At last the rotting outskirts gave way to sturdier structures, a few meager shops cropping up between tiny homes built one right next to the other. The road curved to the right, the circular streets I’d seen from a distance beginning in earnest. Each block became a little cleaner, a little larger, until I came to a gate spanning the entire road and beyond in a long wall that disappeared to either side. People in all manner of colored robes, some with faces completely covered, streamed in and out of the gate. Some led the animals I’d seen on the road, others pulled oversized wheelbarrows behind them by harnesses strapped to their bodies. Once or twice I caught their curious glances at me, but none seemed overly bothered by my presence. Two guards, their robes blood red with slashes of black swaths of fabric wrapped around them at the head and waist, stood to either side of the archway, casually monitoring traffic as they fingered the hilts of silver swords. Upon remembering my errand, I tried to appear casual, not wanting to arouse suspicion. Whether it worked I couldn’t say, but I passed through unharassed.
I meandered through the city for an hour or more before I came to the edges of what I thought was the main market. I scoured my memory, trying to remember if the common tongue was used widely in desert kingdoms, but as I wasn’t sure where I was exactly, and the vendors around me hollered out strange words at the passing customers, I wasn’t brave enough to test it. Somewhere near what I thought was the middle, I caught sight of a side street that looked less widely used than the other roads, and stepped into it to get my bearings. The sounds and smells and constant crush of people was overwhelming. How many lived in the city?
I leaned back against the wall of a building and closed my eyes. A deep breath filled my nose with scents ranging from exotic perfumes to roasting meat to the stench of filthy masses. After a moment or two, I straightened up, renewing my interest in finding the woman. Over the noise of the crowded market, a hauntingly beautiful melody pulled at me from further down the side street, my heart matching the rhythm of its beat. Curious, I turned. Not far away, a crowd was gathered outside an opened doorway, everyone listening intently to the music inside. The strange song tugged at me, teasing at emotions buried deep within me. The soul of the desert drifted through the notes plucked on strings, and the cadence of the drum reminded me of that humped animal’s feet as it pounded the ground. It was a song of the dry wastes, and yet so full of life it reframed my entire ordeal through the blistering sun. Who could conjure such things in a simple tune?
“You are lucky this day, stranger.”
The smoky voice in my ear caused me to whirl around, startled out of the music’s spell. A woman draped in coarse robes, torn and patched at the knees, smirked at me as she leaned up against the wall.
“Corumon’s Bard rarely comes to the city, and usually only to play at the Sultana’s court. It is fortunate for you to hear Sudam in a place such as this.”
“You speak the common tongue.” I stared at her, her wide dark eyes sparkling with amusement. “Did you say Corumon?”
Her brows lifted a little, as though she were trying to gauge my sincerity. “You’re in the capital city. Do you not know this?”
I scrubbed a hand across my face as I thought. What was the capital city of Corumon? I was certain I’d learned it, but hadn’t paid much attention as I saw no reason I’d ever be on the golden coast. I made my best guess, the only city I could remember. “This is Istara then?”
She laughed a little. “Not even certain where you are in the world? Never been here before?”
I scratched my chin and sighed. “I’ve come a long way in a very short time. I’m not even sure of my own name anymore.”
“Then I shall be the first to welcome you to Istara, the Jewel of the Golden Coast.” In a grand show, she bowed low, sweeping out her arm as she rose.
I followed the line of her hand, my gaze coming to rest on a wooden sign hanging over the door the music came from. It was faded, but on it was painted a white horse, drawn up on its back legs, head thrown back mid-whinny.
“Since you are new in town,” she sidled up next to me, close enough for me to catch the scent of something woodsy in her hair, “you should have someone to show you around. If you’ve a bit of coin, I could—”
I turned to her so quickly she had to jump away, but I touched her arm to stop her retreat. “I’m looking for someone. Maybe you know her? I was sent to find a woman named Alida.”
Her eyes narrowed to dark slits in her brown skin. “Sent by who?”
Releasing her arm, I inched away, not wanting to frighten her off. “A man who lives an hour north, away from people. He wears a robe of red feathers.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, her demeanor instantly shifting as her gaze darted up and down the street. She reached back and pulled a cowl over her head, dousing her face in shadow, then motioned me down the alley. “This way. Follow me.”
I hurried after, wondering if I’d found the right person or if she wasn’t leading me to a dark corner to rob me. Had she not been in the middle of asking for money when I’d interrupted her? Perhaps I’d been too quick to trust a stranger. Corumon was not Valmyr, but I was acting as though it was.
“Where are we going?” I asked as she turned us down another side street. “Are we going to see—”
“Shh!” she spat as she yanked me into a darkened alcove, hiding behind me as a group of guards marched through the cross street. When they passed, she peeked over my shoulder. “Is it clear?”
I glanced over and listened, hearing the sounds of footsteps retreating. “They’re gone. Why the need for—”
She darted away again, pulling me along, headed the opposite direction the guards had gone. She offered no more explanations as we wound through the shadowy streets between the tightly spaced buildings. Eventually, we came to a road that ended in a circle, an aged statue of a woman at its center, her arm outstretched as a perch for a massive bird mid-takeoff. We hurried across the open area and ducked into the shadows beside a large structure that reminded me of the exotic temples to deities I’d read about in stories. It rose into the sky like a giant, its pale façade only darkened by boarded up windows.
Without warning, she jerked me forward, slamming my back into the wall. At first angry at the abuse, the feel of a sharp blade at my throat silenced my protests.
“Tell me quickly, and do not lie to me. Who sent you?”
I spread my palms before me in surrender. “I told you, the man in red feather robes outside of town. He wouldn’t give me his name.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “What proof do you have?”
The knife cut into my skin, and I sucked in a sharp breath. “Nothing. All he gave me was enough food and water to last me until sunset.”
She backed away, her face going slack. “He sent water with you? Let me see it.”
Slowly, I eased out of my pack, removing the skein from inside and handing it to her. “Is water such a rare thing that you would—”
Unstopping the skein, she sniffed the contents, then tipped a few drops on her palm, tasting it. Her eyelids fluttered closed with a soft smile. “You speak the truth. My apologies for threatening you.”
Perhaps what I’d sensed about the water earlier was not so absurd after all. Whatever it was about it had verified my story to the woman. I considered her for a moment before speaking again. “Are you Alida, then?”
After glancing around, she nodded once. “Come. We can’t speak freely yet. This way.”
We clambered over broken crates and fences, making our way to the back of the temple. In a small courtyard choked with dry, scrubby weeds, she pulled up a metal grate near a dead fountain and jumped down into the darkness. I hesitated to follow, but found my courage to go after her. The tunnel I landed in smelled of moisture long since gone, with only dusty mold left behind, and what little light came from above only showed it to be some kind of large drain. Alida slid the grate back into place, turned, and headed in the direction of the building.
At the end of a barren hall, a set of steps led up into the main building. We climbed past every landing, passing no fewer than five doors leading elsewhere. When we could go no further, she paused, her hand resting on the rusted knob of the exit.
“What is your name, asuli?”
I blinked at her, caught off guard by the question. “Lukas,” I answered. “Lukas Tomlinsson.”
“Well, Lukas Tomlinsson,” she turned the handle and pushed the door open, “welcome to my home.”
Chapter 16
I stared out at the city from the top of the empty bell tower, stunned at the view. What seemed like cramped disarray from the streets spread out before me in sweeping circles, each curve radiating out in perfect arcs as the late morning sun gleamed off of the rooftops. From that height, it was beautiful and clean, masterfully planned down to each spoked alleyway.
“Not bad for a street rat, eh, asuli?”
I turned away from the edge of the tower. “It’s amazing. You live here?”
Alida shrugged a shoulder at me and gazed out at the other side of the city. “This place was closed almost twenty years ago by order of Sultan Radaah. He said it invited superstition into Istara, and that paying homage to silent gods only inspired bloodshed. I heard people used to make pilgrimages here, to pray for peace or seek tranquility. The old stories said it was a refuge, a sanctuary for any who sought meaning and the betterment of their spirits. Now it only harbors vermin, a testament to the reality of life in this city.”
“From up here,” I said as I leaned on the wall across from her, my eyes fixed on the graceful curves of the palace spires, “I could believe this place was more than the fear in your voice.”
She glared at the palace. “It is not fear you hear, but anger. All my life I’ve roamed these streets, wanting nothing more than to scrape together enough money to pay passage to any other town. I’ve nearly convinced myself it’s impossible, but you give me hope.”
I stared at her, confused. “Me?”
She nodded, still intent on the palace. “I tried to leave when I was fifteen. Thought I could cross the desert myself if I had three days’ worth of supplies. Five days out, I collapsed, still hoping I was nearly there. I awoke in the place I assume you came from, saved by the red feather man. He said he saved me to grant my wish, but first he would ask something of me.”
“What did he ask you to do?”
Her face soured even further. “Wait, mostly. Every morning since, I have stood outside that inn. He said he would send word of my task by way of another.” Finally, her attention turned, focused on me instead. “Asuli is our word for brother. We are together in this, like it or not. As lost as you seem, I think you like this as much as I, so we are joined by shared misery.”
Frowning, I had to agree. “Than what do I call you, if I am asuli?”
“Our word for sister is asita. You’d do better to use it instead of my name. I am not particularly well-liked by the city guard, and the streets are full of those who’d welcome the reward for handing me over.”
“Asita.” The word sounded strange rolling off my tongue, though it was pleasant enough. “So we are family then, I suppose.”
She sighed and wandered away from the wide opening, back towards the ladder leading to her den just below. “What trouble shall we get into, then, you and I?”
“Are you familiar with the palace grounds at all?”
Alida paused at trap door, straightening suddenly. “The palace?”
As I told her of the man’s request, her large, teardrop eyes grew wider with each second. By the end of it, she’d sat down, burying her face in her hands. “He’s mad, that one. We’d not make it ten steps before the guard cut us down. Do you know what a risk this is, to steal from the Sultana?”
“You think he’d send us to our deaths?” I sat beside her, a hand on her shoulder. “It doesn’t make sense that he would after going to so much trouble to save us to begin with.”
She looked up at me, something desperate in her eyes. “What makes you do this unquestioningly? If you knew the horrors of the dungeons, you wouldn’t be—”
“It doesn’t matter,” I interrupted. “If I don’t do this, everything I’ve worked for will be lost. It’s not only my life that rides on my success today.”
Her gaze fell to her lap, her words quiet. “What did you wish for, asuli? What is worth this risk?”
I closed my eyes and took a breath, calling to my memories of Erata’s voice. Alida’s tone held the same hopeless sadness that I’d heard on so many nights, and it hurt my heart to speak of my shame. “I broke a promise to someone I love, and now she suffers for my faithlessness. My one wish is to see her free again, and I can only do that with that man’s help.”
I met her eyes when I looked up, but she said nothing to me.
“And what was your wish?”
Alida swallowed and looked away. “To find a true home. I have lived in this city my whole life, but it has never been home to me. This place has no care for rats.”
Home. Twice over I’d had places that felt like I belonged, but it wasn’t as simple as a location or a building. Gently, I took her hand. “Home is not a place, asita. Home is the people in it. Since we’re family now, maybe there’s hope for your wish yet. I’m only one, but the world is full of people you haven’t met. Even here, I’m certain there are others with room in their hearts.”
She gave me a small smile and broke away, swiping at her eyes as she stood. “Then I suppose we should hurry. They’ll hang the carpet to dry when the sun is highest, and I don’t want to wait another month to try again. I’ve already waited five years. I think that’s long enough, don’t you?” She offered me a hand and pulled me to my feet. “There’s something we’ll need first, and I think there’s a way to get it. Would you spare some of your water for me?”
Curious, I brought out the skein once more, weighing it in my hand. “I suppose I could, but what good does that do us? Surely there are wells in the city for drinking from.”
She shook her head, grinning. “Yes, but none with water such as this. Come. We’ve a merchant to see.”
* * * * *
Alida tugged her cowl down further, obscuring her face as she secured the loose end of the wrap across her mouth and nose. “Wait here and stay out of sight. The idea is to not be memorable. That gives this man some ability to deny seeing us, as you would immediately stand out to him. He helps me from time to time, but only because what I trade has value. His customers have a taste for rare potions, and when he sees what I have, he’ll not risk losing me as a source.”
I crossed my arms and frowned, unconvinced anything would come of the stop. “And you think a small vial of water will interest him?”
She regarded me with great skepticism. “You still think this is ordinary water?”
I shrugged. “It’s more refreshing than I’d expect, but I don’t think that’s overly unusual.”
With a roll of her eyes, she turned away, towards the street a dozen steps out of our shadowy hiding place. “You are lucky I like you, asuli. I do not normally spend my precious time with the ignorant. Wait for me. I shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”
With that, Alida hurried away, turning around the corner of the building. I leaned back against the wall, left with nothing but the heat and rising stench of the alleyway. I tried to be patient, but each moment that passed by doubled my tension. At the very second I’d decided to go look for her, she finally returned, pulling me along and silencing any questions I had. We were halfway back to the temple before she ushered
me down a tiny passage between buildings.
“I traded for a few ingredients, but I didn’t want to get everything in one spot. That merchant doesn’t ask many questions, but even he would be hard-pressed to look away from what I have in mind.” She stopped at a rope ladder that scaled the side of the wall. “I can get dried lavender from a window up there. The old woman who lives there won’t notice a sprig or two missing.”
“Do you…” I looked at her sideways. “Is this a habit of yours, taking things this way?”
Her eyes narrowed at me. “Would you send a chamber maid to build a house?”
“Of course not.”
“As the red feather man wouldn’t have sent you to a fruit vendor to steal from the Sultana.” She grabbed hold of the ladder. “I take only what I must to survive, and as our necks depend on the lavender, that is what I must take today.”
Quick as a fox, Alida scrambled up the rungs, so fast she was gone before I could argue further. She appeared a few breaths later, all but sliding back to the ground. I wasn’t given the time to reflect on her superior skills, as we were off again immediately.
Twice more we stopped, without conversation. I decided it was better not to know the specifics of what she was doing, but I did marvel at her efficiency. Alida seemed to know every nook and cranny of Istara, along with the detailed contents inside every window. To live as she did for so long, I could only imagine the depth of her skill.
We returned to the temple, but stayed on the lowest level. Another room there contained a cobbled together setup that my mother would have been envious of. Tiny bottles of liquids and dried things were everywhere, even scattered amongst tools for grinding, chopping, mixing, boiling, and draining. Alida moved through it all with absolute precision, a strange control amongst the chaos of the dark workshop. I stayed out of her way as much as I could, occasionally handing her things, but I was of very little use. As the concoction boiled in a pot, a pipe collected the evaporated liquid, which condensed and collected in a small vial on the other end. A light purple miasma swirled inside the glass, a haunting beauty to what I assumed was a dangerous potion.
Ride the Wind: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales Book 3) Page 15
