The mosquitoes were particularly annoying. Buzzing around Rudiger, around the horses. Everywhere. On the best of days, there were a lot of them, but today, they were out in double force. It was the humidity. Fisvin could be like this too. Whenever it got humid, the mosquitoes came out to party. And the humidity today was horrible. There were dark clouds to the east, though, and maybe the storm they brought would bring some relief. It probably wouldn’t last long, but it would be something.

Still, mosquitoes aside, he’d been enjoying the weather the last couple months. It reminded him of home, something he’d found himself thinking a lot about recently. Maybe it was the staying in one spot. He’d been travelling for so long now—and so rarely with any real destination in mind—that he almost never had time to think of home. Staying in one place for two months now had given him time for reflection.

Rudiger whistled at Mulac, who was beginning to wander a little farther than Rudiger was comfortable with. All the horses looked up at the sound, but they had a way of knowing which one he was calling to, so once they’d determined it wasn’t them he wanted, they went back to grazing. Except Mulac, who trotted back.

“Good boy,” he said when the horse arrived. He patted the dark grey gelding’s nose and offered him a piece of sugar cane. The horse took it and wandered off to graze some more.

No, it was more than just staying in one spot. It was a whole mixture of unrelated things. He’d travelled by himself a lot, but had never felt alone. Now, he had people to interact with regularly, but loneliness was all he felt. No Borisin. No Zandrue now. And Jorvan had to stay hidden, so Rudiger only saw him for brief periods of time. Even when he’d travelled alone, he’d had Borisin with him.

Gods, he missed that horse.

Fra-Tepeu’s horses were wonderful—beautiful, behaved, smart. He enjoyed looking after them.

But they weren’t Borisin.

It had been over two months since they’d gotten over the wall and into Ninifin. Two months since Eleuia had taken Borisin, since Borisin had talked to her. Rudiger still wasn’t certain whether to be amazed or jealous. Not that it mattered really. He just wanted Borisin around again. As annoying as that horse could be, Rudiger couldn’t stand being without him.

Eleuia had said there was a way to get Borisin across, too. She’d said it would take time, but he’d thought she meant a week or two, maybe three at most. He definitely hadn’t been thinking in terms of months. He worried now that she had just taken off with Borisin with no intention of bringing him past the wall. Rudiger couldn’t forget that, until Borisin talked to her, she had been talking about taking him and the horses as payment for her services. Perhaps her later promises had just been lies.

“You’re not hiding a secret ability to talk to me, are you?” he asked Xoco, who had come to graze near him.

Borisin would have had a sarcastic comment to make about that.

Xoco ignored him. The young mare was the most stand-offish of the horses under his care. She was named after the Ninifin queen and seemed to know it. She had a bit of a pompous air to her, but could be very friendly when she wanted something.

Things just weren’t the same without Borisin around.

Less time spent responding to Borisin’s complaints meant more time to think of other things.

And now Zandrue was gone, too.

But no. He’d be damned if he thought about her.

Better to think of home and his parents. Of course, there was no way she could have known the day she’d chosen to take off without explanation was the anniversary—three years to the day—of the day he’d come home to find his parents murdered. His mother lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, her throat slashed. His father hanging from a hook that had been slammed into their bedroom door. The house was a mess, wardrobes and desks ransacked, furniture overturned, holes smashed in walls, but nothing missing as best Rudiger could tell. And no one willing to do anything about it, either.

No, there was no way Zandrue could have known that. It was a ridiculous coincidence, but it didn’t soften the blow. The terrible irony was, he’d been coming to talk to her about his parents. Knowing the anniversary was approaching and thinking about them more than usual, he’d begun to wonder if their deaths were somehow linked to everything he, Zandrue, and the others had been going through. It certainly seemed a strong possibility his parents’ killers had been after Slay. It would have been the first time in a long time he’d spoken more than the briefest words about his parents. And she’d told him she was leaving.

Gods damn it, he was thinking about her again. He’d spent the last few nights crying himself to sleep; he wasn’t about to do that again.

“What are you staring at?” he asked Xoco, who was looking at him with her head tilted to the side. He walked up to her and she nudged him with her head. She wanted him to scratch behind her ears, so he obliged.

The storm clouds were getting closer and the wind was picking up. Lightning flashed in the direction of the Jaguar, and he wondered if he should take the horses in. They hadn’t been out long and probably wouldn’t want to go in just yet. He didn’t relish the idea of standing in the storm, though, especially if it wasn’t a quick one. A short one might be refreshing. A long one...

Thunder boomed and Xoco jolted her head away from him. Nearby, Tepin looked up and began trotting towards the barn. Mulac joined her.

Okay, looked like they had made his decision for him. He called the others in and led them back to the barn. Xoco held back at the rear and had to be coaxed the last few feet through the doors. The rain was already coming down by then. Rudiger got her inside and closed the doors while more thunder rumbled overhead.

Getting inside turned out to be the right idea. The rain pounded on the roof and walls of the barn, and the wind howled amidst occasional booms of thunder.

Rudiger hoped Zandrue was caught in the storm.

No, he didn’t. Not really. But the momentary thought was cathartic.

“What do you mean you’re leaving?”

“Not for long,” Zandrue said. She was shoving articles of clothing into her bag. “A week. Maybe ten days.”

“Where to?” he asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Just got a few things to take care of.”

“Is this something for Fra-Mecatl?”

“Yeah,” she said. “It’s just a little thing out of town for a bit.”

“Guess she’s really starting to trust you a bit more with these things.”

“Yeah, she’s been...” Zandrue stopped tying her bag and looked at him. Her shoulders slumped. “No, sorry, that’s a lie. This isn’t one of Fra-Mecatl’s missions. It’s just something I have to do.”

“Like what?” Had she actually tried to lie to him?

“Just...something.”

“Oh come on. What’s up? I’ll come with you. Help out. Be nice to move about a bit.”

She went back to tying her bag. “It’s nice of you to offer, but there’s nothing you can do. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“At least give me a little hint what you’re up to.”

“Just a little business I have to take care of.” She picked up her sword in its scabbard and tied it to her belt.

“Business?”

“Yeah, like I said, a week or two at most.”

“Where?”

“Ninifin.”

“The city?”

“No, not the city. Just about. You know.”

“No, I don’t know. We’re stuck in this gods-forsaken country, can’t go anywhere, can barely interact with other people. How the hell can you have business to take care of?”

She tossed her bag over her shoulder. “Just because you can’t be bothered to get involved, Rudiger, doesn’t mean I don’t have things going on.”

“Except you don’t! Except Fra-Mecatl and her little resistance, there’s nothing else going on, and you already said it’s nothing to do with her.”

“I have other things going on, okay? Let’s just leave it at that.”

“No.” He shook his head and stood up. “Let’s not leave it at that. You can’t just take off like this. We’ve spent two months here in the hopes that this is going to pay off in some way. You can’t just throw all that away and take off.”

“I’m not throwing it away. I’m coming back. Look, just trust me, okay?”

He sighed. “I do trust you, but what will everyone think? Fra-Mecatl? She’s counting on you.”

“She’ll get by without me for a week or two.”

“And what do I tell them when they ask me?”

She shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter. Tell them whatever you like. I have to do this. That’s all you need to know. Now, I need to get going.”

He stepped between her and the door.

She put a hand on her hip, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. “Get out of my way, Rudiger.”

“Just tell me what the hell is going on. Just a hint, even. You owe me that much.”

“Owe you?”

“Okay, bad choice of words—”

“Don’t think that just because I let you fuck me you get any say in what I say or do.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” He threw up his hands in the air.

“Believe it or not, Rudiger, what I’m doing is for your good and everyone else’s. Now get the fuck out of my way.”

He stepped aside. She threw the door open and stormed out of the room.

He followed her into the communal area of the house, where Fra-Tepeu and Fra-Mecatl were eating dinner. “Come on, you can’t take off like this.”

She stopped and turned around. “And how would you like me to take off? All demure and apologetic, begging you not to be angry with me?”

“What the hell are you going on about?”

“I’ve had enough of this interrogation.”

“I’m just trying to understand!”

“Yeah, you and Felitïa. Now you have something to commiserate with each other over.”

“What the hell does Felitïa have to do with any of this?”

“Goodbye, Rudiger.” She turned her back to him and headed for the front door.

“Fine then, fuck you!”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen again.” She reached for the door handle and stumbled, nearly hitting her head on the door as she fell.

Rudiger rushed forward, reached out to help her.

“Get your fucking hands off me!”

He backed up a step as she stood up again. There was an added quality to her voice, guttural. He hadn’t heard anything like it from her before—or had he? “Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’ll be fine.”

“What happened? Why did you—”

“Give it a rest, Rudiger.”

She had stumbled the day before, too, out of the blue with no apparent reason. She’d said it was just a passing dizziness, and he hadn’t thought much more of it at the time. “I just want to help,” he said. “Know you’re okay.”

She growled—actually growled, like a dog—opened the door, and walked out.

“If you’re ill, you—”

She looked back one last time. “You know what. Maybe it will take more than a week or two. How ’bout I make it month or two? How ’bout I just not come back at all? See how well you do without me. Goodbye, Rudiger. Been nice knowing you.”

Then Zandrue walked away. Across the field, towards the forest and the Jaguar, and out of sight.

Rudiger wanted to run after her, but he knew that would just make it worse. So he closed the door. Fra-Tepeu and Fra-Mecatl were watching him. “Don’t think I’ll be wanting dinner tonight.”

That had been three days ago. Now he just wasn’t thinking of her—except he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. He doubted she really meant the whole thing about not coming back. That was her temper speaking. But it didn’t matter. Things wouldn’t be the same when she came back. She didn’t trust him. And he was starting to understand why Jorvan had such a hard time trusting her.

Fra-Mecatl had been furious, but luckily she had overheard their argument. Even though she didn’t understand Arnorgue, she had come to the conclusion that Rudiger wasn’t at fault. She even offered to cover for Zandrue to all the others, to say that she had sent Zandrue on a meditative exercise in the wilderness.

“Thank you,” Rudiger told her. He still struggled with Ninifin, but he was getting better at the language. “I know she doesn’t deserve it, but I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”

“She definitely doesn’t deserve it,” the old woman said. “I’m covering for her for your sake and for mine. I have put my life on the line for her, and she’s quite possibly ruined it all. The inspection committee was prepared to see her. Now, it will take months before they agree to another chance, if they ever agree at all. When she comes back, I will make her regret the day her father fucked her unfortunate mother.”

Gods, sometimes being in love wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.

The storm only lasted a half hour or so before the winds and rain calmed down, and the sun came out again. Rudiger spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning and brushing the horses, and trying not to think of Zandrue or Borisin.

After that, he took Mulac for a ride down to the river so he could clean himself up. The Jaguar was a rough river, but it was a little calmer here before it joined with the Toucan, and he’d discovered a pool fed by the river that was ideal for washing in. He and Zandrue had spent several hours here.

No, he wasn’t thinking of her.

Mulac got himself nice and muddy on the trip, so Rudiger had to clean him again on their return.

After a quiet dinner with Fra-Mecatl and Fra-Tepeu, he went to the cellar to see Jorvan. The Isyar was kneeling on the floor, face turned to the ceiling, eyes closed. Rudiger waited while he finished his prayers or meditation—as Rudiger understood it, Jorvan could be doing either or both of those.

A few minutes later, Jorvan lowered his head, opened his eyes, and stood up. He smiled at Rudiger and walked over to a stool to take a seat.

The cellar was not big, and there was not much free space, but Fra-Tepeu had cleared as much as he could for Jorvan, and had supplied some stools for sitting and blankets for sleeping. Even with the blankets, Rudiger couldn’t imagine sleeping on the hard floor. It had to be uncomfortable. But Jorvan needed to stay out of sight, and besides, the cellar was cooler than anywhere else.

“It has been a few days,” Jorvan said, motioning to one of the other stools.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Rudiger said, taking a seat. “Been distracted.”

“Is something happening?”

“Not really,” Rudiger answered. “Just...” He had to tell Jorvan, but talking about her was the last thing he wanted to do right now. It was bad enough he couldn’t stop thinking about her. “No, nothing.”

“I know Zandrue is gone,” Jorvan said.

“How?”

“Fra-Mecatl told me.”

Both Fra-Mecatl and Fra-Tepeu accepted that Isyar were not the creatures of evil their religion made them out to be. Fra-Mecatl even argued all references to Isyar in the religious texts were singular, referring only to the Dragon’s consort. However, both she and Fra-Tepeu still had a lifetime’s worth of prejudices to overcome, so they tended to stay away from Jorvan. Fra-Mecatl must have thought it very important to tell him herself and not wait for Rudiger to do it.

“I see,” Rudiger said. “Sorry I haven’t said anything. I just... It’s hard talking about it.”

Jorvan nodded. “I understand.”

The Isyar looked a lot better now than he had when they’d first arrived. By the time they’d reached the city of Ninifin, his skin had been blistering from the heat, and he had been delirious most of the time. It had caused a couple of unfortunate encounters. Rudiger and Zandrue had even been forced to kill a couple of patrol soldiers who discovered what Jorvan was. There was now a reward offered in the city for information leading to the soldiers’ killers. Rudiger didn’t want to think about what the populace was experiencing as the authorities searched.

But Jorvan was alive and safe. He was lucid again, and the blisters were gone. He still remained soaked in sweat at all times, and drank huge quantities of water. But it was an improvement.

Jorvan broke the uncomfortable silence. “Is there news of Corvinian or Darkness Worshippers?”

Rudiger shook his head. “No, nothing.”

Two months and they’d heard nothing. Fra-Mecatl and the others had taken a long time to accept the possibility of Darkers. “The priesthood is corrupt,” Fra-Mecatl said, “but they do not worship the Dark Lady.”

“We’re not suggesting they do,” Zandrue had said. “Just that there are Darkers in Ninifin.”

Fra-Mecatl had eventually accepted the possibility of Darkers from outside Ninifin finding a way into the country. But even with the added eyes she could supply, no word of Darkers had come forward. Rudiger was beginning to think they’d been wasting their time. They’d been tricked into coming to Ninifin. Corvinian wasn’t here.

“Perhaps I was wrong to push to come here,” Jorvan said.

“It’s not your fault. I pushed just as much. We should have listened to Zandrue.” Would she still be with them if they had? Was she all right? What if she was ill and dying? He took a deep breath and tried not to think about it.

“Tell me of the horses,” Jorvan said.

It was what they usually ended up talking about. More precisely, Rudiger would end up telling Jorvan what the horses had been up to that day while the Isyar just listened. There usually wasn’t anything else to talk about. There was something else today, but Rudiger wasn’t prepared to talk about her. So he told Jorvan of the horses again.

* * * * *

The next day, Fra-Tepeu asked Rudiger to come with him into the City. This was normally Zandrue’s job. Twice a week, they went into the City, met with Fra-Mecatl’s son Nin-Chamer, and brought back supplies. Fra-Tepeu was too old and frail to carry everything himself and Nin-Chamer had lost an arm in an accident a few years ago, so Zandrue did most of the carrying.

Both Fra-Tepeu and Fra-Mecatl gave Rudiger a talk before they set out.

“Your command of our language is still poor,” Fra-Mecatl said. “So avoid saying anything to anyone if you can. Let Tepeu or Chamer do all the talking. Whatever you do, don’t put your foot in your mouth. You often do not think before you speak.”

Rudiger wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He always thought about what he said. Didn’t he? He just nodded.

“Don’t scare him away, Mecatl,” Fra-Tepeu said. “He is a hard worker. The horses haven’t been in such good shape in years. I don’t want to lose him.”

“Pheh,” Fra-Mecatl spat. “You are too soft on him, like most men.” She wagged a finger at Rudiger. “Stay near Tepeu and Chamer. Do what they say and don’t wander off.”

“Don’t worry,” Rudiger said. “I’ll behave.” He wasn’t sure she believed him.

Rudiger chose Xoco to pull the wagon this time. She hadn’t gotten a lot of exercise lately, so this would help rectify that. It was about a half hour walk along the road southwest to the City, although Fra-Tepeu needed to take a slow pace—he refused to ride in the wagon, saying he wasn’t that frail—so it took them closer to an hour. The thick canopy of the forest meant the City wasn’t visible until one was right upon it. Until then, there were just trees, and the sounds of animals. But then, the trees parted and the City spread out in front of them.

The Grand Temple was the most prominent sight at the west corner of the City, framed by the Jaguar Falls behind it. The stepped pyramid towered over everything else, even the other pyramids at the three other corners of the city, and the Palace to the side of it. Every tier of the temple was adorned with colourful, leafy plants and statuary representing various animals, particularly jaguars. The top tier contained the entrance to the temple, which was flanked by massive statues, one of a jaguar again and the other a serpent. The other pyramids were not quite as majestic, but they were similarly adorned.

Rudiger had only been to the City a couple times, and he still found the Temple a stunning sight. Though he did wonder if that was simply to draw attention away from the rest of the City. With attention focused on the pyramids, it was easy to miss the squalor.

The rest of the City was a lot like Getavin, but without the higher-class inner city. Moving through the City was confusing, as there were no roads and the wattle and daub buildings with their thatched roofs stood wherever there was space for them. The only means of navigation were the pyramids and Palace (another way attention was drawn away from the squalor), but if one was headed anywhere other than the edges of the City, even they weren’t much help. Rudiger had no doubt if he didn’t have Fra-Tepeu with him, he’d be lost in no time.

One thing that was very different from Getavin, though: the people. Although Rudiger hadn’t seen a lot of Getavin in the brief time he was there, the people had seemed relatively happy. Not here. A few children played here and there, but on the whole, the City was very subdued. People stayed in one place, looking out doors and windows, or sitting outside on barrels. Many of them were doing work like chopping wood or hanging clothes, but it all seemed slow and sluggish.

And almost everyone was skinny and underfed. The few who weren’t, like the soldiers who patrolled the streets or the priests who passed out blessings, stood out not just from the fat and muscles on their bones, but also from their higher-quality clothes and weapons. Rudiger felt self-conscious following behind Fra-Tepeu. His clothes weren’t as fancy as the colourful skirts of the priests, but they were in better condition than those of most of the people here. He was tall and muscular, and obviously well-fed. More than that, he was an outsider. There weren’t many Foliths in Ninifin.

Most people knew who Fra-Tepeu was, and they bowed to him as he came close, then scurried to remove any obstacles blocking the passage of Xoco and the wagon. However, the reverence was for Fra-Mecatl, not Fra-Tepeu. It was just his relationship to her that carried the reverence through to him.

They reached the home of Nin-Chamer, who was standing at the door waiting for them. The middle-aged man hugged Fra-Tepeu with his one arm. “Uncle,” he said—or rather, he used the Ninifin word that meant something like father uncle; the word had no equivalent in Arnorgue.

Rudiger was still embarrassed that it had taken him almost a month to realise that Fra-Tepeu and Fra-Mecatl were not husband and wife, but brother and sister. Their behaviour was so much like what Rudiger tended to associate with that of elderly couples. They finished each other’s sentences. They squabbled. They lived together. They didn’t share a bedroom, but Rudiger had just assumed that was a weird Ninifin thing.

Zandrue had laughed her head off at him. The worst part was even Jorvan had known they were brother and sister. At least Fra-Mecatl had never realised what he thought. Rudiger could only imagine the lecture he would have gotten if she had.

Still, there was at least some basis for Rudiger’s initial assumptions. The word Nin-Chamer had just used had an association with father, which was the part of the meaning Rudiger picked up on first. Fra-Tepeu had assisted in raising Nin-Chamer. That was an aspect of Ninifin society Rudiger still didn’t quite understand. Men were not expected to help raise the children they fathered. Instead, they were expected to help raise their sisters’ children.

“Rudiger, yes?” Nin-Chamer said, offering his one hand in greeting.

Rudiger took his hand. “Yes,” he said, remembering the directive to speak as little as possible.

“Where is Zandrue?” Nin-Chamer asked.

“In the wilderness,” Fra-Tepeu answered. “Meditating.”

“Meditating? She never struck me as the meditating type.”

“You think that would stop your mother?”

Nin-Chamer laughed.

Rudiger was glad Fra-Tepeu had answered. Not just because of the language issue, but because he wouldn’t have known what to say. It seemed even Fra-Mecatl’s children were to be told the lie.

“So you are to be our muscle today, then?” Nin-Chamer slapped Rudiger on the back.

“I am,” Rudiger answered.

“He should have been our muscle the whole time,” Fra-Tepeu said, “but your mother wouldn’t allow it.”

“She said I don’t speak your language good enough,” Rudiger ventured.

“Well enough,” Nin-Chamer corrected with a laugh.

“The real reason is that it was part of Zandrue’s training,” Fra-Tepeu said. “And to get the locals used to Zandrue’s presence.”

“By the looks of you, Rudiger,” Nin-Chamer said, “you’ll be able to carry much more than Zandrue could, and there is a large load today, so you are very welcome.”

“We should get started,” Fra-Tepeu said.

They made their way through the City, zigzagging from one location to the next. Another confusing aspect of the City: there was no marketplace. Or rather, nobody used the marketplace. There was one in the courtyard of the palace, but according to Fra-Tepeu, it was so heavily taxed that no one had used it in decades. Everything was bought at the seller’s home, which could be anywhere in the city. People who lived here just learned where everything was.

“What news?” Fra-Tepeu asked as they walked.

This was the real reason for the excursion. Fra-Tepeu could easily have supplies delivered. He chose to go into the city to learn of recent events and see for himself the state of people there.

“An announcement from the Queen yesterday,” Nin-Chamer said. “Word has arrived that the Youth Guard expedition has met a terrible accident on the Jaguar. There was only one survivor.”

Fra-Tepeu nodded. “I see. Who was the survivor?”

“No idea. The announcement was light on details.”

“Youth Guard?” Rudiger asked.

“Young women in training to be the Queen’s bodyguards,” Fra-Tepeu said.

“Several months ago, they were sent on a training expedition with a contingent of soldiers into the wilderness,” Nin-Chamer added. “Four of the Queen’s advisors went with them to observe, as well as some temple servants. The training mission was expected to last months.”

“That is awful,” Rudiger said. “What kind of accident could kill them all?”

“Again, the announcement was light on details,” Nin-Chamer said.

“There wasn’t an accident,” Fra-Tepeu said. “It is a lie. Though I am curious to know who they claim the survivor is.”

“A lie? How do you know?”

“It may not be a complete lie,” Nin-Chamer said. “I, for one, suspect they really are dead, although I couldn’t say why.”

“Oh, they are certainly dead,” Fra-Tepeu said. “It just wasn’t by accident. Nin-Zyannya and Nin-Chicahua were two of the advisors sent, both in line for the throne if Nin-Xoco doesn’t produce an heir—and she won’t. Fra-Ichtaca will have seen to that. A couple of the Youth Guard are also a little further down the line. With them out of the way, she can manoeuvre her personal choice into position. If Nin-Xtab becomes queen, Fra-Ichtaca will effectively rule Ninifin.”

Rudiger was beginning to understand why Zandrue felt he wasn’t involved enough in what was going on. They were talking about people he hadn’t even heard of before, though he knew he should have by now. “So you think they were all murdered?”

“Probably,” Nin-Chamer said. “We know they did leave and go somewhere, but it wasn’t into the wilderness. My sources tell me they passed through the southern gate and left Ninifin entirely. Such a thing is completely unprecedented. Gods know what they thought they were doing.”

“What they thought they were doing doesn’t matter,” Fra-Tepeu said. “What does is that they are gone. Mecatl and I have been expecting an announcement like this. The timing is terrible, though. Zandrue’s meditations have delayed our plans, and this news means we need to accelerate them.”

“Why did Mother send her on a meditation now?” Nin-Chamer asked.

“Don’t question your mother.”

Nin-Chamer looked to Rudiger, who just shrugged. He hoped Nin-Chamer couldn’t tell how uncomfortable he was.

“We need to risk a meeting,” Fra-Tepeu said. “Tonight. Spread the word. Get as many out as you can.”

Nin-Chamer nodded.

They walked in quiet for the next while, collecting small items like a broom, some new brushes for the horses, a few pails for collecting water, a couple cooking pots. Rudiger knew Fra-Tepeu had more than enough of these things already. It really was just an excuse to walk through the city. Rudiger’s help was also not that needed, though he was told there would be heavy stuff coming later, feed for the horses in particular.

As they walked, they neared a pair of soldiers accosting a young man, throwing him down into the mud. Rudiger didn’t see what started the situation, but he tensed when one of the soldiers placed his foot on the young man’s chest to hold him down.

“Please, I swear,” the young man cried. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean to short-change you.”

Rudiger’s hand instinctively moved for Slay—though Slay wasn’t there. His sword was still in his room back at the house. Fra-Mecatl would never have allowed him to bring it with him.

Fra-Tepeu placed his cane across Rudiger’s stomach. “Don’t interfere. Ignore it and keep going.”

Rudiger looked away and nodded. He focused on leading Xoco and the wagon through the narrow space between buildings.

“Blessings upon her Reverence and upon yourself, Fra-Tepeu,” the soldiers called out.

“And to you, young men,” Fra-Tepeu replied. “Keep up the good work.”

“Please, Fra-Tepeu, I didn’t do anything, I swear. It’s a—” The young man’s voice cut out with a grunt. Rudiger had the unpleasant suspicion that he had been kicked into being quiet.

“That kind of thing happens all too often,” Fra-Tepeu said once they were out of earshot of the soldiers. “You are lucky to have remained at the ranch and not had to see this.”

“Can you do nothing about it?” Rudiger asked. “Couldn’t you tell them to stop?”

“I could,” Fra-Tepeu said, “but it wouldn’t stop them. They would maintain the young man’s guilt, and honestly, it is just as likely the young man did short-change them as that the soldiers are just making the story up.”

“Even if he did, wasn’t their reaction a little over the top?” Rudiger couldn’t help but be reminded of the Bloods in Plavin-Tyl.

Fra-Tepeu nodded. “Yes, but if I stepped in, it would only bring scrutiny on me and Mecatl, and we can’t have that. Unfortunately, we must endure injustices in order to end them. If we act out of hand, we will achieve nothing, and they will continue unchecked.”

Rudiger nodded. The old man was right. Starting something now would just make matters worse in the long run. It would be just like with the Bloods, only this time, he wouldn’t have Felitïa to get him out alive. Besides, he wasn’t here to start a revolution. He was here to find Corvinian. He’d just managed to somehow get himself involved with revolutionaries.

Their final couple of stops were at farms on the south side of the city. At the first, they picked up feed for the horses, and Rudiger had the first heavy lifting of the expedition. At the next couple, they picked up corn, squash, chilli peppers, and honey—much more than they needed. The fields they passed were so full, it was hard to believe so many people were so underfed. But Rudiger knew the reason for that.

On their way back, they stopped at Nin-Chamer’s home again, not just to drop off Nin-Chamer, but also to have Rudiger unload half the supplies Fra-Tepeu had just purchased. Over the next several days, Nin-Chamer would gradually distribute food to people in need. The amount left in the wagon was still more than was needed for just Fra-Tepeu, Fra-Mecatl, Jorvan, and himself—and even Zandrue, if she came back—but as Fra-Mecatl had explained to him and Zandrue several weeks back, they had to keep a certain amount of excess to maintain appearances. By law, farmers had to sell a minimum amount of their produce to the priests and nobility, which left little for the rest of the populace. To introduce too much back into the general population would draw attention. So the remaining excess would either be added to the horses’ feed or thrown away.

Not for the first time, Rudiger wished he could leave Ninifin altogether. He liked Fra-Tepeu—he really did—and he...well, he wouldn’t say he liked Fra-Mecatl, but he respected her. However, he didn’t think he had the patience or hardened heart to be a successful revolutionary.

* * * * *

Later that night, well past sunset, Nin-Chamer arrived at the house, and over the next hour, so did several more. Rudiger had met a couple of them before, but had not interacted much with them. At previous meetings, he’d let Zandrue do all the talking as his command of the language was still poor. He would have to do the talking this time, though.

One of the men clasped Rudiger’s arm. “Good to see you again, Rudiger.”

“And you,” Rudiger replied. He couldn’t remember the man’s name at all, though he did vaguely recall seeing him at previous meetings. He was a short, wide-set man, muscular but also underfed like so many Ninifins.

“Getting better with the language, I see,” the man said.

“I’ve been doing my best to learn,” Rudiger said. “When the people around you only speak the one language, it forces you to learn, I guess.”

The man leaned back a little and looked at Rudiger. “You do realise, don’t you, that both Fra-Mecatl and her brother speak your language?”

“They do?” Rudiger looked over at Fra-Mecatl, who had taken a seat in the centre of the kitchen. She was looking at him, a smirk on her wrinkled, tattooed face. He sighed. “That figures.”

The man laughed and slapped Rudiger’s arm. “Like you said, it forces you to learn.”

“Right,” Rudiger said.

Another man came in the front door and put his arm around the first. He was a little taller, though similarly built. They both had matching sun tattoos on their arms. Now Rudiger remembered them. “Something funny?” the second asked. Rudiger still couldn’t remember their names, though.

“Just some gentle ribbing,” the first said.

Once everyone had arrived, they all crowded into the kitchen building, fourteen people total, including Rudiger. Fra-Tepeu started things off by going over the situation regarding the Youth Guard. When he was done, everyone looked to Fra-Mecatl for her opinion first.

“Fra-Ichtaca is clearly making a move for power. It is a concern, yes, but so is just about everything that happens these days. We are not ready yet. We will have to wait and pray for the best.”

“I’m sorry, Mecatl, but I disagree,” Fra-Tepeu said. “I think our hand is being forced. We need to act soon, or we may not be able to act at all.”

“Where is the other outsider?” one of the women there said. “The young woman. Is she ready for her inspection?”

“No, she is not,” Fra-Mecatl snapped. “She is meditating in the wilderness. It will be a few months at least before an inspection can be arranged.”

“Do we have a few months?” someone else asked.

“As I said, we will just have to pray for the best,” Fra-Mecatl answered.

“There has to be something we can do,” the shorter of the two men with sun tattoos said. He was standing beside Rudiger, his taller partner on his other side. “Our numbers are growing.”

“Not by enough,” Fra-Mecatl said.

“Kianto and I can round up at least half a dozen sympathetic people. If we could all do the same...” Several of the others nodded and murmured their agreement.

“The concern is more than numbers,” Fra-Mecatl said. “It is skill as well. Ses-Patli is our only experienced warrior. How far are the rest of you in your training?”

“I can fight,” Rudiger said.

Fra-Mecatl waved her hand at him. “Yes, fine, you and Ses-Patli. What of the rest of you?”

“They’re making progress,” a muscular woman said. “They’re not highly skilled, but I think we’re in a better shape than you may realise, Reverence.”

“We’re not suggesting we attack the Palace in force or anything like that,” the short man said. “Just that we make a few calculated strikes. Start creating some disturbances.”

“Still too risky,” Fra-Mecatl said.

The taller of the two men with sun tattoos—Kianto? though Rudiger didn’t know if there should be an honorific in front of that—spoke up. “What about Eleuia? She has trained warriors with her.”

“Her name is Ses-Izel,” Fra-Mecatl snapped. “Do not ascribe a sacred name to a normal woman, no matter how good or accomplished she may be.”

“Apologies, Reverence,” Kianto said.

“At any rate,” Fra-Mecatl continued, “she doesn’t have the kind of numbers we would need.”

“But as we said, we are only suggesting something small,” Kianto said.

“It doesn’t matter. Ses-Izel is not here, and not due back for months. Even if she were here, she would agree with me. She may not be Eleuia reborn as you and others have somehow begun to believe, but she is wise and experienced. She knows when to act and when to wait. She would know to wait.”

The conversation went on in this vein for some time. The others made various suggestions for how they might take action, and Fra-Mecatl shot them all down. Rudiger, however, was more concerned that it could be months before Eleuia—Ses-Izel, rather—returned, meaning months more of no Borisin.

He did manage to pick up on a few names though. The shorter of the two men with the sun tattoos was Acat. Neither he nor Kianto seemed to have an honorific, so they were either too low a social class for one, or they had given theirs up, something some Ninifins were doing in protest of the despotic rule of the priesthood.

The broad-shouldered, muscular woman was Ses-Patli, who had some contacts in the military she offered to speak to. Fra-Mecatl agreed to it, as long as it was kept surreptitious. She agreed that the time to act would come some day, and it was good to know their options.

After a couple hours, however, there had been little other progress. Fra-Mecatl was determined to keep to her plans with Zandrue, even if it took a year or more before they were in a position to take any action. This produced a great deal of frustration. It all assumed, too, that Zandrue would even come back, but at least the others didn’t know she might not.

It was well past midnight when the meeting began to break up. Each person there asked Fra-Mecatl one-by-one for her blessing before heading out into the night. After Acat received his blessing, he came over to Rudiger and said, “Rudiger, any chance you could show me and Kianto the horses? We’ve heard good things about your work from Fra-Tepeu.”

Rudiger glanced at Fra-Tepeu, who nodded his approval.

Outside, he and Acat were joined by Kianto and Ses-Patli. Rudiger led them across the darkened field to the barn. Once he’d gotten the doors open and they were all inside, Acat said, “You’ve probably guessed this isn’t really about seeing the horses.”

“I had a feeling. Is this about arranging something behind Fra-Mecatl’s back?”

“It’s not that we want to go behind her back,” Kianto said, putting an arm around Acat.

“We just think something needs to be done,” Acat said.

“We’ve waited a long time,” Kianto continued.

“And there’s not much time left before things get even worse,” Acat concluded.

“And if Fra-Mecatl finds out?” Rudiger asked.

“Fra-Mecatl is a good woman,” Ses-Patli said. “Wise and respected. We owe her a lot. But she is old and overly cautious. You said you know how to fight. We were wondering if you’d help.”

“Do what exactly?”

“We don’t know yet,” Ses-Patli said. “At the moment, we just want to be sure what support we have.”

Rudiger walked over to where Mulac was sticking his head out of his stall and began to stroke the horse’s nose. “I don’t know. Fra-Mecatl and Fra-Tepeu have been good to us, giving us a place to stay, food, a job.”

“We understand,” Kianto said. “And we don’t ask this lightly. But it’s for her good, too.”

“Can I ask a question, Rudiger?” Acat said.

Rudiger turned back to them and nodded.

“Why did you and Zandrue come to Ninifin in the first place? It’s not completely unknown for outsiders to come here, though it’s rare. But what’s really unusual is outsiders who come straight to the resistance. Why is that?”

Rudiger wasn’t sure how he should answer. How much could he trust these three, especially as they were already keeping things from their other allies? Zandrue would be a better judge of this, but she wasn’t here. He had to make the decision.

“We’re looking for someone,” he said. “Someone we think is somewhere in Ninifin.”

“And how did you wind up with Fra-Mecatl?” Kianto asked.

“One of Zandrue’s contacts is also one of Eleuia, I mean Ses-Izel’s contacts.”

“And you’re willing to wait months to find the person you’re looking for?” Acat said.

Rudiger sighed. “I honestly don’t know what to do. I can’t deny I’m getting anxious, though. We haven’t made any progress since coming here.”

Acat and Kianto nodded. “You don’t have to make up your mind right now,” Acat said. “We can’t do anything right away anyway. We don’t want to wait as long as Fra-Mecatl does, but we acknowledge we have to wait a little.”

“What if I tell Fra-Mecatl?”

The two men shrugged, and Ses-Patli frowned.

“That’s your choice,” Kianto said. “If you do, we’ll admit to everything and beg her forgiveness.”

“The way we see it,” Acat said, “you can’t win a revolution without taking a few risks, so we’re taking a risk with you.”

“I’ll give it some thought,” Rudiger said.

“That’s all we ask,” Kianto said.

“Thanks for showing us the horses,” Ses-Patli said.

After they were gone, Rudiger remained in the barn for a while longer. Was it wise to get involved in a conspiracy within a conspiracy? Acat’s words remained on his mind, though.

You can’t win a revolution without taking a few risks.

They weren’t going to find Corvinian without taking a few risks, either. So perhaps it was time to take one.

Gods, he wished Zandrue was here.