the eyes of the Oversoul. The Oversoul is a computer set by some distant ancestor to keep his eyes on us, and nothing more - your own husband says so, doesn't he? My wife is not superstitious enough to believe you."
No, no, he shouldn't have said so much. He should have acted. He should have taken three steps and shoved the frail-bodied girl off the edge. She couldn't possibly resist him. Then, having seen him do murder, the others would be all the quicker to obey and be on their way - to safety, to the city, they think. To argue with her was stupid. He was being stupid.
"The Oversoul chose the three of you to be part of her company," said Luet. "I tell you now that if you go over that edge, you will not live to see daylight, not one of you."
"Prophecy?" said Vas. "I didn't know that was one of your many gifts." Kill her now! he screamed inside, and yet his own body didn't heed him.
"The Oversoul tells me that Nafai has made his bow and arrows, and they fly straight and true. This expedition will continue, and you will continue with it," she said. "If you go back now, your daughters will never know that you once abandoned them. The Oversoul will fulfil her promises to you - that you will inherit a land of plenty, and your children will be a great nation."
"When were any of those promises for me," said Obring. "For Volemak's sons, yes, but not for me. For me it's nothing but taking orders and getting yelled at because I don't do everything the way King Elemak wants me to."
"Stop whining," said Vas. "Don't you see that she's trying to ensnare us all?"
"The Oversoul sent me here to save your lives," said Luet.
"That's a lie," said Vas. "And you know it's a lie. My life has not been in danger for a single moment."
"I tell you that if you had succeeded in your plan, Vas, your life would not have lasted five more minutes."
"And how would this miracle have happened?" asked Vas.
That was when Elemak's voice came from behind him, and he knew that he had lost everything.
"I would have killed you myself," said Elemak. "With my bare hands."
Vas whirled on him, furious and, for once, unable to contain his rage. Why should he contain it? He was as good as dead now, with Elemak here - so why not speak his contempt openly? "Would you!" he cried. "Do you think you're a match for me! You've never been a match for me! I've thwarted you at every turn! And you never guessed, you never suspected. You fool, strutting and bragging about how only you know how to lead our caravan - who was it who did what you couldn't do, and turned us back?"
"Turned us back? It wasn't you that..." But then Elemak paused, and Vas could see understanding come to his eyes. Now Elya knew who had destroyed the pulses. "Yes," said Elemak. "Like the coward and sneak you are, you endangered us all, you put my wife and my son at risk, and we didn't catch you because it never occurred to any of us that anyone in our company could be so slimy and vile as to deliberately - "
"Enough," said Luet. "Say no more, or there'll be accusations that must be dealt with openly, which can still be handled in silence."
Vas understood at once. Luet didn't want Elemak to say outright that Vas had destroyed the pulses, not in front of Obring and Sevet, or there'd have to be a punishment. And she didn't want him punished. She didn't want him killed. Luet was the waterseer; she spoke for the Oversoul; and that meant that the Oversoul wanted him alive.
(That's right.)
The thought was as clear as a voice inside his head.
(I want you alive. I want Luet alive. I want Sevet and Obring alive. Do not force me to choose which of you will die.)
"Come back up the mountain," said Elemak. "All three of you."
"I don't want to go back," said Obring. "There's nothing for me here. The city's where I belong."
"Yes," said Elemak, "in a city your weakness and laziness and cowardice and stupidity can be concealed behind fine clothing and a few jests and people will think you're a man. But don't worry - there's plenty of time for that. When Nafai fails and we return to the city - "