should be able to walk whole into the Council meeting.” Nisk pushed a piece of yellow-cake into his hand. “There you will tell the Lines of these—flek—who think they can steal the very earth from under our feet. Then they will follow you back across the mountains and wipe them from the face of our world.”
The Black/on/black stared at the yellow-cake crumbling in his palm. “If they can be made to listen to a Levv.”

The circle of six gray monoliths on the crest of the hill had kept watch over the Lines down through untold generations. Beshha breasted the top of the hill, her daughters trailing a discrete and respectful distance behind, and stood gazing up at the striated stone of Jhii. It loomed over them all, intricately carved to memorialize great patterns/in/motion detected in the past, many of which had made Jhii preeminent in its day among the other Lines. In the center, just above her head, was her favorite, the sinuous swirl of death/in/longing, which had precip­itated the downfall of Levv and set in motion the series of events that would culminate in today’s victory.
Above it was incised stars/over/fire, the ancient pattern which ruled all business conducted up here on top of the hill and had brought the boon of measured discourse to her kind. She felt its powerful presence already threading through her thoughts, seeking to calm ambition, soothe edginess, but she fought it. A daring new pattern was being summoned, one that would both suit her far better and bring a new way of life to the Lines.
She eased onto the uncomfortable stone seat, worn hollow by previous Jhii Line Mothers and sniffed the scent-glyphs behind her, then crooked a claw at her daughter standing just outside the great circle. “What is this—retreat/Line/disappointment?”
“Surely not!” Syll darted forward. “Who would dare write such a thing here?”
In spite of her dislike of exertion, Beshha raked her gold-tipped handclaws across Syll’s ears. “Well, it might as well be! Have these glyphs redone imme­diately before anyone else notices, or I will tear your throat out!”
Ears bright with blood, Syll lowered her gaze and stalked over r