Si'Wren heard the laughter of some guest, an early arrival, as
he commented upon the humor of sacrificing a human being instead of a
mere animal to commemorate the beginning of the feast. Moments later,
both boys reappeared flying down the front steps and came running at
breakneck speed across the courtyard in returning to a motionlessly
waiting Habrunt, his right arm still stiffly out-held, open-handed.
While all of this was happening, an increasing number of onlookers had
stopped to watch, with the late-comers asking others in hushed voices
what was going on. Upon hearing, each cast by turns horrified looks of
revulsion, disgust, and loathing for Si'Wren and Nelatha, together with
shock, disbelief, and horror at the two pieces of the broken jade
statue, still lying where they had been cast aside by an enraged Master
Rababull. There was no danger of the valuable pieces of jade being
stolen; to touch the broken jade now would mean certain death. No one
was bold enough to say anything directly to Habrunt or the two hapless
girls.
Some of those watching displayed a certain sickening delight at the
sight of a motionlessly waiting Habrunt and the two prostrate girls
kneeling with faces downcast in the dust at his feet.
As the two runner boys dashed across the courtyard to return with the
swords to Habrunt, more people came out of the House to stand at the
head of the front steps to see what had occasioned their unusual
mission.
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