Riwenne & the Bionic Witches

by Kristen S. Walker

  Xiso turned and smiled at me, but I was careful to avoid eye contact. “I know Sawycha is eager to help you. If you go to there, I think you’re in for a nice surprise.”

  My heart raced at the thought of going to the bay. I’d only seen the ocean in pictures and my dreams, and the same went for the sea goddess. Maybe she would welcome me back as her champion again, since I’d failed to release Quilla. The moon goddess could choose someone else and I’d no longer have all this pressure. That would certainly count as a nice surprise for me.

  Amena and Deryt shared a look, and I knew they didn’t like the idea. But they couldn’t argue with a god. Amena bowed her head to Xiso, and everyone else copied her. “Thank you for your help, Divine One,” Amena said formally.

  Xiso raised his hand in benediction toward us. “It’s my pleasure. Come visit any time.” He winked at Kyra. “Especially you.”

  I rushed to grab Kyra’s arm before she could get drawn into the god’s gaze again. “Thanks so much, but we’ve really gotta go. Long flight out to the coast, you know.” I dragged her toward the exit and the others followed me, bowing their heads to the god as we left him behind.

  We barely exited the tunnel into the main building before Kyra pulled away from my grip. “Don’t worry, I won’t let myself be seduced by some god,” she muttered. “I just wanted to have a proper conversation with him. If your patron deity was standing in front of you, I’m sure you’d have a lot of questions, too.”

  I remembered all the times I’d tried to get answers from Sawycha in my dreams, and I felt guilty. Even if we saw her in person at her temple, odds were against me getting a long chat. But I had to try. I pointed to Tika, still on Kyra’s shoulder. “She’s right, he was being inappropriate. We’re just trying to protect you. Like you could say no to a god?” I shuddered, still feeling the power behind his stare.

  We stepped outside into the sunlight and Deryt spun around to face our group. “The real problem is how dangerous it would be to go to Sawycha’s temple by the bay. Damondytti is a big port, full of imperial soldiers, and we’re still on the wanted list.”

  “I don’t think it’s in the middle of town,” I said, racking my brains for an excuse. “Wouldn’t they put it close to the water or something? If we go at night, we could sneak around from the beach.”

  Amena folded her arms and fixed me with a pointed look. “Because you did such a great job the last time we tried to sneak in.”

  Kyra snickered, and my heart sank. I guess it was fair to bring up my mistakes.

  Tika sighed. “I’ll show you the safe way in. Just focus on finding us a place to land outside the port.” She jumped off Kyra’s shoulder and flew ahead to the airship.

  Amena and Deryt shared another one of their looks, but no one argued more. I guess we didn’t have any other options.

  12

  Sawycha

  We stayed grounded near Xiso’s temple for the rest of the afternoon. At night, we flew south and east around the bay. The mountains hid our ship, but there were more settlements and patrols as we got closer to the port. We hid during the day and spent most of the following night flying before we reached the port.

  The land around Damondytti Port was flat, full of sand dunes and wetlands, so there weren’t any trees or hills to help hide an airship. After a careful study of the map, Amena realized the shore had rocky cliffs forming private coves along the coastline. She found one just large enough to hold our small airship and guided Deryt down.

  Even at night, I could see the beauty of the sea. The minute I stepped off the ship and my feet touched the sand, I was hit with the power of that immense body of water stretching out before us like a living thing. Waves crashed against the rocks in a rhythm like breathing, the scent of brine filled my lungs, and I could feel the spray against my cheek. It was everything I’d dreamed of and more.

  I kicked off my shoes and ran toward the waterline, almost tripping as I tugged off my stockings. A gentle wave came right up and lapped at my bare toes. The water wasn’t cold—it was warm. By the faint sliver of the waning moon I could see the sandy bottom, it was so clear. Just out of reach, the dark shadows of fish darted among the rocks.

  I sank down to feel the water with my left hand, not caring that the edge of my skirt was getting wet. The ache in my right arm seemed to disappear. This was like coming home. I thought I belonged in a temple or a book store, but as my heart swelled, I could tell this was where I was meant to be. And if the sea was my home, then Sawycha must be my goddess. How could I have ever thought I could follow anyone else?

  “Riwenne!” Amena yelled over the surf. “What are you doing?”

  Everyone was standing on the beach staring at me. I sighed and trudged back to pick up my discarded shoes and stockings. “Sorry. I’ve never seen the ocean before.”

  Amena shook her head. “Well, if you want to stay here and play in the water, then we’ll go to the temple alone. There’s only a few hours left until first light. We can’t afford to waste any time.”

  “No, no, I’ll go with you.” If I could speak with Sawycha, I wanted to be there. I plopped down and shoved my wet, sandy feet back into my boots, fumbling with just my left hand.

  We climbed the cliffs and walked until we saw Damondytti Port stretched out below us. The port sat in the middle curve of Jenatta’s Bay, with the bay curving to the north and south and the open ocean spread out to the west. The buildings were on stilts to stay above the water, some with wooden walkways branching between them like the treehouse village of Jabin, and there were a few cable cars hanging, although they looked nothing like the modern trolleys of the city. Along the water were piers and docks with countless boats, everything from little fishing dinghies to the great trading ships that sailed to other continents. Oil lamps lit the streets.

  Tika pointed her wing to a great stone building at the side of the port nearest to us. The temple squatted over the edge of the water in a semi-circle with many columns and open decks. “There it is. And the good news is, for Riwenne at least, we’ll be getting in the water.”

  Deryt glanced at the sand piper. “That’s your plan?” He looked around at us. “Do you city kids even know how to swim?”

  I gulped and shook my head. Except for bathing in the river shallows in Jabin, I’d never been in anything deeper than a bathtub. Janera and Kyra were also shaking their heads, so at least I wasn’t the only one.

  “Relax,” Tika said with a sigh. “It’s shallow. We’ll climb in by the tide pools, and the tide is going out.”

  Tika led us down to the water and showed us the way across the rocks. She warned us to keep our shoes on, sending a pointed look at me, to protect us from sharp rocks. The little sand piper hopped along the best path and we followed.

  It was slow going. We had to clamber up rocks at some points, wade through shallow water in others, and there was little light to see. The temple blocked the city lights from us and the moon was so small. I felt unbalanced with my right arm in the sling. If I’d had a godcrystal, or even a sunstone, I would have been tempted to use it so I could see where I was putting my foot. But Amena cautioned against lights, so we had to make our way by feel.

  The tide pools were fascinating. I wished I could see them better. A miniature world was in each of them, filled with strange creatures I’d only read about. Maybe, after we’d visited the temple, we’d have some time for a little exploration.

  At first, I was worried about how we’d get inside, but when we got closer, I saw how unique the temple’s construction was. The three-tiered structure was open to the air—and the sea, because even at low tide, the waves came up to the entrance of the first floor. In the middle of the half-circle was the largest tide pool yet, ringed by huge rocks, and I could glimpse something large moving in the dark water. The bottom columns were covered in barnacles and seaweed, so they must be underwater for part of the day. Approaching from the water front, we could walk right inside.

  The first floor was empty wit
h sand and flotsam scattered everywhere, and at the back were large steps leading up. We climbed up to the second level and sunstones switched on at our movement, lighting up an incredible mosaic on the wall before us. Sea shells, sea glass, and polished stones mixed with painted ceramic tiles to create an incredible mural of Sawycha stepping out of the sea. The goddess looked so real, so much like how I’d seen her in my dreams, that I thought she would open her mouth and speak right then.

  But the voice that rang out through the temple wasn’t hers.

  “What are you doing here?”

  I whirled around. The tone was somewhere between a man’s and a woman’s, hard to place, and the person standing there could be either gender. He—or she?—was taller than me, but shorter than Janera, young like all of us, and wore loose clothing that hid their figure. Their blue-green hair was cut short on one side and long on the other. I stared, looking for some clue about what this person was, and felt my face growing hot.

  Kyra opened her mouth to say something, but Amena held up her hand and cut her off. “Sorry, we’re travelers seeking a blessing for a safe voyage. Are you a priestess here?”

  The strange person scowled and folded their arms. “The temple’s closed until dawn, so the priestesses are still at home. You shouldn’t be here.”

  I stepped forward. “Then what are you doing here, if you’re not a priestess or a guard?”

  “Shh!” Amena hissed at me, but I ignored her.

  The stranger looked around nervously, so I pressed again. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be here, either.”

  They dropped their gaze and even with their dark skin, I could see they were blushing, too. “Um, I’m supposed to, um, clean the temple before it opens.” They looked up again and their gray eyes flashed at me. “Anyway, if you’re here to steal anything, there’s nothing valuable in the temple. You should go before I call the constables.”

  Amena shot me a warning look, but I shook my head. “I don’t think you’ll call anyone.” I turned and gestured to the goddess’s image behind us. “Sawycha called us here.” And with any luck, I could summon her to prove it. I could feel her power all around me, for the first time since the night she left me.

  There was a glimmer of awe on the stranger’s face as they looked at the mural. Then their eyes hardened and they shook their head again. “No, that doesn’t sound right. Sawycha called me here tonight, and I think it was to stop you.”

  I frowned. “No way would she call on someone like… you.” I glanced over at Tika, who should’ve stepped in. “She only speaks to girls, right?”

  “I am a girl!” the stranger snapped, hunching their shoulders. They seemed to curl up on themselves. “At least, I mostly think of myself as a girl. It’s complicated.”

  Tika glided over to my shoulder and cocked her head to one side. “When did I say Sawycha only speaks to girls?”

  I looked around at the others, who were all just standing and watching with various mixtures of worry and amusement. I lowered my voice. “I mean, I thought Sawycha might favor… lesbians,” I said the last word in a whisper, and glanced at Kyra. I’d never said it out loud to anyone but Nexita, so I didn’t know how my friends would react. But I thought it was something I had in common with the sea goddess.

  The stranger was close enough to hear me and laughed. “Oh, I’m definitely a lesbian. But who are you to decide what Sawycha does?” They took a step closer and looked at Tika. “And what’s with the talking bird?”

  Tika sighed. “Do you want to come sort this out?” she called into the darkness.

  I heard a splashing noise and turned. She didn’t come out of the mural, she stepped in from the outside deck, but it was Sawycha. Her long dress floated around her like sea foam, her hair was flowing like the ocean, and her impossibly beautiful face was lit up with a smile. Her eyes were a warm, happy blue, I noted with relief. She was terrifying when she was angry.

  I knelt on the floor and lowered my head in my most reverent bow. “Goddess,” I breathed. “It is an honor to see you.”

  Sawycha stepped between us, placing one hand on my head and another on the stranger’s, who was also bowing. “Riwenne and Vilqa,” she said with a chuckle. “I hoped you two would get along better.”

  I lifted my head and stared up at her in surprise, then glanced at this Vilqa. “So you called both of us?”

  Sawycha waved her finger at me. “I didn’t speak to you, remember. That was Xiso.” She smiled. “But I told him to send you. I thought you should be here when I chose my new champion.” She reached for Vilqa.

  Vilqa gasped and took the goddess’s hand, getting back up to their feet. “Do you mean…?”

  I looked back at the stranger and realized why I had been staring. It wasn’t their unusual appearance. When I focused on Vilqa, I could see a light shining through them, the light I recognized as magical potential—and it was the deep blue of the sea goddess. My crystal used to shine with that light, but now it was in someone else.

  I pushed myself up to my feet, looking up at the goddess. “No, please, Sawycha,” I begged. “You should let me be your champion again. I can’t serve anyone else but you.”

  Sawycha turned to me, her eyes tinged gray with sadness. “I’m sorry, Riwenne. You served me well, and I’m grateful to you, but you know your destiny lies elsewhere.” She took my left hand and placed it on Vilqa’s. “You should guide my new champion and teach them what you know.”

  I looked down at our joined hands, then stared at Vilqa in horror. This stranger would replace me at the only thing I was good at, and I was supposed to train them? I jerked away from the touch. “No, it’s Tika’s job to train. I don’t even have magic.” My heart felt like it was breaking. I’d failed to find Quilla—I might never have magic again.

  Tika flew back and pecked my ear. “Stop being so selfish. How could you say no to a god?”

  I felt my own words sting as they were flung back at me. Whatever Sawycha said, I had to obey. I’d sworn to serve her, even if this wasn’t what I wanted.

  I bowed my head to the goddess once again. “As you command.”

  Only one thing left to do. Fighting back tears of disappointment, I looked around the room. There were sunstones shining in the walls. I walked up to the nearest one and plucked it out, barely noticing the heat that singed my fingertips. I held it out to Vilqa.

  “Take this, and pray,” I whispered. I glanced at the goddess who nodded. “Pray to Sawycha and she will grant you her power.”

  Vilqa took the stone and stared at me in awe. “To become her champion? But what does that mean?”

  I looked around at the others, who were still watching. Janera put her hand on her crystal and smiled at me, and I smiled back, remembering how I’d brought all of them together.

  I took Vilqa’s hands and folded them over the sunstone like a prayer. “It means you will serve her, and fight against her enemies, and your whole life will change. It won’t be easy. But I think if you answered her call, you want this. She knows what she’s doing…” My voice choked up, and I took a deep breath before I continued. “When she chooses her champion.”

  Vilqa gaped at me, and I realized I knew nothing about their story. What were they giving up to become a divine warrior? I would have stopped and told them everything before I asked them to make this choice, but Sawycha was waiting. None of us knew what we were getting into when we swore to serve. I guess we had to take the leap of faith.

  Vilqa cradled the sunstone and closed their eyes, and I stepped back to let them pray. Sawycha lifted her hands, and I watched the light flow from the goddess into the stone, transforming it into a godcrystal. The pact was sealed.

  I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, banishing my selfish tears, and looked at the goddess again. “Please, can you tell us how we can find Quilla and free her? Anything that might help?”

  Sawycha smiled down at me and sighed. “If I knew where she was, I would’ve told you.” She gestured around the temp
le. “This place has many older stories about the moon goddess, and maybe they’ll give you a clue. Instead of destroying the forbidden shrine, it was sealed away.” She pointed to the mural. “Behind there.”

  “What?” Vilqa rushed forward, crackling with their new power, and stepped protectively in front of the mural. “What forbidden shrine are you talking about? This mural has been here for centuries. Even if there’s something behind it, there’s no way you could damage it!”

  I looked at the intricate mural, then at Sawycha. “There’s got to be another way, right? Like a back door somewhere?” I craned my neck to see around the corner.

  Sawycha placed her hand on the mural and it split with an ear-shattering crack. “I’ve protected this shrine with my own power so that someday, Quilla’s champion could step inside and contact the moon goddess.” She struck the wall again, and pieces of it fell away, revealing a dark opening inside. “Don’t worry about a picture.”

  I stared at the ruin of the mural in horror. If anyone could desecrate the temple, it was the goddess herself. I took a step forward. Could I contact Quilla in there?

  The droning buzz of airships filled the air.

  Deryt rushed to the nearest window and scanned the sky. “Imperial forces are coming this way!” He glanced back at us. “How do they always find us?”

  I turned to Sawycha. “Can you do anything to stop them?”

  The sea goddess’s face went pale. “Chysa’s witches are coming. I can sense their blood magic.” She also went to the window and shivered. “More of them than you can face. You should go, now.”

  I looked desperately at the shrine’s entrance. “But we came this far.”

  The others were already transforming into their battle armor and calling up their weapons. “We’d be able to hold them off for a bit, I’m sure,” Amena said, although she didn’t sound very confident.