houses, the slave houses, the stables, the wagon yards. You met incoming parties. You frequented the perimeters. Twice you inquired of a lot number.”
“It seems kajirae are observant,” I said.
“We are often about,” she said. “Little attention is paid to us. We may be unobtrusive, but we are often there. We listen. We talk to one another.”
“Curiosity,” I said, “is unbecoming to a kajira.”
“It seems she whom you seek was not in Tarncamp,” she said. “Thus, if she has not wandered into the forest, to be devoured by the beasts, or has not been fed to sleen, or traded south, or such, she must be here, somewhere.”
“I have no interest in slaves,” I said, “save for those natural to a fellow, their utility, as work and pleasure beasts.”
“Men kill for them,” she said.
“You are all collar sluts,” I said. “There is little to choose from; it is merely one piece of meat or another.”
“We bring different prices,” she said.
“So do verr, tarsks, and kaiila,” I said.
“Some slaves,” she said, “have entangled the hearts of Ubars in their meshes.”
“Even a Ubar,” I said, “may be a fool.”
“Some men have given a city for a slave,” she said.
“One who is mad,” I said, “may buy a paving stone with gold, barter a ship for a stick, a palace for a pebble.”
“Has Master not come north seeking a slave?” she asked.
“No,” I said. “Put such foolishness from your head.” It was not clear to me how Asperiche, whom I regarded as an extremely intelligent slave, could utter such vaunted nonsense. It was true I recalled a slave, of course, but I recalled a thousand slaves. That slave might, or might not, be about, but it made no difference to me. My curiosity in the matter was idle, at best, if it existed at all. Asperiche was wrong. It was not possible that I had come north for a slave. One does not care for a slave. They are mere brutes, conveniences, sleek and luscious, to be dealt with as was appropriate for such brutes.
“Still,” said Asperiche.
“Do you wish to be beaten?” I asked, angrily.
“No, Master,” she said, putting her head down.
“Why should I sell you?” I asked. “I could not get a copper tarsk for you, as you are.”
“Forgive me, Master,” she said.
She was covered with mud to the thighs, and her small tunic was spattered with mud. Rain had soaked her hair, and it lay about her head and shoulders, in scattered, bedraggled, unkempt strands.
I stood near one of the halted wagons, which was waiting its turn to try the slope to the valley, beside its rear left axle. Its back was open, and the gate down, and the wagon bed contained a number of packs, including mine. Some fellows were fetching theirs out, with their smaller weapons. Most of the men had not been permitted weapons while on the trail. I, on the other hand, as several others, mostly officers, had been permitted arms. I wore my waist belt, with dagger, and the shoulder belt, with the slung sheath, and gladius. Guards, mostly Pani, had policed the journey. I pulled my pack free, from under others. At the rear of the wagon bed was a number of rings with coiled ropes. It was by means of these that slaves had been tied behind the wagon. There were usually three to five behind a wagon. Most others had been fastened in neck coffles, or wrist coffles. The neck coffles were of rope, the wrist coffles of chain. Shortly after reaching this point, to avoid the danger of a slipping or an uncontrolled wagon, the girls tied behind the wagons had been freed, and herded down the slope. Long log kennels and chains would be awaiting them, and the others, just as a variety of barracks and smaller dwellings had been arranged for the men. Designated precursors had seen to such matters, days ago. I myself had been assigned a hut. I supposed this had to do with the intervention of Tyrtaios. I did not know if it would be shared or not. I was confident it would not be shared with Tyrtaios, as he apparently stood high with the Pani. Rather as I had been permitted weapons on the trail, so, too, Asperiche had not been fastened to a wagon, or coffled, like most of the other slaves, but had been permitted to stay with me. In this Tyrtaios, too, might have been involved. I did not know. This arrangement, however, was