Between Starfalls

by S Kaeth

  —journal excerpt

  Ra’ael’s head pounded. She squinted out from behind the pain. Thick, metal bars loomed in front of her face. She was in a cage, hanging from thick chains looped through hooks in a stone slab above her and then anchored to large hoops in the ground. The ground swayed several paces below. Beside her, Taunos and Takiyah were jammed in metal boxes of their own, empty cages swinging between each of theirs. Taunos lay unconscious, and Takiyah slumped in the too-small space looking miserable.

  Kaemada was gone.

  The memory hit her like a blow to the stomach. Once again, she was without a family, the only survivor. The last time, Kaemada had quietly gathered Ra’ael’s things and arranged them in her hut, and then took Ra’ael by the hand and brought her to her new home. She and Eian had become her family—even Taunos, truly. But now Eian was gone and so was Kaemada. They’d left the trail, pushing aside wisdom for foolish hope, and they were now reaping the consequences of disregarding the sacred laws. Teros, head priest of Torkae, always maintained that those whose story and song aligned with the spirits’ would find their paths smoothed and bright. How disappointed he would be in them now. In her, specifically.

  She needed the other priests, needed them to surround her, to remind her song of that of the spirits and the greater one of Eloí. She looked up at the cavern’s ceiling, the rocky barrier that separated them from the sky. Could the spirits see or hear them, even down here? Could Kaemada’s spirit find her way out? Would she ever cross the rim of the sky?

  Taunos awoke with a shout, and Ra’ael jumped, the cage rattling around her. Her heart pounded in her ears as Taunos seized the bars of his cage and shook them violently, screaming his sister’s name till froth bubbled at the corners of his mouth.

  Below them, Kamalti people turned to watch with overly large eyes, laughing behind upraised hands. Rage bubbled up in Ra’ael like a fountain, and she shouted through the bars, “You killed her! You killed Kaemada, his sister, my friend! Have you no heart?”

  They didn’t. It was clear from their tittering mirth and the way they eyed their swaying cages as if they were some sort of entertainment while they went about their business. Her stomach twisted. She put a hand to her aching head while Taunos roared wordlessly, throwing himself against the bars. The cage lurched and groaned but held firm. At last, he crumpled silently, eyes open but unfocused.

  She needed to check on them. Takiyah and Taunos were her responsibility, even if she only wanted to curl up and weep.

  “What happened?” Ra’ael winced at the cracking of her voice, rubbing her forehead.

  “They threw us in here for the night.” Takiyah’s voice was flat, her head resting against the bars. “That one, Answer. She walked away with a stone, talked to the stone a bit, and then came back and said the Council was retired for the day.”

  Ra’ael scoffed. Stones talking? The absurdity was almost enough to take her mind off the closed space.

  The space was too tight. Ra’ael shoved at the door, knowing it was useless but still unable to resist the impulse. Scowling, she pushed at it telekinetically, but it held firm. She focused her efforts on the little box connecting the door to the rest of the cage, prodding, looking for weakness. It sat there, hard and immobile, mocking her just like the people below. Gritting her teeth, she shoved, physically and telekinetically, but nothing changed.

  She shouldn’t have focused so hard, turning her telekinesis on whatever was pushing at their hands, forcing them away from Kaemada. She should have embraced the blood rage and trampled the Kamalti.

  Ra’ael shifted her weight, unable to stay still in the cramped space. The cage rocked and her stomach twisted, sending bile up her throat. What were they going to do now? Even if they escaped, would the Elders allow them back? They’d left the trail and broken into the mountain. They’d met Kamalti, and they were nothing like Kaemada had always dreamed.

  At the end of the row, Takiyah stood up, hunching against the roof of her cage, and Ra’ael watched her inspect the cage closely. Grimacing, Ra’ael refocused her attention on her own cage, pushing telekinetically at the door, the hinges, the latching mechanism. Nothing. Seized by a sudden rage, she slammed her hand against it. Pain flashed up her wrist. Ra’ael held her hand to her chest, wrinkling her nose in disgust and frustration.

  Takiyah glanced at her, a question in her eyes, and Ra’ael shook her head. Telekinesis would not help them escape.

  Taunos remained slumped against his bars. Ra’ael chewed on her lip, the only outlet for her worry. His dismissal of their situation indicated the depth of his grief. He’d never handled the deaths of family members well. She suppressed a shiver, looking into those dead eyes, and surprised herself by wishing he’d make a stupid joke. Much as his casual, playful ways irritated her, they did make it easy to assume everything would work out.

  Until he left. It was hard to lean on someone who was never there.

  Retreating from the betrayal she’d felt when Taunos had left to wander the realms, Ra’ael came face to face, once again, with the fact that she was trapped. She was going to go mind-sick, stuck in a cage like this. There was no air. She shoved at the bars, claustrophobia clawing up her throat, but she refused to scream. She wouldn’t give the Kamalti further entertainment. At least Kaemada wasn’t here to endure this. Pressing her head to the bars, she closed her eyes as the tears flowed, helpless to stop them. As helpless as she’d been when the Darks killed her parents.

  Kaemada needed a funeral. How were they going to manage that with her body gone? She had to figure out a way. It was her responsibility to make sure they observed proper rites, to see her friend safely to the rim of the sky.

  And Eian. Sweet little Eian. Her heart broke for him, the boy who was almost a son to her. How could she even hope he survived? No, no. It had to be faced. Such hope was foolish. Eian was surely dead.

  Below her, the Kamalti went about their days. How could they fail to see that everything was different now? They’d been unveiled for the monsters they were.

  Focusing on drawing regular breaths, Ra’ael began to rock, shoving down her hatred, her fear, her grief. She had duties to attend to, Taunos and Takiyah to think of. Her voice rose and fell in the funeral dirge, her rocking timed to the beat she’d typically tap with her feet. After a moment, Takiyah joined in softly, brokenly. She glanced again at Taunos, surprised to see his cheeks wet, tears streaming from his dull eyes and trickling down the bars of his cage. There should be a multitude of voices raised in unison, the Rinaryn grieving as they lived—together. Instead, they were alone, cut off from home and their former lives by rock and a people who had proven to be an enemy.

  When the song ended, only emptiness remained.

  The lights brightened above them. A pang struck Ra’ael; they were missing the beauty of sunrise. There was no dawn to greet here, and she would not get the chance to walk barefoot into the east and give thanks for the new day before cleansing herself. She centered her mind and gave her small thanks anyway, approximating her rituals as much as she was able. Whether or not the spirits could hear them trapped underground like this, she had to try, just in case. It was all she had left.

  Ra’ael took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. They would find a way out of this and give Kaemada and Eian the funeral rites. She would not allow her best friend to be condemned to wander forever, cut off from the rim of the sky, cut off from their ancestors. And then… Then, she would teach the Kamalti how far they had erred.

  She never should have let Kaemada and Eian go ahead, and she had known it. But the chance to bring an offering had been so tempting, such a salve to the stress of facing the journey empty-handed. Knowing the kaetal’s honor was on shaky ground, knowing that Kaemada and Eian had gone out on many journeys together, she had taken the risk. She had let Kaemada have her way, and she had followed Taunos, believing they could make it out, and they’d lost first Eian, and then Kaemada. She refused to lose anyone else.

  Activity in the s
quare increased as the Kamalti people began to rise and go about their day. Taunos didn’t move, but after a while, Takiyah groaned and stretched, her elbows sticking out between the bars of her cage. When the guards—six of them again—finally came, they lowered them to the ground, snickering as they bumped against the floor so hard Ra’ael almost bit her tongue. Though her cramped, stiff muscles screamed, she forced herself to stand straight as she exited. But Taunos followed orders listlessly, an empty shell of himself, and her heart sank.

  The guards led them into the nearest metal building, where they stopped in a small room to relieve themselves. Their hands were still bound, so loosening the ties on their pants and knotting them again afterward was a struggle. Shame and humiliation gathered inside Ra’ael like a storm, but she didn’t resist. Neither did Takiyah, although she stared at their captors with a clear challenge in her eyes.

  The building was laid out much like the previous one, and noting the similarities helped keep her mind off the cramped hallways. Another set of doors opened of their own accord—for a people who professed to hate magic, the Kamalti certainly used a lot of it—and they were ushered into a much larger room than where they had waited in the previous building. Tables of lights ringed the room, just as in the previous building, and five Kamalti sat at the largest of the tables. Their clothes shimmered with an unnatural, iridescent glow that made Ra’ael’s skin prickle with distrust. Spectators crowded together at smaller tables around the rooms. A woman followed them in wearing a simple, white linen gown with a headdress of corded gold filament, from which hung a drop of amber.

  “Unchain the prisoners,” one of the Kamalti at the large table ordered.

  “They are violent and—” began the woman.

  “All must stand free before justice,” the man cut her off. “You know the Law. Unbind them so that justice may be dispensed.”

  The guards released them, dropping the chains at their feet and backing away to glare from a short distance, hands hovering near their cudgels. Ra’ael rubbed her wrists, stepping close to Takiyah and casting a wary glance at Taunos. He stood where the guards left him, gaze distant. Ra’ael lifted her chin, clinging to what shreds of dignity she had left, and noticed with pride that Takiyah stood tall as well. To focus herself, just as before a meeting, she reminded herself of her responsibilities. Retrieve Eian and Kaemada’s bodies. Get Takiyah and Taunos out. Teach the Kamalti their errors.

  A man standing by the doorway spoke in a loud, clear voice. “This session of the Justices of the Council has commenced. Present are Justice Havmis, presiding, Justice Kedim, Justice Fedos, Justice Thafn, and Justice Ket.”

  “Lady Answer.” One of the seated men addressed the woman, and Ra’ael’s eyes widened with sudden recognition. “Please present the defendants.”

  “Great Justices of the Codr Council, these are the trespassers sent to you from the Scouting Guild. There are three here, as one perished in a fall into the Great Divide.” In Answer’s voice, Ra’ael recognized the formal tones of someone hoping for approval from a superior. “These have admitted to the crimes of trespassing, vandalism, forcibly entering our lands, and assault on our people three days ago. They are responsible for the Sleep imposed on some of our people and the madness of others.”

  Ra’ael scowled at Answer but kept a tight hold of her emotions. These people seemed to love their rituals, and rituals were something Ra’ael understood. Timing would be essential. Some of the seated Justices whispered to each other until the one sitting in the center rang a crystal before him with a small metal hammer. The crystal sang out with a single clear tone, which seemed to hover and grow in the air before dissipating. “Silence. Answer, explain the events preceding.”

  “These Outsiders willfully and knowingly left the trail prescribed them, thereby forfeiting their right to safe passage through the mountains as laid down in the ancient agreement between our two peoples, and trespassed on our lands. They assaulted our people with magic, causing the trouble now before us in which some of our people have gone mad, and others slept for an entire day cycle. Furthermore, they intentionally assaulted the entrance to our lands under the mountains. They continued their barbaric ways as they physically attacked the Scouts sent to contain them, and we saw the need to use some force to maintain order and prevent injury. In the presence of the Scouting Guild, they showed an entire lack of respect, laughing while awaiting judgement. We had to bind them to prevent further injury. As we escorted them here, they assaulted my own person in a show of savagery, and then the guards. One of them fell into the Great Divide—”

  Taunos broke in, his voice raw and cracking with grief. “She was thrown. She did nothing to you, only admired you, and you killed her.”

  The leader frowned and rang the crystal. “The defendant will be silent.”

  “No, no, no, no!” Once more alive, Taunos quivered with fury. Ra’ael edged away, relieved to see Takiyah doing the same. “An accident, I could forgive, but not this. Not this! No civilized person would throw a captive off a cliff.”

  “Silence!” the Justice ordered.

  Guards advanced on Taunos, menace in their expressions, their very strides. He shut his mouth but glared daggers at them.

  Relief warred with outrage in her, and Ra’ael frowned at the Kamalti. Taunos’s depth of emotion called to her grief, tugged on her heart in a way she could not give in to right now. And yet, was there no true justice here? No chance for the accused to speak their part? On the occasions she’d witnessed the Elders’ judgements, the Elders drew the narrative out with both parties together. Standing here, listening to the lies without a chance to defend herself, woke that rage in her that was never very far away. It was bad enough to hide underground as if to hide from Eloí’s sight. Where were the questions, the drawing out of the story together, as was done among her own wise Elders?

  Answer held her head high, her voice calm. “We had to force them into the cages of Crystal Square. There, they sought to break free, no doubt to continue their wanton destruction. This is the account of I, Answer of the Scouting Guild.”

  The Justice looked at them. “And the account of the—”

  Finally. It was beyond time to let them speak. Ra’ael stepped forward, her fists clenched. “These words are false. Kaemada, who you killed, caused your sleep, and only by accident. She did not remember causing it and had no idea until we told her of the sleep we, ourselves, took. Never would she have done something like that voluntarily.”

  The lead Justice frowned, nearly cutting off the end of her words with his response. “Do you barbarians habitually slander your newly deceased citizens? And speaking so out of turn—your manners are sorely lacking.”

  “Judge us as you wish, but know this: we came with the best of intentions,” Ra’ael continued. “You talk over us, you barely give us any time to respond—”

  “You are insolent. Your slowness to respond disrupts proper conversation,” Answer declared.

  Taunos stepped forward, trembling, and Ra’ael quieted in the face of his wrath, even though it was turned on the Kamalti. He spoke with exaggerated slowness, exposing the truth of his words for all to see, if these blind Kamalti could see such a thing. “You killed my sister, she who loved you best of all our legends. She preferred stories of the great and noble Kamalti over even dragons. Pah! Not so great or noble. Kaemada brought us here to save a small boy. Did you kill him as well? Did you kill my sister’s son?”

  The leader rang the crystal three times. “There will be order here, or you will forfeit your chance to speak.”

  Shoulders taut, Taunos opened his mouth, and Ra’ael grabbed his arm. He shook her off with frightening force but did not advance further.

  The central Justice took a deep breath, regaining his serenity. “Now, if you have a calm defense to make, you may speak your part.” He waited a mere moment before prodding, “Well?”

  Takiyah stepped forward, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “We did not mean to destroy anything, n
or to frighten anyone. We did not come to hurt you. We meant only to find Eian, the little boy, as we were concerned for his safety.”

  Takiyah was right. Mimicking respect for their Saimahkae and Storyteller might be the best way. Ra’ael shoved her distaste away, adopting a humble tone of voice and forcing the reluctant words out of her mouth. “Losing Kaemada has left us sorely grieved. Yet any who have wronged another must atone for the wrong and make recompense. This is what we offer to you. Tell us how we may make amends for our part in the sad deeds of the past days. Then we can get on with our greater business of finding Eian.”

  They would atone for their actions, and then Ra’ael would make certain the Kamalti atoned for theirs.

  Answer shook her head. “It is you savages and your folly that has brought this sorrow on yourselves.”

  “We do not kill lost little children and bound women,” Taunos shouted.

  “You force your children to climb the mountains twice a circulation,” Answer replied. “And include them in your low, criminal ways.”

  “It’s a sacred ritual, and we help the children along so they make it alright.” Ra’ael glared at Answer, struggling to maintain her composure in the face of such unthinkable lack of faith.

  “You are no better than beasts. You should stay off our mountain. The only thing we ask is to be left in peace, not subjected to your ignorance, destruction, and use of magic.”

  Taunos clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. “And by and large, you are. But it’s you who are aggressive in this, the first encounter we have ever had with Kamalti, and you have been combative since the start.”

  “I do not go to your homes and break them down as you did mine.”