Chapter 19

  Familiar Shadows

  They had journeyed more or less due south from Raashim’s City, walking easily on a wide road made of flagstones on compacted detritus. The scale of the project was amazing to Owen, who couldn’t imagine the time it must have taken to manually pave an actual road from the temple city all the way down to the coast. And not only that, but identical roads stretched out to the other three points of the compass as well.

  It took them the better part of a week to make the journey to the merchant city on the coast, and they walked it as a small procession. They travelled light, for there were several small towns and villages along the way, and so no need to lug excessive provisions around. The river that flowed through Raashim’s City emptied into the sea near the city they were making for, but it was too fast flowing and had too many large rocks and fallen trees in it to be a safe waterway for travel.

  They left the wide, grassy fields behind after the second day on the road, and trees began to grow more prolifically. At first they were just dotted throughout the grasslands, then they accumulated in many small stands. Finally, as the road drew near to the river, they entered a deciduous forest with a canopy height of no more than fifty-metres. The trees grew far enough apart that plenty of sun filtered through, and a cool breeze moved among the trees. To their right, Owen could hear the rushing water of the river.

  The blonde girl walked most of the way with her eyes to the ground, and looking as if she were hanging on by a thread. Owen felt a great sympathy for her, but wasn’t really sure what he could do. At the end of the day, she looked to be late teens, and he knew that, for all he often felt like a big, dumb boy, he was most certainly a man in his mid-twenties.

  It’d just creep her out if I started talking to her. I feel weird enough talking to the priestess.

  There was a small town about halfway along their journey to the coast, but all of the names sounded alike and Owen didn’t bother trying to remember them. There would be time enough for that when they returned. For now, he was just trying to enjoy being outside again and stretching his legs. The weather was mild and excellent for the long walk.

  “We will likely overtake my cousin,” Nidair revealed in the demure way she had when addressing him within earshot of the high priestess. “Kivaan-tsichi travels at night so he will not be seen by our enemies. We will board a ship, and the way is much more direct by sea. We will not have to reckon with the Crooked Spine Mountains or the weather over the Bay of Separation. Once we board, the journey will be quite restful.”

  “Is our destination on the coast, too?” asked Owen quietly. He noted the high priestess raising an eyebrow at their more-or-less casual conversation, but she said nothing and allowed it to continue. Is it allowed as long as I have permission? And did she assume that permission because the priestess didn’t arc up?

  “It is,” Nidair replied, “but we will not land there.” She frowned. “Our destination is the … other … side of the island. We must land on the dark side, and then travel over land to the light side.”

  Right … her way of saying west and east respectively, since the sun rises in the east here, too.

  “Too dangerous or too far to sail there directly?”

  “Too dangerous,” Nidair murmured, her gaze conflicted by something.

  “I suppose you’ll tell me when I need to know,” Owen smiled, looking on up the road.

  They crested one last hill and were looking down upon a merchant port that sprawled out from almost directly in front of them down to the sparkling sea as if the city itself had melted from the top of the hill down to the coast. The contrast made Owen’s smile widen with appreciation as he took in the white-stone buildings framed by the emerald green forest that grow right up to it on the land side, while the glittering sapphire ocean bordered it on the other side.

  I can’t believe I’m enjoying this, he thought privately. His shoulders sagged a little as he remembered the things he should … and honestly was … still grieving. What should I be doing … is it okay to enjoy this? Surely I’m not supposed to mope all the way to the edge of this world?

  “Does something bother you?” asked the priestess self-consciously.

  “Just my own problems,” Owen laughed quietly at himself. “This is a beautiful land,” he continued, choosing a more neutral subject. It looked to him as if the priestess was mildly miffed at his deflection, but she didn’t press the issue. Good. If it’s not me getting in trouble, I’m beginning to think she’ll get herself in trouble.

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  “It is … nice enough,” she allowed politely. She seemed to make note that the high priestess was conversing earnestly with her retainers. “I think the lands of the light are far more …” Her brow creased in a pretty frown as she searched for a word that either eluded her or was unknown to her.

  “Varied?” Owen guessed.

  “This word, what does it mean? Like variety? Many kinds?”

  “Yeah,” Owen agreed, awkwardly trying to keep an entirely inappropriate grin from spreading across his face at her earnestness. She isn’t your friend. She is basically alien. You have no idea what she is thinking. Don’t get friendly.

  “Hmm,” she pondered, not noticing his conflict. “Yes. The lands of light are much more varied than the midlands. Towards the cold are great mountains, the nivaan forests, and great blankets of snow.” She grew more animated as she spoke of her home. “Only the forest and mountain folk dare make a living out there. As you travel lower, you come to a place where … um … hmm. It moves from snow to …”

  “Transitionary?” hinted Owen, unable to help himself.

  “What is this?” Nidair insisted, eyes alight with her need to know everything.

  “Like you said, it’s when something moves from one place to another. Or it can also describe being stuck between two places.”

  “Yes! My uncle’s keep … you would call it Red Sky … is in the trans … isho … ari? … land. It is a great keep, and only Shikyo is greater.”

  “You saying I’m greater than your uncle’s keep?” Owen chuckled before he could stop himself. Way too familiar. Do I actually feel this comfortable with her just because of what happened with her mother? This is stupid!

  Nidair’s eyes flashed with a sudden, maligned fury, and for a moment Owen was sure he had just set them back to square one with his one careless comment. But then understanding dawned in her eyes and she demurely covered her mouth with a hand to stop her quiet laughter from being obvious to anyone watching.

  “So you remembered your name,” she smiled to herself.

  Damn it, didn’t mean to make her smug, Owen sighed inwardly. “Well … it would be disrespectful at my position if I didn’t, wouldn’t it?”

  Nidair cast a coy glance at him out of the corner of her eye. “Hyo noei,” she murmured with a little smile out at the ocean.

  Owen restrained the sigh. So she’s decided she’ll continue muttering random phrases in her own language, huh? Good grief. This will be its own special brand of maddening.

  "Good grief."

  AI-rendering of original characters and narrative by T. Sharp

  The young priestess was called away then to discuss something with the high priestess, and Owen found himself walking next to the blonde girl again as the descended the final hill heading into the city. The forest gave way to a band of small paddocks that surrounded the city, with livestock that seemed both familiar and alien populating them. It was still a twenty-minute walk before they were in among houses, and the ambient chatter grew in volume as they drew slowly closer to the business district, which was spread along the docks.

  The high priestess donned a light cloak and cowl to ward off the sun and, most likely, to avoid being recognised by too many people. She left the group there on the docks and, taking Nidair with her, went to see about some business. The retainers were left with the slaves, although none of them so much as glanced at Owen and the blonde.

  “How’re you doing?” he finally asked the blonde. Surely the bare minimum concern can’t hurt.

  “Huh?” she squeaked, her gaze tricked away from her feet and up to meet his.

  Her eyes were a dark brown and her hair was sandy blonde with darker streaks through it. Owen thought she would have looked completely at home on a beach on the east coast of Australia. That thought only made her presence here all the more tragic ... and, on further thought, his own as well.

  “How’re you holding up?” he repeated, as much to distract himself as check in on her.

  “Oh,” she whispered hoarsely, looking about nervously as if worried someone would beat her for talking. “Um … o-okay. I suppose. We … we’re not supposed to talk … are we?”

  “We’re not supposed to address our superiors without being instructed, but I’ve never been in trouble for talking to another … well … slave.”

  “Oh,” the girl mumbled, her gaze slipping away again to focus on her sandals.

  “We should probably at least know each other’s names,” Owen hinted gently. “Looks like we’ll be travelling together awhile.”

  “Oh … yes,” the girl said reluctantly. “I’m … Holly. I’m sorry, I … everything is … I still can’t believe …”

  “You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” Owen laughed sadly. “I know. I’m Owen, by the way. Didn’t want to weird you out or anything … just wanted to say I’m around if you need anything.”

  “I … really appreciate that,” Holly choked. “They separated me from the others as soon as I arrived …” Her eyes turned empty. “I was brought here with a friend … Charli. Charlotte. I … have no idea what happened to her.”

  Owen winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know what that would be like. Any idea why the high priestess is dragging you along?”

  “Yes,” whispered Holly, dread filling her face. “They’re giving me to … to a mighty warrior.” A sob caught in her throat. “The high priestess called him Raashim’s greatest champion. They’re … Owen, they’re just going to give me to some man!” And Holly dissolved into tears.