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.""It is that, really." She slowly made one circuit of the table."Unlike Men, we return our dead to the earthunencumbered by tokens and trophies of their mortal existence.Those who loved the deceased areasked to soothe their hurts; then we release the dead from any obligation they had to us." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlShe started to reach out toward Rik, but she hesitated.Death being so uncommon among her people,yet with so many dying back in the time of Neal, the ritual had become sacrosanct among Elves.Shewanted to honor Rik for the person he had been inside, ignoring utterly his mortal shell, but she knewcountless Elves who would take more offense at her honoring him in this manner than they would at herhaving slept with him.Apostasy and heresy are no strangers to my family.She shook her head.It is right to do this.She extended her left arm, lowering her hand, and allowed the tip of her middle finger to trace one of thepurple cuts on Rik's chest.The first extended three inches from his breastbone up toward his throat andsimilar wounds scored the flesh beneath each breast.Identical diagonal cuts marked his chest near hisshoulders and the lower edges of his ribs.The last laceration was the worst; a long, ragged crescent cutthat had opened his belly.The part of her inclined toward being clinical cataloged the likely damage done by each of the smallercuts.The Haladina preferred the curved jambyfa dagger for close work, and she knew each of the cutsran down and in to meet in Rik's heart.He would have died quickly, almost without pain, but as shetouched each hole, she could feel the outrage Rik had known as his life ebbed away.Clinical detachment dissolved in an ocean of memories.Gena forced away the few bad ones, releasing Rik from his part in any negative thoughts.She clung tothose wonderful and wondrous visions of the time they had spent together.It seemed such a short time,yet she had never felt they would end.Cloaking her wounded soul in the happy times, she let go of thelast bit of resentment that of having been abandoned by Rik and looked up as Berengar spoke in agentle voice.Berengar slowly shook his head."The Haladina refer to that form of death as tmemja tal-karti.Ittranslates as 'Eight Cuts,' but each blow has significance to them.They reserve it for traitors."Bile rose in her throat as she touched the start of the curved wound on Rik's stomach.Her fingers foundcold, waxy flesh where so often she had felt only warmth before.Rik's stomach had been flat, but nowgapped slightly open at the wound.Deep inside it she could see the blue-white rope of his bowels.Though Berengar had tried to shield her, she had heard the rumors about how the Haladina had loopedRik's intestines around his neck, draping them over him like an obscene bloody garland.Clenching her teeth, Gena forced herself to trace every inch of the wound.She felt its cruelty andchoked back her anguish and fury.She knew Rik would never have screamed in pain, but would havejust glowered in anger at his assailants.She vowed she would not dishonor him by breaking down, eventhough her throat hurt with suppressed emotion.You will be avenged, my love, by my action, because of my love.That wound salved with her vow, Gena looked up at Berengar."Why would they think Rik a traitor?"Berengar would not meet her eyes."Who can know the minds of the Haladina, my lady?""You need not spare me more pain, Berengar, for it cannot be worse than what I already feel." Genatouched the corners of Rik's mouth and gently brushed her fingers across his split lips.His right cheekand eye bore livid bruises, and a small cut had a curious right-angle twist to it, as if it had been made by a Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlring.She raised her hand to her lips, kissed her fingers, then again touched Rik's lips."He betrayed no one.They could have taken him as a spy for your family, I suppose.""That might explain their killing him, but not in this manner." Berengar hesitated, then frowned."I haveheard a rumor."Her head came up."What rumor?""A disturbing one.I had heard disturbing stories about Durriken and his vocation.I accepted him on thestrength of his traveling with you, but.""You wonder if Durriken was playing some game on the Riveren side of things?" Gena shook her headadamantly and let fire play through her voice."I may not have known Durriken long by Elven standards,but I knew him well.I knew everything about him because he opened up and shared himself with me."Her voice caught as she realized there had been many things she had not shared with Durriken, and shewondered if he knew she had held things back from him."He would not have betrayed us, my Lord.Ofthis I am certain."Berengar nodded once, curtly."Then that is no longer a consideration.I do not know how their mindswork, but the Haladina killed him and the Haladina will pay." His expression slackened for a moment,losing its fierceness."That is, they will pay if you still feel able to undertake the trek for which Isummoned you here.Without Rik, well, there is no onus upon you to do this thing.I can understand ifyou wish to mourn.I do not know enough about the Sylvan culture to know what you will do in thatregard."Gena nodded."We mourn privately, at moments in which we feel a closeness to the deceased.Death isnot as common among us as it is here, and seldom does it come prematurely, so there is not often thatmuch regret." Looking down at Durriken, she brushed hair from his forehead."I have so much to regret,and so little to remember."Berengar extended his left hand toward her and opened it."Perhaps this will allow you to rememberhim."From his palm she drew Lord Orvir's ring and the silver chain to which it had been married."My Lord,this was your brother's ring
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