"No." Jane knew the memory of those hideous masks would haunt her for the rest of her life. "How can you destroy them?"
"I cannot destroy them. I told you, gold is immortal." He smiled faintly. "But I can change them. I can melt down the gold and make something beautiful from that ugliness."
"Jan's too?"
"I'm not sure." His brow wrinkled thoughtfully. "There was something odd about the way Pachtal behaved when it was mentioned." He stepped back away from the canoe. "I will come back to the encampment as soon as I find all the masks."
Chapter 22
When Jane and Ruel arrived, the encamp ment had the air of a circus fairground with Cinnadans milling around, laughing and gesturing, reliving their victory.
Jane's spirits could not help but be lifted in response. Her gaze searched the throng. "I don't see Li Sung."
Ruel nodded across the clearing. "There he is."
Li Sung was coming toward them but was forced to stop every few steps to speak to one of the jubilant warriors. His face reflected the same euphoria when he finally reached them. "Were we not magnificent?"
"Magnificent. What's the damage?" Ruel asked.
"No deaths. Seven wounded." He nodded at a hastily erected lean-to across the encampment. "Margaret and Tamar are tending them."
"And the elephants?"
"One was shot. Dilam is cleansing the wound now\ She believes it is not bad."
"Good," Jane said, relieved. "I was afraid it would be worse. There was so much shooting."
"The soldiers were so frightened, they couldn't even hit a target as big as an elephant. They will probably not stop running until they get back to their ship." Li Sung grinned. "It was truly an exhilarating experience."
A smile tugged at Jane's lips. "Even crossing that river underwater?"
Li Sung made a face. "You can be sure I made certain those reeds you and Ruel crafted had no blockages. Water will never be my favorite element."
"But you did well with it," Ruel said. "You couldn't have done better, Li Sung."
"You are correct," Li Sung agreed. "I was splendid. Even Dilam grants I was adequate." He turned. "I will see you later. I must go help Dilam with the wounded elephant."
Jane stared after him as he limped away through the throng. He was still dressed in the loincloth he had worn to cross the river, his limbs bare.
"What's wrong?" Ruel asked as he saw her startled expression.
"His bad leg . . . he's always kept it covered, even from me."
"It doesn't seem to bother him now. Perhaps he's decided he has nothing to hide," Ruel said. "We all seem to have let ourselves come out in the open."
She looked at him with amused surprise. He actually thought what he said was true. She doubted if Ruel would ever be completely open even with her. He would always be the mysterious mandarin who had dominated her thoughts and emotions these last three years. Yet he would also be the man who had torn his flesh to shreds dragging Caleb through the jungle and the brittle, tortured man she had held in her arms two nights ago. "Well, what do we do now?"
"Tomorrow we go back to the palace to assess the damage and start repairs." His face clouded. "And there are arrangements to be made."
Ian.
She nodded and took a step closer to him. "Hadn't we better go find Margaret and tell her about Abdar?"
He took her hand. "Aye, it will be good to give her some good news for a change."
Kartauk did not return to the encampment for another four hours. Margaret was waiting when his canoe finally approached the shore.
"Well, did you manage to stir up enough trouble to suit you?" she asked as he stepped out of the canoe. "Jane and Ruel came back immediately, but you had to stay and rake among the ashes like a ghoul in a cemetery."
"Such tender sentiment." He pulled the canoe up the bank. "Did you wait here to call me a ghoul or only out of curiosity?"
"Curiosity?"
He nodded at the sack in the bottom of the canoe. "They told you about the masks, didn't they?"
"You're making it sound as if you believe I'd stay to see that horror. I should have known you'd lack the delicacy of feeling to understand."
"Then why wait on this damp riverbank for my unworthy self?"
"You know why I'm here."
"But this time you must put it into words."
She stared at him belligerently and then reluctantly said, "I regret what I said before you left. My words were hasty. I did not mean ... I have no desire to see you die."
"I'm greatly relieved."
"You are no such thing," she said sharply. "You know me too well not to read my true feelings, and it is most unkind of you to make me explain myself."
"Most unkind," he agreed. "Now build a fire while I go to Medford's tent and fetch Ian's mask."
She flinched, her gaze going to the sack. "Jane told me you were going to melt down the masks."
"We are going to melt them down, apprentice."
"I don't think I can—"
"It needs doing," he interrupted. "And you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
"Tonight?"
"Tonight." He strode away from her. "Make the fire here on the bank. It will take most of the night, and we don't want to disturb the others."
The fire was blazing briskly when he returned carrying the wooden box she recognized as the object Tamar had brought to Medford's camp. She avoided looking at it as she stirred the logs beneath a huge black kettle. "I've already put the other masks in the kettle. I tried not to look at them, but I couldn't help it. You're right, Abdar was a monster."
"You could have waited," he said gently. "I would have spared you that."
She repeated his words. "It needed doing." She smiled shakily. "But I believe I'll let you add Ian's to that perverse collection."
"No."
She felt as if he had struck her. "You would spare me these other monstrosities, but not the deepest cut? It's just like your heathen whimsy."
He held out the box. "Open it."
"No!" She sat down by the fire and drew up her knees. "I will not look at it."
He opened the box himself. "Do I have to take it out and hold it up before your face?"
"Why are you doing this?" She kept her gaze fixed on the fire. "I do not deserve this from you."
"You do not deserve to scourge yourself with memory for the rest of your life either." His voice softened. "Have I lost your trust entirely? This is not another betrayal, Margaret."
She looked at him in bewilderment. "What are you talking about? I never thought you betrayed me."
"Not even in your heart?" He held out the box. "Prove it. Show me you trust me."
She swallowed. "Do not make—" She stopped as she met his gaze. She whispered, "No mercy, Kartauk?"
He smiled. "No mercy, madam."
Her glance slowly, reluctantly, lowered to the mask in the box.
She inhaled sharply as shock rippled through her. "Dear God in heaven." She reached out and tentatively touched the golden lips of the mask. "He looks . . ."