by Brondos, Pam
Soris loosened the third horse from his tether. Annin already sat astride the giant mud-colored beast. The horse shook his mane when Soris shoved his foot in the stirrup and settled in behind her.
“Stay close together to the forest.” Andris spun his horse. Emilia’s head rolled forward. “We’re not returning to the camp. We’ll make for the Healing House.”
“The Healing House?” Soris turned his head toward Andris and gave him a surprised look.
“Yes, change in plans. Mervin thinks we can reach the middle Wisdom House ruins by late afternoon if we don’t encounter any problems. We’ll leave the ruins after nightfall and head for the trading route south of Daub Town, then to the lower Meldon Plain and the Healing House.” He slammed his heels against his horse, which lunged away.
“Healing House by way of the Daub Town trading route?” Lines formed across Soris’ forehead, and he looked utterly confused.
“Maybe that way’s safer,” Nat said, knowing Andris had selected the way specifically to get rid of her. She gave Soris a fleeting look. I’ll tell him about the Nalaide soon, she promised herself, then urged her horse after Andris.
CHAPTER FORTY
Nat walked around a pile of rubble and watched Emilia. The queen was hunched over a tattered book in the remains of the middle Wisdom House library. A half dome made of glass and steel soared above her. Moonlight poured through the open expanse where the girders stuck out like metal fingers. Books that had once lined the complex web of the library’s shelves were now piles of ash or disintegrating in moldy heaps on the marble floor.
Emilia gingerly set her book down and picked through a tower of intact volumes she’d collected from across the library. She brushed dust and rubble from each binding. Nat glanced at Soris, who sat on the massive marble reading table not far from Emilia. He flipped through a book, but his eyes weren’t on the fragile pages—they were on Emilia. He would have her down in seconds if she tried to flee again like she had when they’d ridden up the crumbling steps of the ruins.
Nat rolled her orb in her hands, trying to figure out why Emilia had gone from placid to crazy and back so quickly. She’s calm around books, so let’s see what she makes of this one, she thought, retrieving the ancient leather-bound book Ethet had given her from her pocket. She approached Emilia head-on so she wouldn’t startle her.
“I have a book,” Nat said and held it out for Emilia to scrutinize. “A Sister gave it to me, but I can’t understand the text.”
Emilia accepted the book and studied the faded binding before opening the cover. “This is ancient script.” She turned a page. “Written before the Rim Accord. I’ve never seen a book this old except in the westernmost Wisdom House. Where did you get it?” She regarded Nat as she carefully examined a page.
“A Sister lent it to me,” Nat said, amazed at how lucid Emilia sounded. Did the Chemist have her on some kind of drug that her body’s purging? she wondered as she studied her expression. The queen appeared curious and not the least bit paranoid.
“Does she read ancient script?” Emilia asked.
“I’m not certain.”
“Find one that does. The ancient books often hold forgotten gems.” A knowing smile broke across her face, and Nat was struck by her beauty. Emilia carefully closed the cover and held the book out for Nat.
“How are you, Emilia?” Andris brought over a small napkin filled with food. He placed it at the queen’s side when she didn’t respond. “I brought you some food.” He shifted uncomfortably in front of her.
“I see that,” Emilia said and retrieved the book she’d been reading before Nat’s interruption. She ignored the food and scanned the open page. Nat glanced at Andris. He wore a distressed expression on his face.
“You really should eat something,” Nat urged. Emilia reached for a biscuit without removing her eyes from the page and took a small bite. They watched as she chewed and swallowed.
“Sister, would you help me saddle the horses?” Andris said and spun around, not waiting for Nat.
“She was talkative with you,” he said when they were out of earshot. Nat thought she detected a jealous note in his voice.
“She likes books.” Nat shrugged.
“‘She likes books,’” Andris mimicked. “Your conversation was the longest she’s had with any of us, if you didn’t notice. She wasn’t the least bit aggravated when she spoke with you. She hardly acknowledged me.”
“I noticed,” Nat said, feeling as if he was blaming her for Emilia’s cold shoulder. “Look, we don’t know what the Chemist did to her, but I think it’s safe to assume the memories she has or had of the people closest to her are altered. I think we’re all strangers in her mind. Maybe she feels more at ease with me because I’m a Sister,” Nat lied, knowing full well that Andris radiated a serious amount of nervous energy when he was around Emilia. You’d put me on edge, too, she thought. “I could try riding with her on the next leg. If she freaks out like she did before, I might be able to calm her down,” she suggested.
“She does seem to tolerate you, not sure why.” Andris tugged at his beard. “Fine, I’ll let her ride with you. I’d rather not use the resin to keep her calm. She’ll become addicted if we apply it all the way to the Healing House.”
Nat nodded in agreement, wondering what form of opiate the resin contained. It had to be incredibly powerful if it could knock a human out in seconds.
“See if you can figure out what upsets her without distressing her further.” He adjusted a blanket on Soris’ huge horse. “I still don’t know what set her off when we arrived at the ruins, but I want to avoid a repeat. You saw how she fell off my horse. She’ll end up hurting herself if these outbursts continue,” he said, lines deepening across his forehead.
“She lost it when your horse passed by the columns engraved with the emblems from each House,” Nat replied and glanced at the distant columns flanking the crumbling House entrance.
“You think the emblems disturbed her?”
“I’m just guessing. She’s seen my markings plenty of times and hasn’t gone off the deep end.” She handed him a halter and hefted a saddle onto Soris’ horse.
After they finished saddling the remaining horses, Nat turned to Andris. “Do you want me to wake Annin?” she asked, thinking she could sneak a few moments with Soris on her way to rouse her. She wanted to tell him the truth, but still hadn’t found the right time.
“No, stay where Emilia can see you. I’ll wake Annin. If she reached Estos’ dream space, she may have useful information about the safety of our new route.” He tossed her satchel into the air and she grasped the strap. “Send your orb to watch the entrance, too.”
“It’s been quiet so far. No Nala,” Nat said, thinking there could be a slim chance she and Andris had misunderstood the conversation they’d overheard between Mudug and the Chemist.
He brushed the horsehair off his hands and gave her a critical look. “Don’t look so hopeful. A half a day without a Nala attack means nothing. You’re still going home.”
He left her brooding while she strapped her satchel to the back of her caramel-colored horse, preparing for another long ride that would bring her closer to home and farther away from Soris.
Nat stared at the top of the glen that rolled down to the river. A cool night breeze caressed her face, but did little to take the edge off her nerves. She turned and watched Soris rub his horse’s tired legs. He glanced at Emilia every few seconds, keeping a watchful eye on the queen as she sat in a bed of blue wildflowers.
Nat’s ride with Emilia had been uneventful and long. They had spoken of wildflowers and species of trees, but little more. Nothing she’d said had disturbed the queen or sent her into a fit. Emilia had watched the countryside in silence for most of their ride, which had suited Nat just fine. She was pleased Emilia hadn’t had an outburst under her care, but even with all the time to think, Nat still couldn’t come up with a way to fix the mess she was in so she could stay in Fourline.
I have to tell you sooner or later that I’m leaving, she thought as she watched Soris work his strong hands over his horse. He looked up and smiled. Later, Nat thought and joined the queen in the bed of flowers.
“Why don’t the horses bolt from you?” Emilia’s question startled Nat. She hadn’t uttered a word since they’d tied the animals up at the top of the glen. Nat faced the woman. Her pale eyes focused on an object beyond Nat.
“Why would the horses bolt from me?” Nat asked.
Emilia twisted to the side so Nat could see her profile but not her full expression. “I was talking to them, Sister.” She lifted her thin hand and gestured to Soris and Annin.
Annin, who had been lying flat in the grass at the crest of the hill, rose and brushed the dew from her tunic. She was waiting for Andris to signal that it was safe to ride down the open hill to the banks of the Rust River. Even in the feeble light of the moon, Nat could see Annin’s face tense and knew Emilia’s question had irritated her.
“This horse is too big to be frightened of much,” Soris responded before Annin could say anything. He patted the horse’s neck. The horse ripped another mouthful of grass from the ground and nudged his nose against Soris’ hands. “I think the Sister’s horse may have gotten used to us by now. Some eventually understand we won’t harm them.”
Emilia let out a harsh laugh. “Or you’ve lulled it into a false sense of security.”
Nat shot Soris a warning look, hoping he wouldn’t respond. Emilia’s voice held an edge that Nat worried would lead to a full-blown outburst.
“No.” Annin’s voice cut through the twilight. “Horses are sensitive, but not stupid.” She strode through the grass toward Nat’s horse. She brushed her hand over his neck. The horse shifted nervously, but didn’t bolt. “This one knows I won’t hurt him.” Annin dropped her hand, and the horse nudged her. “I assume you know I’d never hurt you,” she said, looking up at Emilia through her dark lashes and Nala eye. “I helped you once, do you remember?”
Nat fumbled in her cloak pocket for the resin, wishing Annin would keep quiet. Pushing her to remember anything right now was tempting fate.
“Hmm,” Emilia responded and tilted her head toward the sky. “I don’t remember knowing a duozi woman, ever.”
“I don’t know if you did,” Annin admitted. “But you knew a girl . . .” Her voice faded and she trailed her fingertips over the cream-colored streak on the horse’s nose. Emilia’s shoulders softened. She watched Annin with an intensity Nat hadn’t seen from her.
“Emilia, would you mind riding with Annin on this horse?” Nat asked, glancing between them. Annin gave her a funny look, but Nat shrugged her off. If she had to leave them before they reached the Healing House, Emilia needed someone she could trust, or at least tolerate, to accompany her. Even after almost two days’ journey, Emilia still seemed agitated around both Andris and Soris.
“I have a choice?” Emilia sounded surprised.
“Of course you do,” Nat said a little testily, wishing she had a choice about going home and leaving Soris before she had time to work with the Sisters, before she had time to ensure he was safe, before they had time to figure out what was going on between them.
“A choice, a choice,” Emilia repeated. She curled her fingers over her thumbs, making tight fists. She lifted her head. “The duozi may ride with me.”
Nat breathed a sigh of relief and tucked the resin away.
“Call me Annin, not duozi.” Annin brushed past Emilia. Nat thought she saw a flicker of a smile on the queen’s lips before the expression faded away.
An owl hoot echoed up from the valley.
“Andris’ signal,” Annin announced and tucked her cloak to the side as she mounted Nat’s horse. Nat discreetly passed her the resin packet, then laced her fingers together. Emilia stuck the sole of her boot into Nat’s hands and settled into the saddle in front of Annin. She sniffed the air.
“The Sister doesn’t smell like rudit anymore,” she confided in Annin. “I was getting a bit tired of the aroma.”
“You put up a good show. I think she still smells like a barrel of rotten fish.” Annin smiled down at Nat and kicked the side of their horse. He waded through the tall grass toward the crest of the hill.
Soris looked amused when Nat passed in front of his horse. She shoved her toe into the high stirrup. He leaned over to grasp her hand and pulled her up.
“Nice work, I’ve wanted to ride with you since we left Rustbrook, even if you do smell like a barrel of rotten fish.” He kept his tone light as their horse lumbered forward. Nat wound her arms around his waist and squeezed tightly, pushing his breath out.
“If you’re lucky a little of my smell will rub off on you.”
“To be so lucky,” he said wistfully.
The river looked like a black serpent snaking across the valley floor beneath them. Other than a few clumps of trees dotting the banks of the river, the hill and valley were naked of places the Nala could hide. Nat’s shoulders slumped and she relaxed against Soris’ back, letting her guard down.
“To be so lucky,” she repeated his words.
“You alive back there? I think your spine went out.” Soris looked over his shoulder as Nat tucked her head into his back and closed her eyes.
“I need to zone out for a minute,” she said, not wanting to spoil the moment by telling him the Nalaide was looking for her.
“Sometimes I have no idea what you’re saying to me.”
“Just assume it’s brilliant rambling,” she said, burrowing her cheek closer to him. His back was so warm. She let herself drift a moment, never wanting to let go.
“I wonder what the Sisters can do to bring back Emilia’s memory,” Soris pondered aloud. His eyes followed Annin as she and Emilia drew closer to the river.
“Sister Rory had a theory about Emilia.” Nat lifted her chin and set it against Soris’ shoulder. She noticed Andris’ figure appear from behind a copse of skeletal trees next to the riverbank. “Rory thought the Chemist forced Emilia to imbue orbs with her memories so he could track Estos and the others. Her memories may have been damaged in the process.”
“Rory was right about the damage to her memories. The question is, can she get them back?” Soris added.
“I think there’s a way. She responded when she smelled the rudit on me. It was as if the odor triggered a thought or a memory fragment in her. Maybe the memories the Chemist took from her were just visual. Maybe there’s a way to reconstruct her memory from sounds, smells, and tastes from her past.”
“How do you reconstruct a memory?” Soris asked.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But the Sisters will need help from people that knew her, like you and Andris.”
“I don’t know how much help I’d be. Andris knew her better than anyone else in our family other than Gordon.”
Annin brought her horse to a halt by the trees. Andris held the horse’s reins as she dismounted. Emilia remained in the saddle, observing the fast-moving river.
“How are we supposed to get across that?” Nat asked as the roar of the water grew louder.
“My guess, by those trees is a smugglers’ bridge. Estos was right.”
“Estos? Right about what?”
“Annin told me she got through to him in a dream-speak. Gennes and Estos have spies running the river. He informed Annin that there was a smugglers’ bridge in this area. Looks like Andris found it.”
“How does Annin reach Estos when he’s so far away?” she asked, amazed by Annin’s ability to stretch herself into Estos’ dream space from such a distance.
“It’s easy for her. She’s known him for so long. She can find him even at great distances.” He guided the horse through a rocky patch at the base of the hill.
“Do you think you could reach me, even if I was someplace else?” Nat asked, wondering if there was a chance she and Soris could enter each other’s dream space after she crossed into her world.
“Maybe.” Soris smi
led. “But I’m not sure I’ll get a chance to try. You keep telling me you’re not going anywhere.” He shifted in the saddle and kicked his horse.
Nat opened her mouth to tell him about the Nalaide but heard Emilia’s agitated voice. She leaned to the side and saw the queen yank her arm away from Andris and run to the river.
“Not again,” Soris muttered. He kicked their horse, spurring him into a gallop toward the commotion. By the time they reached the river, Emilia was sitting calmly on a rock, watching the water flow past her feet. Andris stood at her side with his head bowed.
“I am sorry.” Nat could hear Andris’ low voice as he apologized to Emilia. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” His arms hung at his side and he looked forlorn. “I only want to help you.” He lifted his eyes. Deep lines creased his face. “Can you believe that?”
“I don’t know.” Emilia’s gaze flickered over Andris, then she turned her back to the river. “I don’t know what to believe.”
“I’ll help you, but you have to learn to trust me, please,” Andris said. He bent down on his knees next to her.
Nat marveled at Andris’ calm demeanor as she watched him quietly convince Emilia to take his hand. “What happened?” she asked Annin as she secured their horse to a low branch of a white tree. Soris dismounted and stepped next to Annin.
“Andris told her she would see her brother soon,” Annin whispered and ran her fingers over a long ridge of the tree. “When she heard him say Estos’ name, she got upset and screamed at Andris. I guess we know now not to mention her brother.” She shrugged, then dug her fingers into the ridge of the tree. What looked like a long strip of bark fell away from the trunk into her hands. Its tip stretched to the top of the tree looming over them.
“Hand me the poles.” Soris took the strip from Annin, and Nat realized it was a set of two very long poles rolled together. “I’d feel better if we were moving.” He exchanged a look with Annin and Nat’s stomach fell.
“Do you sense Nala?” Nat asked in a low voice. She surveyed the landscape behind them and saw nothing but dim moonlight falling on the lush hill.