Sara Paretsky - Sisters on the Case

She stumbled once on the way, but her step was firm as she walked into the water. Soon it would be over. She and Tani would both die. Rogar would be rid of them and the problems they had brought him. Elosa would have won, true, but Amaya would have obeyed the law. She and Tani would reach the peaceful island. The gods would bless her action.

She pictured the peaceful island as the waves reached her waist. She clutched the sleeping baby against her breast. Soon the cold water would waken Tani, and she would cry. Amaya knew she must be ready to hold her tightly then, even to hold her under water, to make sure that the baby died first, that she wasn’t left alone in the water, frightened.

Amaya paused, embracing the child more firmly.

Suddenly, she was grasped roughly from behind.

‘‘What are you doing?’’ Rogar’s voice was harsh. ‘‘You do not have to take the child into the water! I will do it!’’

‘‘No! No! I will take her! She must not be frightened!’’

‘‘I will not frighten her! And it must be done as the sun comes up!’’ Rogar tried to take Tani out of Amaya’s arms.

Amaya clutched the child. ‘‘No! Let me take her! We will die and leave you in peace!’’

‘‘You die? You must not die!’’

‘‘It’s best, Rogar! Elosa will never allow me to be part of your clan! She will not forgive you for marrying me! There will be more trouble! It’s best if I die with Tani!’’

Rogar held her and Tani tightly. His grip woke the baby, and the little one began to fuss and cry sleepily. When Rogar spoke his voice was low and desperate. ‘‘No!’’ he said. ‘‘No! Amaya, you must live. We must live together.’’

The waves broke around them and the sand shifted under Amaya’s feet. She felt as if she were falling, but Rogar held her up.

‘‘We must live on together,’’ he said again. ‘‘I love you, Amaya.’’

Amaya felt the coconut husk break. She was in Rogar’s arms, with nothing to protect her, with no shell to hide behind. Tani was crying, and Amaya was sobbing mighty sobs. And Rogar’s arms, Rogar’s love surrounded her. He led her slowly back to the beach, and there Amaya collapsed in the sand, still sobbing.

It was many minutes before she was able to speak. ‘‘Is there no way to save Tani?’’

‘‘We have to obey the law,’’ Rogar said. ‘‘Amaya! Can you trust me?’’

‘‘Trust you?’’

Rogar laid his cheek against her hair. ‘‘Yes, Amaya. Trust me.’’

‘‘I can do nothing by myself,’’ Amaya said dully. ‘‘This is your island, your people. I know you do not want Tani to die. But if she must-I trust you not to let her be afraid.’’

Rogar helped Amaya up and led her back to the house. Amaya did not put Tani down, but held her the rest of the night, just as Rogar held her. Finally she fell asleep.

The stirring of birds woke her, and she realized she was alone.

Rogar and Tani were gone.

‘‘No!’’ Amaya jumped to her feet. ‘‘No! No!’’

It was still dark in the hut, but outside the light was coming. Rogar had already taken Tani away, to put her in the water.

Amaya ran along the path to the beach. She could hear the waves pounding loudly. The tide was coming in. Ahead she saw a figure silhouetted against the morning sky.

‘‘Rogar!’’

Rogar paused, but he did not stop. Amaya ran on, until she was beside him. ‘‘Please, Rogar! There must be another way.’’

He walked on. ‘‘Go back, Amaya,’’ he said. ‘‘You said you would trust me.’’

‘‘Please! Please!’’

Rogar did not answer. Instead Amaya heard the cackle of Elosa’s voice. ‘‘The strange child cannot take food from the children of the people! Rogar knows the law, strange woman! He obeys the law of his people.’’

The voice brought Amaya to her knees. ‘‘Please,’’ she said again. But this time she whispered.

‘‘You have brought disgrace to Rogar and our people!’’ Elosa’s voice gloated. ‘‘The way of the people must be followed!’’

Amaya formed her body into its coconut shell. Rogar’s mother and sister knelt beside her.

‘‘Be quiet, Elosa!’’ Rogar’s mother said. ‘‘Amaya is obeying the law. But a woman who likes seeing a baby put to death is no real woman!’’

Surprised by her mother-in-law’s sharp words to Elosa, Amaya looked up at the shaman. Elosa did not reply to the criticism, but she pointed to the surf with her heavy staff. ‘‘Rogar obeys the law!’’

Amaya’s eyes followed the staff, and she saw that Rogar was walking into the water. Tani was not frightened. She was laughing and clapping her hands. To her it was just another of the games Rogar had taught her to love.

Rogar did not go out very far. The waves were rolling. It would not take a lot of water to drown a tiny girl.

He seemed to be playing with Tani, and Amaya remembered he had promised to keep her from being afraid. He held her close to his body, and he ducked under the water.

But when he arose, the baby was gone.

Rogar stood motionless, the waves beating over him. Then he walked back to the beach. When he reached the edge of the water, he turned and looked back. His father joined him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Together they looked down the beach, and Rogar’s father pointed.

Were they thinking where her tiny body would wash ashore? Amaya hoped so. To think of Tani not only dead, but lost in the sea-it was more than she could bear.

Then Rogar’s father called out. ‘‘There! There!’’ He and Rogar ran down the beach.

And Rogar knelt down and scooped up a tiny bundle. He held it above his head. Amaya saw dark hair, and legs. And the legs kicked!

‘‘She is not dead, Elosa! The sea has refused her!’’

Amaya jumped to her feet and watched in amazement as Rogar walked toward them. Tani was squirming and angry. But she was alive.

Elosa shook her staff furiously. ‘‘Put her in the water again! It is the law!’’

Rogar stood silently for a moment before he turned once more toward the water. Amaya again sank into despair. She watched Rogar walk through the surf, the waves breaking over him and Tani. Again he sank beneath the waves with the child in his arms. Again he rose without her and slowly walked back to the beach.

And again he and his father watched down the beach until a tiny bundle washed ashore. Once more they ran down to pick up Tani’s body.

And once more Rogar brought the child to Elosa alive.

Elosa pounded her staff on the beach and screamed. ‘‘She’s a demon! She must die! It is the law!’’

Tani was very angry now, but Elosa’s fury frightened her. She clutched Rogar around the neck and shrieked. Rogar patted and soothed her until she became quieter. And when the baby became quiet, Amaya heard other sounds. Looking behind her, she saw many people. They were buzzing with talk. And they were all looking at Rogar and Elosa, who stood facing each other. Neither of them looked around at the others.

Elosa spoke, and her voice was not loud, but it crackled angrily. ‘‘Put her back in the water, Rogar, and take her farther out.’’

‘‘Are you sure, Elosa? Are you sure this is what the law commands?’’

‘‘Do you think that I-your shaman-can mistake the meaning of the law, the law that has governed our people for generations?’’

‘‘Twice the sea has refused to take Tani. A third time-’’

Now Elosa’s eyes flickered right, left. Amaya knew she was considering the people gathered behind her. She took a deep breath and raised her staff. ‘‘Take her out, Rogar. Leave her for the water to take.’’

She swung the staff around, but Rogar did not flinch away from the stick.