Voyage of the Snake Lady by Theresa Tomlinson Page B

anything. She leaped to her feet, full of curiosity. “What is it? Why do you have to make such a mystery of it?”
    But Coronilla’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “I’m not saying! I want to see your face!”
    “Then take me to it—quickly, at once!”
    Her friends grabbed her by the arms and pulled her along between them, away from the sea, away from the copse of trees, and up a gentle slope to some rocks, where Leti and Fara were crouched. They lay flat on their bellies, keeping their heads down, but Myrina could see that they watched something or someone down below them on the other side of the rocks. They both turned at her approach, huge grins on their faces. Leti lowered her palm in warning, then raised a finger to her lips for quiet.
    Myrina sank like a cat, moving slowly forward, belly low. They made a space for her to creep between them, then at last she carefully stretched her neck out to see what it was that brought such excitement. They all turned to witness the wonderful look of surprise that lit her face. “Thank you, Maa,” she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment. “Now we are safe! Now we can survive!”
    A grassy valley rolled gently away from them, sloping down to a wide river that curved its way through the lowest ground; but, most wonderful of all, along the banks of the river, tossing their manes, nickering gently to one another, moved a herd of wild horses.

Chapter Eight
A Gift from Maa
    T HE MOON RIDERS lay for a while just watching the horses, still as statues, huge smiles on their faces, eyes wide with delight.
    The main herd grazed on the river-watered grass. Their coats gleamed in the early morning sun, gray, brown, black, and chestnut. One huge light-bay stallion moved among the mares like a king or a great chieftain. A little way upriver a smaller group of young males congregated, expelled from their mothers’ care as they reached maturity. They were the hangers-on kept at a safe distance from the mares by the stallion, who patrolled the boundaries of his harem. All the beasts were strong and healthy, well fed from the green grass.
    “Mare’s milk!” Myrina whispered. “Mare’s milk, hide, and steeds.”
    “Do you see the herd leader?” Coronilla pointed to a beautiful blue-black mare who moved among the young foals, giving them bossy nips if they got in her way. “She should do for you.”
    But the sight of the beast rung Myrina’s heart, making her think of Isatis. “No”—she shook her head—“I could not have a blue-black mare again; you take her.”
    “With pleasure,” Coronilla whispered, her voice full of reverence. “Do you think Maa placed them here just for us?”
    “I don’t know,” Myrina replied, “but no other sight could bring such a warmth to my heart.”
    They stayed there for a little longer, but then Myrina backed away, keeping her head down until she was well out of sight of the herd. She struggled to her feet, trying to calm her excitement. “There is much to do. Leti, Fara, will you two stay here and keep watch? Fetch me if there is any sign of them moving away.”
    Leti and Fara were more than content with their role, while the older women crept back to the camp, full of plans.
    News of the discovery flew fast through the camp. Though some of the younger women were eager to rush off to claim their chosen beast, Myrina insisted that they gather about her and talk through their plans.
    “We cannot take a chance of startling them!” she said fiercely. “This must be done the Mazagardi way—you all know what that means. Any woman who disobeys can walk away and find her own way of living in this desolate place.”
    Some of the girls were shocked to hear her speaking so sternly, but Kora, Akasya, and Coronilla backed her every word. At last they settled down and listened carefully to her plan.
    “Do you understand?” she demanded. “This time we cannot afford to make a mistake!”
    They listened carefully and agreed.
    That night the