Divided Fire

by Jennifer San Filippo

  A hand gripped Miren’s arm like a vise. She whirled and found Liviya standing there, her expression stormy.

  “Mila,” Liviya said. “I’ve been waiting for you. We should get going.”

  Miren was more startled by Liviya’s nearly perfect Kaleon accent than by being addressed by a false name. “I know,” she said. “I was just—

  But the Air Singer officer had wandered off and was now in discussion with a couple and their young daughter.

  Liviya pulled Miren away from the crowd. “What are you doing?” Liviya demanded, her voice low.

  “I’m just asking questions.”

  “You won’t find the information you need from the guard,” Liviya warned her.

  “Then it shouldn’t be a problem that I spoke with them.” Miren wouldn’t be made to feel embarrassed for wanting to learn more.

  “You’re trying to back out of our deal.”

  “And you’re stalling in fulfilling your end of it.”

  “I will give you the names I promised as soon as we get back to camp,” Liviya said.

  Miren glanced back at the crowd, but the officers were gone. She hadn’t had the chance to ask if they’d had a new Fire Singer recruit in the past week, but she supposed that would have been too unusual of a question.

  She followed Liviya to the stables, where the older woman and a thin, hunched man with a long gray beard bartered for a full quarter hour. Horses in Crescent Bay were scarce, expensive, and not very useful for farming or fishing, but when she was younger, Miren had often wondered what it would be like to ride one.

  Liviya managed to wrestle the price down to twenty-eight gold and six silver. Miren felt the number like a physical wound as she handed over her half of the coin—well, Davri’s coin mostly—and the two women led a horse and cart out of the stables.

  Davri and the others were waiting near a cotton farm just at the edge of town. Liviya had insisted on keeping the others outside of town, but Miren feared that having them wait along the road would call attention to the group.

  Ori had draped himself over a wooden fence lining the road, leaning forward to stare upside down through his legs at passersby. Davri stood near, ready to catch him. A few people glanced at the boy and smiled.

  As Miren and Liviya approached with the horse and cart, Arten looked up with a nervous question in his eyes.

  “Let’s get on the road,” Liviya said.

  “Wait,” Miren said. “What about our—”

  “When we make camp, Miren,” Liviya said.

  Miren glanced at Davri, but he just shrugged, hesitant to sign with so many people around.

  Hana and Ori climbed into the cart, and Liviya led the horse to an adjacent road. It seemed she intended to go around the town rather than back through it.

  When they were alone, Arten told Liviya, “Maybe we should wait farther from town next time we stop for supplies.”

  “A few people asked us for directions,” Hana said. “We had to ignore them.”

  Liviya nodded. “We’ll try to keep supply trips brief from now on.”

  Miren stepped up beside her. “Is it really such a concern if anyone knows you’re from Avi’or?” she asked.

  “It catches attention,” Liviya said. “We don’t need anyone remembering us.”

  Miren frowned. “Do you think Cheliem is sending his guards to look this far north?”

  “I doubt it, but it’s good to be cautious.”

  Miren glanced around. The near constant stream of people forced the group to remain quiet, and so Miren was left at the back of the party, watching Ori search for creative ways to entertain himself: trying to balance on the side of the cart despite his mother’s protests, asking Arten and Davri to let him sit on their shoulders, and throwing stones at signposts until he was relieved of stone privileges.

  The landscape seemed to warp and expand the farther north they traveled, leaving room for larger farms and towns. The ridge of mountains to the west looked more cragged and broken, as though a cliff face had been smashed in and toppled on itself. One enormous gash in the side of a cliff was visible for hours as they slowly passed it from miles away.

  The towns of Kaleo were beginning to look more like the cities that Miren had heard about. The buildings were larger and more closely packed together; wooden paneling was replaced with marble and brick and mortar. Dirt roads were superseded by cobblestone. Horse-drawn carriages became more common and more ornate.

  They stopped by a creek after midday to eat and to water the horse. As soon as Liviya sat, Miren plopped down right in front of her and handed her a slip of parchment and a pencil she had procured in town.

  Liviya paused with an apple halfway to her mouth.

  “We had a deal,” Miren said.

  Liviya put down her apple and took the parchment. Miren willed herself to be patient.

  About a minute later, Liviya handed the pencil and parchment back to her. Miren looked over the list and felt her insides wilt. She counted the names.

  “Six?” Miren said. “That seems like a lot.”

  “Well, what did you expect?” Liviya said. “Everyone with any military rank is going to want a Fire Singer.”

  “But who’s going to get her? Wouldn’t it just be the highest-ranking officer who wants her?”

  “Oh, not necessarily. People call in favors or even bribes.”

  Davri came to read the names over Miren’s shoulder.

  “Do you recognize any of them?” she asked.

  He took a moment, then pointed at four names in turn. These are related to lords.

  “Lords?” Miren reached for the replacement map that Liviya had bought and rolled it out. “Do you know where their estates are?”

  Davri nodded and took the pencil. This map didn’t feature the artistry that Davri’s had, but it held far more detail. Many smaller towns were labeled, along with variously colored lines that marked different routes and trading outposts. The Circles were outlined in faint green lines. Davri marked off the four estates and handed the map back to Miren.

  “Do you think the fact that these are nobles means they’re more likely to get Kesia assigned to their ship?”

  Davri shrugged and looked at Liviya, who was chomping on her apple.

  Miren held her tongue. Arten watched the conversation silently while Hana busied herself with Ori. A pang of guilt caught Miren by surprise; she didn’t want the others to think she was trying to abandon them.

  But if there was an opportunity to find Kesia, she would have to take it, right?

  She fulfilled the deal, Davri signed, though he looked disappointed as well. For now.

  “Fine,” Miren said. Grudgingly, she added, “Thank you.”

  “Pleasure.” Liviya took another bite from her apple.

  Miren stared at the list, trying to commit the names to memory.

  “So, what’s the plan exactly?” Hana asked, handing Ori a slice of apple. “You mentioned another river?”

  “The Crown’s Seam,” Liviya said. She picked up the map. “The largest river in Kaleo. It cuts through Third Circle territory here. It’s . . . not for sailing, usually. There are a number of small waterfalls and rapids—”

  “Waterfalls?” Miren said.

  “Which is why I would have never considered it without a Water Singer,” Liviya said.

  “Why don’t we just go straight toward the coast?” Hana asked. “Couldn’t we find another ship willing to smuggle us to Avi’or?”

  “Ships this far north would not be traveling to Avi’or,” Liviya said. “We’re too close to the warfront, which is usually around here.” She pointed to the northern end of the Tehum Sea, not far from the Kaleon capital. “Even if they were willing to smuggle us, we wouldn’t be able to afford the asking price. And it would be far too risky to try to steal a ship from the docks there. Riding a river all the way to the coast is still our best option.”

  “What about here?” Miren pointed to a collection of islets surrounding the b
ay like shards. “Will that be a problem?”

  “Another reason we can only do this with a Water Singer. We’ll need to navigate between these little islands in order to remain far enough from shore not to be spotted, but not so far that we wander too close to combat.”

  Miren glanced up and caught Davri’s look of surprise. For all that they knew about the war, they had never been so close to it.

  Liviya continued, “From there, we will angle south until we clear the islets here, and then we’ll go our separate ways. You three”—she gestured to Arten, Hana, and Ori—“will head directly east across the sea. I’ll come back with these two to retrieve Cale.”

  “Uncle Cale!” Ori said happily. He still had crumbs of cheese stuck to his face.

  Miren held up a hand. “We didn’t agree to help you—”

  “I know,” Liviya said. “I’ll tell you everything once these three are safe, and then we’ll part ways. I’ll get Cale myself.”

  “Isn’t Lady Rion’s estate close to the Seam?” Arten said. He pointed to an area just south of the river. “It’s around here, isn’t it?”

  “You don’t need to worry about that,” Liviya said.

  “But Mother, if we’re going that way already—”

  “It’s going to be difficult enough getting a boat to the Crown’s Seam in the first place, and if we try to get Cale first, we risk alerting Lady Rion’s guards, and we won’t make it to the coast.”

  Arten looked severe. “You’d rather walk right past and do it by yourself later?”

  “The other option is to have Hana and Ori sail across the Tehum Sea by themselves. Would you find that acceptable?”

  A muscle twitched in Arten’s jaw. “No.”

  “Good.” Liviya rolled up her map. “Let’s get going.”

  * * *

  As everyone settled into the cart, Ori cuddled between his parents while Davri took a seat by Liviya in the front, Miren sat at the far end and spread out the map. She stared at the four names Davri had scrawled on various cities. One from the Second Circle, one from the Third, and two in the Fourth.

  Miren estimated that they were nearing the border of Third Circle territory, if they hadn’t already passed it. Liviya’s path had them going in a relatively straight line, despite the detours around various towns. They were making good time.

  But was that enough? Miren considered her guilt at the idea of leaving Liviya and her family. They had put their trust in Miren and Davri; if they didn’t have a Water Singer to navigate the rapids, how else would they escape Kaleo?

  Since leaving Cheliem’s estate, Miren and Davri had spent eight days traveling with the family, putting all their hope in Liviya’s information, but without making any real progress in finding Kesia. It wasn’t enough. What more could Miren do?

  Kesia, Miren thought as her eyes blurred with unshed tears. Where are you?

  She rubbed her eyes, composing herself, and studied the map. When she felt confident she had memorized the locations, she rolled up the map and leaned back, hoping to doze.

  She heard Arten murmur something to Hana, who stood, holding the back of the front bench. “Liviya, do you mind if I take the reins for a while? Arten would like a word with you.”

  Liviya pulled the horses to a stop. “I’m sure he does.”

  Hana took the reins, sitting next to Davri, while Arten and Liviya walked alongside the cart. Miren remained still, pretending to sleep as Hana spurred the horse into motion again.

  “I think we should get Cale,” Arten said. Despite his low tone, Miren heard every word.

  “It’s not worth the risk,” said Liviya.

  “Cale isn’t worth the risk?”

  “Don’t change my meaning, Arten,” Liviya retorted. “I can get Cale. It isn’t worth the risk to your family.”

  “Suppose we get a boat prepared before we go. You and I can break him out, and we’ll be ready to leave.”

  Miren felt her apprehension rising. Liviya still had information they needed—would she try to make them rescue Cale before giving it to them?

  Liviya sighed. “It’s not as simple as you think. You know it took weeks to coordinate your escape from Cheliem’s estate.”

  “We can hide out for a few days.”

  “Rion is going to have much tighter security than Cheliem.”

  “Then you should have more help.”

  “This could take weeks as well, Arten. I have to make note of guard shifts and the layout of the estate and figure out multiple escape routes, maybe pay off certain guards in advance. Are you going to risk your wife and child’s freedom waiting for all that? Have you asked Hana what she thinks?”

  A pause. Miren barely caught Arten’s whisper, “I don’t want to leave you behind, Mama.”

  “Arten,” Liviya said. “I have spent so long planning, thinking of every way this trip could go wrong, of all the horrible things that could happen to you and Cale. I believe I can do this alone, but if I fail, I don’t want to take you and your family with me. I want you safe. Please.”

  Another long beat of silence.

  Finally, Arten spoke. “All right, Mama. You win.”

  “Of course I do,” Liviya said.

  * * *

  The rest of the day wore on in relative silence, the road rising and falling and curving around hills. With farms and towns becoming more numerous, Liviya decided to take the risk of sleeping in a barn on the edge of a cornfield.

  “I’d rather have to explain myself to one farmer than be spotted by every farmer around,” Liviya said. No one argued.

  Just east of their position, the land dipped into a shallow valley, where lights from a town flickered sleepily. They were miles away from the coast, but the land continued at a steady enough slope that they could see the faint shimmer of water as the waning moon began to rise.

  After a meal of more cured sausage and cheese, Miren stood by the entrance of the barn, and Davri came to stand beside her. “What town do you suppose that is?” she asked.

  He shrugged. In the dim light of the lantern they had purchased, he exaggerated his signs so she could see them. Are we in the Third Circle?

  “I don’t know. Does it look like the Third Circle?”

  He raised an eyebrow. What should it look like?

  “I don’t know. I assumed it would be drastically different, like Isakio is from Crescent Bay.”

  “That town is Madafim,” Liviya said from her seat on a bale of hay. “We passed the boundary into the Third Circle a few hours ago.”

  Miren felt a jolt of surprise. Madafim was near one of the estates that Davri had labeled on the map: Lord Eitan’s. His relative—brother, she thought—was a name on Liviya’s list, a naval fleet commander or captain. She took measure of where they were and could see in her memory where the estate was in comparison. It wasn’t far.

  Miren’s pulse quickened, but what could she do? Break into Lord Eitan’s estate? A Third Circle lord, no less. What were the odds that Kesia was with his brother’s fleet? Or that Miren could find out anything about her sister’s whereabouts by breaking into his estate?

  The chances were slim—certainly too slim given the risk.

  But still.

  It was possible.

  Was that enough of a reason?

  Miren was only half-aware of the others as they made themselves comfortable in the hay. She thought Davri was staring at her, but she avoided his gaze as she lay down, her mind buzzing.

  Twenty

  Miren

  Miren waited until the moon was just high enough to peek through the front window of the barn. She remained still, listening, but she only heard the murmur of crickets and soft snoring drifting from various corners of the room.

  She sat up, easing herself off the hay. It crinkled underneath her, but no one stirred. Her revolver was loaded and ready; she’d cleaned it carefully and replaced the powder after their plunge into Fisher’s Canyon. She strapped the holster around her waist and decided to leave the res
t of her belongings.

  She crept toward the barn door and opened it slowly, wincing as it creaked and whined. The night was cool and heavy with dew. She started along the edge of the property at a jog, keeping an eye out for any movement. The farmhouse was dark, as was most of the town. She could hardly make out the edge of Madafim, which was marked by a thin line of trees. Miren ducked under cover as soon as she was close and crept along.

  Davri had marked the area belonging to Lord Eitan, and even in the dark, she could spot a glittering estate wedged into a hillside just north of the town.

  Something rustled behind her.

  She slipped her revolver from the holster. “Who’s there?” she demanded.

  More rustling, a sudden snap of a twig. She realized who it was just before he stepped into view, his hands up.

  “Davri,” she said, returning her gun to its holster. “How did you find me?”

  He stood in the moonlight so she could see as he signed. I thought you were up to something. Also, you left the barn door open.

  “Oh.” A small part of her was relieved to see him; another part resented the relief. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  He raised an eyebrow. Neither should you. Why are you here?

  “Go back, Davri.”

  He frowned at her, waiting.

  She knew she wasn’t going to shake him, but the thought of saying her plan out loud made her feel foolish. “Lord Eitan’s estate is just north of Madafim.”

  He frowned. And?

  “And I wanted to . . . I wanted to see if I could find something on Kesia.”

  You want to break into a Third Circle lord’s estate? Alone?

  “I can try, at least.”

  His jaw dropped. That is very foolish!

  “I have to do something,” she snarled. “We’ve been traveling for nearly two weeks now, and we’re no closer to finding Kesia than we were when we started. I don’t trust that Liviya is going to give us what we need.”

  We don’t have other options.

  “I know.”

  You said so yourself.

  “I know!” she cried. “But we—we don’t have time. And what if we fail at this other river like we did at Fisher’s Canyon? Liviya is still going to string us along, or even get us arrested.”