Gama and Hest: An Ahsenthe Cycle companion novella (The Ahsenthe Cycle) by Alexes Razevich Page B

or follow whomever you choose.”
    Reln looked happy at the suggestion — or the gesture of support, she didn’t know which — but said, “It won’t make any difference. All female, all male, or mixed, the danger is the same.” He set his tumbler down. “I’m Reev’s guide. I’ll go, but I will take only males with me.”
    She felt Hest staring at the back of her neck.
    I have to tell you something , he sent. Last night I had the strangest thought — so strong , I heard it in my mind like spoken words . I thought that the females had brought this grief to our lives . That we males would be safe if we could get the females to leave Reev . But then I thought , if the females left , you would leave , too . I wouldn’t want that .
    A cold shiver ran through her. She glanced up and took in the room. Almost all the soumyo of Reev were here, as they were every day for morning meal, but now males mostly sat with males, females with females. Their table was one of the few that was mixed.
     
    -=o=-
     
    Five sisters were in the receiving area when Gama walked out in the morning. Everyone turned their heads to look as she entered the room — the five, plus Reln, Prill, and Hest, all sitting stiffly on the floor pillows. On a few necks, Prill’s among them, the red-pink of certainty lit, as if they already knew where Gama stood. She didn’t know what had brought them to this room.
    Hest sent, You might want to stay out of this . Spare yourself some grief.
    Seems to be too late for that , she sent back.
    Reln gestured toward an empty pillow lying between him and Prill. “Join us, Gama. I’d like to hear your opinion. These sisters,” he spread his hands to acknowledge the visitors, “have some thoughts on the cause of the strange happenings.”
    Gama settled onto the large red pillow between Reln and Prill and glanced among the visiting females, trying to guess who would take the lead.
    Reln nodded to Mahn. Gama wasn’t surprised. Mahn — a stocky, reddish-brown female with watery yellow eyes — had a need to be seen as involved in everything.
    Mahn didn’t speak immediately. She held off, forcing everyone in the room to give her their full attention.
    “Tethyod,” she said, and let the word hang in the air.
    Reln’s lips tightened, but if he was offended or appalled, he gave no other sign. Hest showed nothing on his neck or face either. Gama listened for thought-talk, but evidently Hest had nothing he wanted to say to her.
    Tethyod was the word for male energy, the counterbalance to yononsa — female energy. Gama’s neck warmed at the implication.
    “How do you reason that?”
    Mahn drew herself up tall. “Males have been present at each occurrence. I’ve spent a good deal of time thinking and feeling on the question. I’ve seen the truth of it: the males brought the occurrences.”
    Gama remembered the odd thought she’d had in the night, the same thought Mahn was putting forth now — that the males were at fault here. And Hest had thought it was the females who’d brought these troubles to Reev. A small chill ran across her shoulders.
    “I was there a few times, too,” she said. “Why not blame the females equally? Why is any of this anyone’s fault? It could be something natural. You might as well blame the males for snow that falls unexpectedly during First Warmth.”
    Mahn’s sister Du leaned forward. “Do you think this is a natural occurrence, Gama?”
    Gama drew in a breath. Mahn was the voice but Du the brain of these two. It was clear who’d concocted this theory.
    “Not natural, no,” she said. “But not the fault of anyone we know either.”
    Mahn smiled thinly. “Not intentionally. I didn’t say the males had brought these troubles on purpose. But there is something in their tethyod, in their maleness and essential makeup, that is drawing the troubles to Reev — and to Trontin and Kelroosh.”
    Reln and Hest sat still and quiet.
    Why aren’t you speaking up , Hest ?
    Gama , he