Thirty-three days since we sailed away from home.
Too long until I see Shiara—or Yorri—again.
Some of the plants and herbs grow wild or on farms, so they’re easy to find and use in everything from potions to stews. The rest of it won’t be so simple, but at least we have this. And I was right; potions are disturbingly similar to cooking. I crush a dried leaf between my thumb and forefinger, letting the flakes fall back into a bowl. “It’s so hard to believe this is magic.”
“And what you do seems impossible to the Ryogans.” Tsua picks the bowl up and uses a pestle to grind the leaves into dust.
We stopped for rest a couple hours southeast of Atokoredo, the one reachable city where Lo’a thinks we might be able to find the remaining ingredients. The clearing we’re in isn’t big enough for the caravan, so most of the wagons are spread along the path in either direction. Only our wagon, Lo’a’s, and two others surround the campfires. Thankfully, her people don’t seem to begrudge us the precedence. Especially not now.
Two days ago, to stave off the tedium of waiting, Natani, Wehli, Miari, and Nairo offered to teach Lo’a’s people new tricks with a sword. It took some convincing before Lo’a and the elders agreed—more because of the rules limiting contact with outsiders than anything else; if they’re going to teach people, they’ll also need to talk to them.
Once they got permission, they started using the open space between the wagons to run drills and sparring matches. It was especially fun to watch when Wehlli, Miari, and Nairo show off, all three battling at once. They read each other so well, it’s almost like watching a tokiansu between a sumai pair, especially since I know they would be soulpartners as well as bed partners if the bond wasn’t so dangerous for more than two people to undergo.
Sumai or no, their display certainly impressed the hanaeuu we’la maninaio. Even I smiled when Wehli broke away from the other two, using his ryacho speed to twirl, duck, and wheel so fast his sword was nothing more than a gleaming silver blur in the air. When the three were finished, nearly every single member of Lo’a’s family able to carry a sword rushed to grab their weapons and learn from their new instructors.
Now, though I watch their lesson in my peripheral vision, most of my focus is on Tsua and Chio as they prepare the leaves, roots, and oils we’ve gathered so far.
“How much more do we need?” Sanii asks as ey sits down next to me.
“Too much.” Tsua pours the leaf dust into a pouch and rinses the mortar clean. “And I don’t know how much we can find before that catches up to us.”
She tilts her head toward the south and the black bank of clouds closing in. I don’t let my eyes linger there when I ask, “What do we do if Atokoredo doesn’t have what we need?”
“Find shelter fast,” Chio says. “Although, even if luck and the Kaisubeh fail us, that’ll have to happen anyway.”
“What will we do if we can’t find the last three items?” I ask Tsua as she drops new leaves into the dried-out bowl.
“Pray the Kaisubeh lead us somewhere else when the storm passes,” Chio answers. “Otherwise we’re going to have to spend more time than I want to think about hunting them down before…”
He looks toward the storm, but from the shadows in his eyes, I know he’s thinking of more than just those clouds; that’s not the only force we’re racing against. Rubbing my forehead, I mutter, “I hate not knowing how much time we have left.”
“What I don’t understand is how a plant can be this hard to find.” Rai looks at the interwoven branches overhead. “There are plants everywhere, and we found the others easily enough.”
“Yes, but a long time has passed,” Tyrroh says. “Do you remember the storm ten years ago?”
“I felt like the city was going to drown in that storm.” I still have nightmares about it when the rains get bad.
“We lost our entire ahuri crop that year, and there weren’t even any seeds to harvest. If we hadn’t held some back from the last yield, we might’ve lost that fruit forever.” Tyrroh gestures to the forest. “It could’ve happened here. I doubt they even know how many plants they’ve lost since Varan was exiled.”
Tsua nods. “I don’t think what we need has been wiped out, but it’s become rarer than it used to be. Mura’ina and rianjuko, especially.”
“We used to be able to walk into the forest and pick enough to last us for moons.” Chio sighs. “Now the supply is controlled and restricted.”
“Getting caught growing mura’ina could destroy most families.” Osshi shakes his head. “There are few who dare try. And rianjuko can’t be grown most places.”
“It’s a good thing the hanaeuu are used to ducking the law, then.” Chio’s admission seems grudging, but not without respect. “I don’t think you would’ve been able to find a potential source of either, would you?”
“Contrary to what the tyatsu now believe, I’m not actually a criminal,” Osshi mutters, eyes downcast and shoulders tense. “I know history. I know the legends and ancient stories everyone else has forgotten. I don’t know anything about…”
“How to get yourself out of the mess you’re in?” Tsua gently asks.
“Without dying.” Osshi glances up, expression unreadable. “Or hurting Ryogo.”
“You’re not the one trying to hurt Ryogo, Osshi,” Zonna says. “And the best way out of this is to help us stop Varan.”
Osshi takes a long breath. “Then listen to Lo’a. If she says we can get what we need in Atokoredo, then go there. Then, if it works, I suggest hiding on the western coast while you work out your countermeasures. It’ll be far easier to escape from there.”
“And easier for the tyatsu to pin us between them and the ocean.” Rai flicks sparks into the fire, making it blaze brighter. “If you don’t want to see Ryogans hurt, Osshi, don’t suggest a plan that’ll leave us no options.”
She’s not wrong, but I don’t like the fear in Osshi’s eyes. “We’ll avoid killing anyone, but not if it means our lives.”
“Just help us stay hidden because most of us are doing everything we can to keep Varan from landing here,” Tessen says as he approaches. I catch the emphasis of his words and shoot him a sharp glare, but then he says, “Lo’a is ready to move. She said if we push, we can reach Atokoredo by evening.” Then he looks at the andofume. “And she’s ready for us to join her if you want to finish planning this.”
We help Tsua and Chio clean up their work as Tyrroh calls out, “Everyone, load up.”
The sword lesson breaks up and the camp is quickly broken down. As soon as our supplies are put away, Tessen, Natani, and I follow Tyrroh and the andofume to Lo’a’s wagon. Inside, she’s waiting with a map of Atokoredo laid out. The elders sit with her at the table. I move to the bed, Tessen and Natani joining me a moment later.
Once the door is closed, Chio taps the map. “We know what we need is so restricted that even an illegal dealer won’t sell them to the hanaeuu, so Lo’a can’t get it for us, and Osshi can’t risk going into the city. Even if he could, it wouldn’t help.”
“Why not?” Natani asks.
“The people I am taking you to see do not like strangers,” Lo’a says. “New faces make them nervous. It makes them think the tyatsu are closing in.”
I lean closer to the table. “Tell us more about these friends of yours.”
“Their names are Osota and Shideso Tarusuta, and we will find them close to where the river splits.” Lo’a points to a building in the northwest section of the oblong city.
“The layout reminds me of Itagami,” Natani murmurs, tracing the western edge of the city. “They just have more water.”
“With the way the storm season went this year,” I say, my eyes on the quadrant Lo’a indicated, “Itagami might have this much water now, too.” Hopefully not, though. Atokoredo sits at the point where the Sansosi’ka River halves. Our city would drown in this much water.
“I have worked with the Tarusuta family before, carrying their goods to Jush
oyen.” Lo’a traces a path around the city. “I can get you in their door, but nothing I have or can do will convince them to sell me what you need.”
“Nothing we have will convince them, either,” Tsua says, frowning.
“I don’t know if that’s true.” Zonna shrugs when we look at him. “We have the two of you, don’t we? Maybe it’s time to use the weight of your legend.”
“Only if you plan on killing them before we leave.” Chio sits straighter, sending Zonna a scolding look. “The old leaders sent nearly the entire army after us before. You’re deluding yourself if you think they’ll do less this time.”
“And don’t forget the Jindaini has whatever’s left of the rock they mined from Imaku,” Tsua says. “If they learn we’re here, they’ll try to bury us in that rot-ridden stone.”
“Osshi said no one knows where the stone is.” And thankfully, even if the Ryogans did find a way to bury the andofume in that rock, all touching it does is knock them unconscious. It doesn’t hurt us at all, and it won’t do any lasting damage to them either if we’re there to dig them out again. I look between the andofume and Lo’a. “Are we sure it hasn’t been lost?”
“We’re not sure of anything except that that stone is the one thing we know can slow us down,” Tsua says. “Personally, I don’t want to push our luck on this particular issue.”
“Exactly.” Chio shivers and closes his eyes. “I’ve been trapped by that rock before. It’s not an experience I want to repeat.”
“So what do you need us to do?” Tessen speaks for the first time, looking between the andofume and Lo’a. “Because it really seems like stealing from the Tarusutas is the safest plan for everyone.”
Tsua smiles. “This time, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
…
Atokoredo is in the foothills of the Mysora Mountains, a range long and high enough to make the one on Shiara look small. I hadn’t been sure we’d be able to stay with the caravan—or that Lo’a would agree to carry us all the way to the city—but there’s no talk of separating, not even when the road forces us away from the cover of the trees.
As we turn a sharp corner, Tessen calls me to the window. “Look.”
Low on the horizon, almost blocked by the tops of the trees, the incoming storm is closer and denser than before. The setting sun gives the mass an undertone of red, like it’s not rain but fire that’ll fall when the downpour hits.
We’ll beat the storm to Atokoredo, but beyond that is doubtful.
“It might be good,” I say. “There should be fewer people on the streets if it’s raining.”
“Which means us being there will be noticeable.” Tessen leans out the window, studying the sky. “And everyone will be inside, taking cover. There might be more people in the Tarusutas’ building than we’re expecting.”
“You’ll warn us before we go in, and we’ll adjust the strategy if we can.” Which we might not be able to. It isn’t like we have time to try again.
Tessen shoots me a skeptical look. “Maybe I should pray to the Kaisubeh that you’re right this time instead of me.”
“It can’t hurt.” I pause. “Unless they’re real, they hear you, and they decide to ruin everything.”
“Wow. I thought I was supposed to be the negative one,” Sanii says.
I shrug. “If the Kaisubeh are real, they belong to the Ryogans, not us. They don’t owe us anything.”
“There’s a lovely thought.” Tessen shakes his head. “I hope they aren’t real, then. The Ryogans and the bobasu are more than enough to handle.”
“From your mouth to the Kaisubeh’s ears,” Rai adds, a sardonic twist to her lips.
We reach the river leading to Atokoredo minutes before sunset, and well before the incoming storm, but we stay in the wagons until the clouds block the light from the nearly full moon and the bright stars, leaving us cloaked in shadows. Only the city’s lamplight gives us direction, and only the lightning that periodically cracks the sky into pieces illuminates the world.
Natani was right; the layout and feel of Atokoredo is more like Itagami than any Ryogan city we’ve passed. The narrow streets and closely-packed buildings are carefully laid out and easy to navigate. Almost all of it—except the roofs—is stone. Of course, I’ve never been this cold in Itagami. I can’t imagine how bad the chill would be if my wards weren’t keeping the rain off. Broad-brimmed hats help hide our faces—and our foreignness. Hopefully, since only Lo’a, Tsua, Chio, Natani, Tessen, and I are making this trip, we’ll look like a family rushing to get inside.
Lo’a and Tessen lead the line, her for directions and him to watch for danger. He signals a halt more than once, urging us into the shadows to wait for someone to pass. Finally, Lo’a leads us around a large, square, windowless building. There are numerous doors along two sides. The one she leads us to has a white symbol painted on the top left corner.
Tessen steps up to the door, flattening first his palm and then his ear against the wood. “There are people inside, but not many,” he murmurs.
“I can break the door,” Tsua offers.
“Or we can knock.” Lo’a flicks her hands at us. Once we’re out of sight, she raps her knuckles against the wood in a quick, sharp pattern. A panel opens and a square of light hits her face. “It is important,” Lo’a says.
“Obviously.” The voice is low and gravelly. “Why else would you be out in this weather?” When the panel shuts, I strengthen my wards, making sure they’ll protect against more than rain.
There’s the sound of several locks unlatching, and then the door opens, spilling warmth and firelight onto the dark street. “You’re lucky it’s just Osota and I, Lo’a. Rumors have been spreading. They say one of your caravans is hiding the fugitive everyone in the east is looking for. You might not’ve gotten a pleasant greeting from some of the others.”
Now I really am glad Osshi didn’t come. Especially when Lo’a steps inside and says, “Shideso Tarusuta, I am afraid the rumors are true.”
We burst from either side of the door, pouring into the room and forcing Lo’a and the old man back. Shideso cries out and stumbles, his arms wheeling. Lo’a catches him. A woman runs through an open door, tossing something green at us. Three balls hit in quick succession, and all of them are well-aimed—one at Lo’a’s shoulder, one at the center of my chest, and one at Chio’s forehead. They shatter into a cloud of dust and smoke against my wards. Sparks sizzle across the impact points, powerful enough to make me flinch.
I hold out my hand to Natani. He’s a strong zoikyo mage, and the extra energy he sends into my body boosts my protections and gives me the power to trap Shideso and Osota inside a ward of their own. Holding two is a strain; they’re too different. One keeps danger out, the other encases it. Natani’s touch roots me, helping to keep me from feeling split.
“I don’t recommend moving.” Tsua’s warning is aimed at the woman; she looks ready to run. “The magic surrounding you will cause quite a bit of pain if you brush it.”
“What have you done, Lo’a?” The man, Shideso, looks furious. “After everything we’ve trusted you with?”
“Our arrangement has benefitted both of us, and I would be sad to see it end, but if it must after this, I understand.” Lo’a glances at me, uncertainty in her eyes, then she turns to him. “The goal of this journey will be worth the hardships of getting there.”
“We don’t have much time, so take a seat. Otherwise, you’ll have to stand for however long we’re here.” Tsua catches my eye and tilts her head toward them. I release the ward. It feels like exhaling a long-held breath.
Quickly but gently, Tsua ties Shideso to a chair. Osota goes silently and reluctantly to the second; she’s wide-eyed and watchful as she lets Tsua bind her to the second chair.
“Nothing you can do will make me give you what you want,” the old man says calmly. “I’m the only one who can unlock the spell guarding the storeroom.”
“I don’t need keys to get past spells.
” Hopefully, that’s as true here as it was on Shiara. Whatever magic he’s using can’t be as powerful as the wards guarding Imaku.
“If what we want is behind a magical protection, then it’s over there,” Tessen says in Itagamin, gesturing to what looks like a solid wall.
I look at Tsua. “No one’s ever taught me how to walk through walls.”
“Admitting there’s something you can’t do?” Tessen raises his eyebrows in mock surprise. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
He says it with a smirk as he faces the wall to search for the storeroom with his fingertips, eyes, and ears—and Natani’s hand on his shoulder to enhance his senses. While he works, I check on everyone else.
Lo’a is crouched next to Shideso, apologizing softly. Near the door, Tsua and Chio are whispering in Denhitran, their heads tilted toward each other but their eyes on our prisoners. Osota still hasn’t said a word; she’s watching everything, though.
Then Tessen hums in approval. I turn just as he presses a latch concealed behind a cabinet. At the touch, what had appeared to be a wall breaks. The lines of a door appear in the stone.
“Unless you want them to die, painfully, I suggest you tell your friends to step back from there,” Shideso says to Lo’a.
“You make the same mistake I did at first,” she says.
He huffs. “Trusting you?”
“No. Underestimating them.” At those words, I’m glad I’m facing the wall so he won’t see my smile.
“We’ll see,” the old man grumbles.
Just to be safe, I ease Tessen back from the door to take his place. I check everyone’s wards, too, before I slip my fingers into the crack Tessen revealed and pull the thin panel of stone out. The whole thing is ingeniously hooked to a system of metal that keep it attached to the wall. Behind the stone slab is an actual door, this one locked with something far more complicated than anything I encountered on Itagami. Yorri would love to study this. I’d bring it back to Shiara for him if I could, but Shideso would probably like that even less than what we’re already planning to do.
Sea of Strangers Page 10
