt, “that humans have won no love in Nephane or elsewhere. But bear with me. I have a thing to say.”

“Say it,” said t’Nechis. “We will not deny you that.”

“You would do well,” he said, “to approach her with a clear request for action and concessions for the Sufaki who are not with t’Tefur.”

“You seem to favor her,” said t’Ranek, “and to have a great deal of confidence in her. I think we were wrong to sympathize with you for the death of Mim h’Elas.”

Kurt threw out a hand to stop Kta, and himself stared at t’Ranek with such coldness that all the nemet grew silent. “My wife,” he said, “was as much a victim of you as of Djan-methi, though I swear I tried to feel loyalty to the Families since I was part of Elas. I am human. I was not welcome and you made me know it as you made Djan-methi know it, and the Sufaki before her. If that were not the nature of Nephane, my wife would not be dead.”

And before any could object, he sprang up and walked away, to t’Nethim’s lonely station at the bow.

Lhe regarded him curiously, then even with pity, which from the enemy was like salt in the wound.

Soon, as Kurt had known, there came someone sent from Kta to try to persuade him back, to persuade him to bow his head and swallow his humanity and his pride and submit in silence.

He heard the footsteps coming behind him, pointedly ignored the approach until he heard the man call his name.

Then he turned and saw that it was t’Ranek himself.

“Kta t’Elas has threatened bloodfeud,” said t’Ranek. “Please accept my apologies, t’Morgan. I am no friend of Elas, but I do not want a fight, and I acknowledge that it was not a worthy thing to say.”

“Kta would fight over that?”

“It is his honor,” said t’Ranek. “He says that you are of Elas. He also,” t’Ranek added, with an uneasy glance at Lhe t’Nethim, “has asked t’Nethim to return. He has explained somewhat of the lady Mim h’Elas. Please accept my apology, Kurt t’Morgan.”

It was not easy for the man. Kurt gave a stiff bow in acknowledgment, then looked at Lhe t’Nethim. The three of them returned to their places in the circle in utter silence. Kurt took his place beside Kta, t’Ranek with his brother, and Lhe t’Nethim stood nervously in the center until Kta abruptly gestured to him and bade him sit: t’Nethim settled at Kta’s feet, thin-lipped and with eyes downcast.

“You have among you,” said Kta in that hush, “my brother Kurt, and Lhe t’Nethim, who is under the protection of Elas.”