10: His Holy Bones Read Online Free

closer he recognized Wah’roa at the head of the troop and Kansa standing her ground in front of the wagons. Tanash sat on the closest wagon, holding the reins and looking both pained and bored. John waved at her and she squinted at him for several moments. Then, as John came closer, she suddenly grinned and waved back. Both Kansa and Wah’roa looked back at him. John took the last few feet of the walkway quickly.
    Ji had been right to suspect that Wah’roa would want control of the Fai’daum refugees and their supplies. Though, John quickly grasped that it wasn’t just greed that motivated Wah’roa. Whole districts of Vundomu were still dangerous. Many oil fires had just been trenched and left to burn themselves out; several buildings remained unstable; and much of the water on the lower terraces had been contaminated by ruptured sewage pipes. Wah’roa didn’t want the Fai’daum or their livestock wandering haphazardly through Vundomu.
    “Certainly, we will accept your escort, but that doesn’t mean that we are under your command.” Kansa stared intently at Wah’roa and John suddenly noticed how much she resembled her brother, Pirr’tu. Looking at her thick dark brows and hard angular jaw, John couldn’t help but wonder if Pirr’tu, Tai’yu, and Saimura had gotten word from Fenn and Lafi’shir. He wondered if they were still waiting at the Hearthstone and what they had made of his sudden departure.
    “Everyone entering Vundomu is under the command of the kahlirash’im,” Wah’roa stated. “This is our holy city. And those who come here will obey our laws.”
    “I’m sure no one is thinking of breaking any laws,” John said.
    Both Kansa and Wah’roa looked at him. Kansa’s expression was one of annoyance at the interruption, but Wah’roa immediately bowed his head to John.
    “Do you wish them to be allowed in, my—”
    “Jath’ibaye,” John cut in quickly.
    Wah’roa took a moment, seemingly gathering his will, and then said, “If that is what you wish, Jath’ibaye, then it will be done.”
    “It is. Thank you, Wah’roa.”
    Kansa frowned at John curiously and Tanash stared at him with her mouth hanging just slightly open.
    “Ji says that the Fai’daum will share their supplies with us. And many of Ji’s students are trained in healing. Their assistance could save men’s lives.”
    John felt odd using the term ‘us’ so freely with Wah’roa. He’d hardly spent more than two days with the man, but during that time they had labored and suffered for a common cause. They had saved lives and stabilized much of Vundomu. John couldn’t help but feel a bond in that.
    “We would be glad for the aid,” Wah’roa said.
    “How do you think we could best shelter them all?” John asked.
    “It’s my decision then?” Wah’roa raised his brows.
    “You’re the commander of the kahlirash’im. You would know best.”
    “All right.” Wah’roa straightened. “We can house the majority of them on the fifth terrace, but they have to stay clear of the fires. The animals will have to be taken to the sixth terrace or there won’t be water for them.”
    “Does that sound good to you, Kansa?” John asked.
    Kansa squinted at John as if she still couldn’t believe that it was him she was looking at. John wondered if he had changed since she had last seen him. Or more probably, he hadn’t changed and she couldn’t imagine what sway an incompetent witch like himself could have over a kahlirash commander.
    “Yes, it sounds fine. Thank you.” The last she said to Wah’roa. He simply inclined his head.
    “My men will escort you up,” Wah’roa replied.
    Kansa nodded and strode back to the lead wagon. She took the reins from Tanash and then followed the kahlirash’im up the newly repaired walkway. John watched the wagons, shepherds, and herds of animals file past. He could see the wonder and fear in the people’s expressions as they took in the destruction around them. John gazed at the