by Callie Kanno
She had hoped that seeing more of the city would be a good distraction from her frustration and impatience, but it wasn’t working. She didn’t care about ribbons or spices. All she wanted was to find her husband.
Ahead of them she saw a young woman on the ground. She had been carrying a large basket filled with dirty laundry, and it was spilled all over the cobblestones. No one stopped to help her, so Adesina hurried forward to offer assistance.
The woman had dark curly hair that was pulled back in a knot at the nape of her neck, and a dusky complexion that was smudged with the dust of the city. She looked up in surprise when Adesina knelt to gather the laundry with her.
“Oh, you do not need to do that, miss.”
Adesina’s simple reply of reassurance stopped in her throat when she looked into the young woman’s hazel eyes. She knew this woman.
“Deasa?”
“Adrie,” Deasa gasped, completely dumbfounded.
Before Adesina really thought about her actions, she flung her arms around her old friend from the High City and hugged her fiercely. Her heart swelled with joy at the strange chance that had brought them together again.
“You are alive!”
Deasa laughed, tears streaming down her face. “As are you.”
“Are there others here from the High City?” she asked eagerly, looking around as if to find them herself.
The dark-haired woman nodded as she made use of her handkerchief. “Yes, there are quite a few of us here. But, Adrie, what happened to you? Some people thought…” She trailed off, suddenly looking uncertain.
“You thought that I was responsible for the attack on the High City,” concluded Adesina in a saddened tone.
The young L’avan had faced those accusations when she first learned of the destruction of the High City. It had hurt her to realize that the former citizens—some of which she had known rather well—believed her capable of such atrocities, but part of her felt she couldn’t blame them for being suspicious. After all, the circumstances of her arrival at the High City had been very unusual.
Deasa shook her head adamantly. “No, I would never believe you capable of such a thing.”
“But perhaps my people were involved?”
The young woman looked uncomfortable. “I thought you were from the Northern Tribes.”
“I am sure that did not matter in the minds of some of the people.”
She busied herself with gathering the laundry. “Some said…that it had to be magic-users. Nothing else made sense.”
Adesina helped Deasa to her feet and led her to the side of the road where they could stand and talk. “I swear to you that I had nothing to do with the attack. Nor did my people, the L’avan. Our enemies did it, to make it appear that we had.”
Deasa frowned. “Why would they do such a thing?”
The young queen hesitated. “I want to tell you everything I know, but this is not the place to do it.”
Her friend indicated her agreement. “I will take you back to our quarter. We can talk there.”
“Your quarter?” inquired Adesina.
Deasa smiled. “We High City refugees have stayed together. There is a portion of Emerald Harbor where we all live.”
They walked down the streets, away from the main thoroughfare. Ravi followed close behind, staying invisible and saying nothing. The buildings became more and more run-down, until it was clear that they were in the slums of the city. Adesina looked around in amazement.
“Deasa, why do you live in this part of the city?”
It was clear that she was embarrassed, but she tried to keep her voice calm and natural. “There is a lot of superstition regarding what happened to the High City. Some say that it was extreme bad luck, others claim that we were devil-worshippers and we were destroyed by our own gods. Either way, no one wanted to have anything to do with the refugees. We wandered from town to town for quite a while, always being driven away. We were finally allowed to settle here, but we are still treated with distrust.”
“You are outcasts?” Adesina was appalled.
A flush colored Deasa’s cheeks. “Some of us are fortunate enough to get work here in the city. I am very lucky to be a washwoman. Others travel out to the quarries or to the mines, where there is a greater need for able bodies.”
There was a block of buildings that seemed isolated from the rest of the area, as if even shunned by the other outcasts. Deasa headed directly for them.
They were spotted by a young teenage girl, who ran up to help Deasa carry in the laundry. She had the same dark hair and dusky features, and Adesina recognized her as Deasa’s younger sister.
“How are you, Aletta?” asked Adesina.
Aletta’s eyes grew wide as she saw the L’avan. “Adrie, how did you find us?”
She smiled. “By accident, actually.”
Their arrival in the complex created quite a stir. Everyone wondered why Deasa would bring back a guest, let alone a magic-user. Some kept their distance, regarding them with distrust. Others recognized Adesina and came forward.
The young queen noted many faces that she had known well during her time in the High City. She saw Deasa’s older brother, Matias, and her two youngest siblings, but she didn’t see Matias’ twin brother or their parents. She saw Nordin, the flirtatious city guard, and Quinlan, the blacksmith. Most importantly, she saw the three faces she had been hoping to encounter for the last five years.
Adesina spotted her patrons, the ones who had taken care of her during her stay in the High City. They had treated her with loving kindness, showing her what it meant to be a member of a real family.
Tears sprang to Adesina’s eyes, and she fought them back with much effort. Her heart felt as though it might burst. She longed to run into their arms, but she wasn’t sure how she would be received.
Hass’s face was worn with much care, and his hair was completely white. He was missing a leg, and leaned heavily on a wooden crutch. Jelana had lost a lot of weight, looking frail and sickly. Fia was now a teenager, with eyes that were ages too old. All three of them stared at her in disbelief, as if they weren’t certain she was real.
Adesina could not imagine what they had been through over the past five years. Their suffering was written on their faces, and Adesina read the traces of pain as if it were her own. She cursed herself for not being there for them, for not caring for them when they had done so much to care for her.
After what seemed an eternity, Jelana came forward with tears running down her cheeks. She cupped Adesina’s face in her hands and whispered, “My dearest Adrie.”
The young queen sobbed in relief and embraced her foster mother. They didn’t blame her for what happened.
Hass and Fia also came forward, each hugging Adesina fiercely and expressing their joy at seeing her alive.
“What happened to you, child?” asked Hass. “We thought you lost forever.”
They sat her down on a stool—one of the few pieces of furniture available—and crowded around her. Fia knelt at her knee, and Jelana stood holding her hand. Hass was given another stool, due to his lost leg. Adesina’s other friends from the High City also gathered, wanting to hear her story.
Adesina paused for a moment, wondering how much she should tell them. She glanced at Ravi, who was keeping out of the way, hoping that he would give some sort of indication of what she should say. He kept his expression impassive, as if to indicate that this decision was hers alone.
She felt they deserved the truth, but what would they think of her? Would they believe that she had nothing to do with the attack after admitting that she came to the High City as a spy?
After a painful moment of indecision, she began her tale. She told them the absolute truth—how she had been raised by the Shimat, and why she had been sent to the High City. She told them about her role in the capture of her father, and her own capture by the L’avan. She related her discoveries concerning the truth of the Shimat order, and her decision to rescue her father.
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She described the sorrow she experienced when she learned about the fate of the High City, and how she had done what she could for the refugees she encountered. They listened with wide eyes as she told them of the rescue mission in the Shimat fortress, and they wept when they heard of Aleron’s death.
“The L’avan are recovering slowly after the attack on their homeland,” she concluded. “I have been helping them as much as I can. We recently founded a settlement northwest of here, and that is where I was before traveling.”
The silence was heavy. She looked at their expressions, wondering what they thought of what she had said. Some of them appeared too stunned to speak, Deasa and her foster parents among them.
Fia’s brow was furrowed as she spoke. “So, your name is not Adrie?”
“No. It is Adesina.”
She reached out to touch Fia’s hair, as she had done when the girl was a child, but Fia jerked away from her outreached hand.
“How can we know that you are not acting as a spy right now?” the girl asked in a harsh tone.
“Fia,” reprimanded Jelana.
“It is a valid question,” defended Quinlan in a gentle voice. “The Adrie we knew and trusted was a lie. We do not know Adesina, and we do not know her intentions.”
The young queen was silent for several moments, considering what she had told them. She felt that they were right to be suspicious of her. After all, her entire time with them had been filled with deception.
“I can understand your distrust,” she replied honestly. “I would react in the same way. I only wish for you to know that I had nothing to do with the destruction of the High City, and that my love for each of you has always been sincere.”
Hass placed a hand on her shoulder. “I would never have doubted that.”
“Nor I,” added Jelana.
“Nor I,” declared Deasa. “Your history may have been a lie, but I feel that I still truly knew you as my friend.”
A lump formed in Adesina’s throat, and her eyes became misty. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“What now?” asked Nordin in a brisk voice. “What has brought you to Emerald Harbor?”
She glanced at Ravi, and he inclined his head. It was safe to tell them about her mission.
“I am searching for my husband. He was kidnapped my the Shimat.”
Jelana squeezed her hand in sympathy. “Oh, my dear child.”
“Is he here?” inquired Hass. “If so, we can assist you in finding him.”
Adesina’s heart was warmed by their immediate desire to help. “He was taken on a ship from here. We are waiting for another vessel with the same destination.”
“We?” questioned Nordin.
“I am here with friends.”
Deasa leaned forward with interest. “More magic-users?”
“Some,” admitted Adesina. “Along with a Tracker and another former Shimat.”
Hass frowned. “What can we do to help you?”
She sighed. “That is the most frustrating part of this section of our journey. We cannot really do anything until the ship arrives.”
Jelana rubbed Adesina’s hand between her own, trying to give a reassuring smile. “All will come to right in the end, you will see. And if there is anything that we can do, we will do it in an instant.”
“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “It means so much to me that you would offer.”
“Now,” Deasa grinned, “tell us more about magic and your homeland.”
Chapter Fourteen: Arrival
Adesina watched through narrowed eyes as Kendan hurried out the door of The Black Cat, with Maizah following close behind. He continued to avoid her, and the others, spending most of his time in his room or visiting old friends. The Tracker seemed to follow him out of habit.
Adesina was still intent on finding out what he knew about Basha’s plans, but Ravi had finally advised her to be patient for now. Kendan’s mood was still defiant, and it seemed unlikely that he would be forthcoming at the moment. Also, Ravi had pointed out that the former Shimat couldn’t very well hide from Adesina while on a boat.
Surprisingly, she found that she could control herself rather well. If she dwelled on it, she felt the familiar urge to force the information out of her former Shar. Now that she had found her High City friends, though, she had something to distract her mind.
Deasa and the others felt ill at ease coming to the inn, so Adesina would walk to their complex each day. Than’os and Mar’sal had started joining her in her visits, and she had introduced Ravi as well. The former citizens of the High City were amazed to have acquaintances that were magic-users, although some of the refugees still held on to their prejudices. Faryl declined coming with them, choosing instead to wander the marketplace or to listen to the tales of Jahan Lirit. She felt that there would be too many questions if she suddenly showed up after all this time.
Adesina was pleased to find that she quickly became comfortable with them again. They still called her Adrie, and she didn’t mind hearing it. They accepted what she had told them about her past, but it was their way of showing her that they cared for her now as they did then.
The L’avan helped out where they could, using their skills to improve the lives of Adesina’s friends. They did some minor repairs and they helped to heal the more serious illnesses and injuries. They explained their belief of not abusing their power, and the refugees respected them for it.
There were times when Adesina wished that they would let her help them, but they firmly refused.
Hass had lost his leg in a quarry accident six months after they had settled in Emerald Harbor. He was no longer able to work, leaving the responsibility of providing for the family to Jelana and Fia. Adesina had offered to give them some money—a repayment for their kindness—but Jelana had simply declined.
“Hass has very little pride left,” she stated. “I cannot take away what remains by accepting charity.”
Adesina frowned. “It is not wrong to allow others to help you.”
The older woman smiled briefly, but would not change her mind.
Later, Adesina discovered that Deasa was married to Nordin. She chuckled when she thought of how Gainor, one of their other friends from the High City, had been determined to catch his eye.
“Do you have any children?” asked the L’avan woman.
Deasa blushed, but not from pleasure. “No,” she answered in a hushed tone. “I…I do not think I am able to…”
It was clearly a painful subject, and Adesina mentally reprimanded herself for being so thoughtless. After a moment, and idea came to her.
“Would you like me to use my magic to examine you? I might even be able to heal you if there is something wrong.”
There was a flash of hope across Deasa’s face, but it instantly disappeared. “No, Adrie, I could not do that. If the gods do not wish me to bear a child, then I should accept that as their will.”
Adesina knew that the citizens of the High City, like most Seharans, worshipped a general group of deities; unlike the L’avan, who focused on one.
“I think that the gods would want you to be happy,” she said gently, giving her friend’s hand a squeeze.
Deasa smiled, but there was still sadness in her expression. “I agree, but that does not mean that I should presume to know what will make me happiest in the end.”
The L’avan queen couldn’t argue with such a statement. She had seen in her own life that painful paths had led to unexpected joy.
“Besides,” added Deasa after a moment, “it is probably a blessing in disguise. I would not wish to bring a child into this kind of life.”
Adesina looked around at the dirty, hungry faces of the children who were too young to work, and she couldn’t help but agree. Still, it was difficult for her to see her friend’s heartache and to do nothing about it. She wanted to take action, but deep down she knew that she needed to respect Deasa’s wishes.
The L’avan travelers had been in Emerald Harbor
for five days when news of an incoming ship reached their ears. Adesina decided to postpone her visit to her friends and to walk down to the docks. She was not certain that this was the ship they had been waiting to arrive, but she was anxious to find out.
The vessel was well past the mouth of the inlet, but it had not yet landed. It approached at a leisurely pace, trimming the sails and allowing the momentum to carry the vessel the rest of the way.
The word Zephyr was painted in yellow on the side of the black stained wood, and Adesina felt her heart leap in her chest. This was they ship for which they had been waiting.
It had two masts with triangular sails, and a third mast with a square sail. It had a gently sloping bow with a small tower, and two towers built on the stern. It was a different style than Adesina was accustomed to seeing, even after years of watching supply ships approach the Shimat fortress.
Kendan appeared at her side, his eyes on Zephyr. “It is quite a sight,” he said in a casual voice.
“Yes,” replied Adesina, hiding her irritation at his behavior over the past several days.
Ravi simply ignored the presence of the former Shimat. He addressed Adesina alone. “They will expect at least two days for trade before setting sail again, but we should speak to the captain as soon as possible to secure passage.”
She nodded, but her heart sank at the thought of waiting two more days. It was true that the ship had arrived two or three days sooner than expected, but she was anxious to be off again.
Zephyr was pulling into the docks, and Adesina could see the figures of the crew as they prepared the ship for landing. There was one member of the crew that stood out to the L’avan queen.
It was the petite figure of a teenage girl, probably around fifteen years old, with white-blonde hair that blew freely in the breeze. She wore the rough clothing of a seafarer—coarse brown pants, a tan blouse, and a length of brown material tied around her waist—and she climbed the rigging with ease.
