FIVE A NEW ROAD 1 ELIN’S WHEREABOUTS A blast of hot, humid air bearing the aroma of deep-fried food enveloped Jesse and Ialu as they turned into the alleyway. Jesse’s stomach growled. He blushed and looked up at his father, wondering if he’d heard. His father, however, strode on without even a glance. In the early afternoon sun, wisps of cooking smoke drifted on the air. Stalls jammed both sides of the narrow street. Drenched in sweat, merchants fried chunks of meat or sautéed vegetables and chicken on large griddles while calling out their wares to passersby. Here and there, Jesse saw restaurants, each marked by a large lantern hanging out front. But when he peered through the open doors, there were no customers in the dimly lit interiors, just tables and chairs. Maybe the restaurants got crowded in the evening, he thought. Jesse had been overwhelmed by the size of the capital when they arrived the night before. It had seemed so prim and proper, like a pompous official. But this part of town reminded him of the alleyways in his neighborhood back home. A boy about his own age was turning a chicken on a spit. Fat dripped from the crisply browned skin and flared on the coals below. Mmm, that looks good. Jesse turned to ask his father if he could have some, only to see him duck beneath a large lantern and disappear inside a restaurant. Jesse scurried after him. Although it was lunch time, there was not a customer in sight. An elderly woman sat shucking peas in the corner. She rose reluctantly when she saw them. “I came to meet someone,” Ialu said. The woman nodded and pointed toward a reed curtain in the back. There appeared to be a private room behind it. Jesse’s father’s gaze shifted toward the kitchen. Jesse followed it, wondering what he was looking at, but there was just an open door with people passing in the lane beyond. Hearing a rustling noise, Jesse turned and saw his father part the curtain and step into the other room. There was the scrape of a chair as someone stood up. Hurrying into the room, Jesse saw a large man with a broad smile on his face. “Hey there!” the man said, giving Ialu a thump on the shoulder. “You haven’t changed a bit. I thought you’d look a little older.” Ialu was grinning, too. Jesse’s eyes grew round. He’d never seen his father grin like that before. It made him look young. Wordlessly, his father wrapped an arm around the man’s shoulders in a hug, then stepped back. “Sorry to contact you out of the blue,” he said. The man waved a hand. “No need to get all stuffy now.” He poked his head around Ialu and cocked an eyebrow at Jesse. “You must be Jesse. You sure have grown!” Perplexed, Jesse glanced up at his father, who placed a hand on his head and smiled. “This is Kailu, an old friend,” Ialu said. “Don’t forget your manners. He held you when you were just a baby.” Jesse bowed his head dutifully, wondering how he was supposed to remember if he’d only been a baby. “How old are you now?” Kailu asked. “Eight.” At this, Kailu’s brows rose again. “Eight! It’s been that long has it? Time sure flies.” As if it were an afterthought, he added, “You look a lot like your mother.” His expression sobered, and he glanced at Ialu as he gestured for them to sit down. Kailu must have arrived sometime before them, because the table was already laden with dishes. “We can talk while we eat,” he said. “I know this place well. No one can hear us from outside, so you can speak freely. Jesse, grab those side plates from the corner over there, would you?” On a small table in the corner, Jesse found little plates as well as seasonings. He thought for a moment, then picked up six plates and placed two in front of each person. “Oh-ho! That was good thinking,” Kailu exclaimed. “I thought it might be better to have two each, you see, because some of these dishes are spicy and others are sweet,” Jesse explained, his cheeks flushed. “They’ll taste nicer if the flavors are kept separate.” Kailu laughed and looked at Ialu. “Considering he’s your son, he sure can talk. I wonder who he took after. Elin’s not much of a talker either.” Ialu picked up his chopsticks and flashed Kailu a crooked grin. “I haven’t figured that out yet.” Jesse picked up his chopsticks and looked at his father. Sensing his glance, Ialu nodded. “Go ahead. Eat.” “All right!” Jesse said loudly, helping himself to chunks of beef tenderly stewed in a sweet-and-sour fruit sauce. He also took a piece of deep-fried chicken coated in finely chopped nuts. Placing the stewed meat between two pieces of fahko, he took a large bite. Juice from the meat trickled down his chin. The inn they’d stayed at the night before was a grungy place that hadn’t served breakfast, and Jesse was starving. But even while he devoured the food, he kept his ears on the men’s conversation. “What’s going on?” Kailu demanded in a low voice. The cheerfulness had left his face. Ialu shook his head. “All I know is that whatever’s happening, it’s got something to do with Elin. And we’ve been targeted as pawns to be used as leverage.” Kailu opened his mouth, but then glanced at Jesse. Ialu smiled wryly. “It’s all right. He may talk a lot, but he can keep a secret. He won’t tell anyone something he shouldn’t, even if they beat him.” Jesse kept his head down, focusing on his food. His face was burning all the way to his ears, but he didn’t want them to know. “After I got your message,” Kailu said, “I started looking into it. It seems Elin entered the palace about three days ago.” Startled, Jesse raised his head. The thought that his mother was close by made his pulse race so fast it hurt. Ialu leaned forward. “Is she still there?” “Strangely enough, it seems that she isn’t.” Ialu frowned. “What do you mean?” Kailu looked as though he didn’t know how to explain. “Well, you know,” he began, “I’m one of the older Se Zan. That means I’m not often posted to guard the Yojeh. I spend most of my time training new recruits. I didn’t see or hear anything myself, but one of the younger Se Zan, Lagimu, says he saw Elin yesterday.” Kailu tapped the table with his chopsticks as he spoke. “He saw her enter the Yojeh’s inner garden yesterday afternoon. ‘So that’s Elin,’ he said to himself. But he never saw her leave.” “You mean she hadn’t left by the time he was relieved from duty?” “No, because he was on duty from yesterday afternoon until this morning. He stayed outside the Yojeh’s room after she retired from the garden, yet Elin left neither the garden nor the room.” Kailu lowered his voice. “But since yesterday evening the Aluhan’s hall has been in an uproar with soldiers and carrier pigeons rushing in and out.” Ialu’s face turned grim. “What about the garden or the Yojeh’s room? Did anyone leave or enter after Elin went into the garden?” “The Aluhan wasn’t there, so other than the children and the maidservants, no one else came. In the evening, however, the Sick Ones were invited inside the garden.” “The garden? Not the audience room?” “Yes, the garden. These days, that’s not so unusual. Ever since the Yojeh became heavy with child, she almost never leaves her private quarters. Rather than going to the audience room, she receives people in the garden.” As Ialu listened, he seemed lost in thought. “Lagimu would have counted the number of Sick Ones who entered and left the garden, right?” he asked. The corners of Kailu’s mouth lifted. “That’s exactly it. According to Lagimu, just as he was counting the Sick Ones passing through the gate, the Yojeh called him. She said she’d heard a strange noise in the hedge on the west side of the garden. Lagimu asked one of the maidservants to finish counting while he went to investigate.” Ialu stared at Kailu. A chunk of meat from Jesse’s sandwich fell with a plop, and he jumped, apologizing in a small voice. But his father didn’t even glance at him. “You think the Yojeh let Elin escape?” Ialu asked. “But why would she do that?” Kailu shook his head. “I don’t know. You know yourself that the Se Zan and the Aluhan’s men have nothing to do with one another. We get very little information from them. As for the Yojeh…” He stopped and sighed. “She’s not like her grandmother. Lady Halumiya kept us informed of everything to make sure we had an accurate grasp of the situation.” Chewing diligently, Jesse snuck a peek at his father, who seemed so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t touched the food. Kailu grabbed a piece of chicken with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. Then, as if he suddenly remembered Jesse was there, he poured some tea into Jesse’s cup. Ialu raised his eyes and looked at Kailu. “You say that Elin entered the palace three days ago?” “Yes.” “What about before that? She left Kazalumu over a month ago. What was she doing all that time? Do you know?” Kailu shook his head. “No, I know nothing. Except that she wasn’t at the palace until three days ago. She arrived in the lord of Amasulu’s carriage, so she must have been away on some mission for the Aluhan.” “The lord of Amasulu? You mean Yohalu Amasulu? Of the Black Armor?” “That’s what I heard.” Frowning, Ialu remained silent for some time. “How’s security at the checkpoints?” he asked finally. Kailu made a sour face. “Again, that’s not our job so I don’t know. I can tell you that there’re a lot of soldiers on the move. But that was true even before Elin got here, so not all of them are after her.” Ialu shook his head. “Even so, the checkpoints are probably at maximum security.” He flicked his eyes at Jesse, which made Jesse jump. “Hurry up and eat,” he said. “We don’t know when our next meal will be, so fill yourself up.” His voice was gentle, but somehow that made Jesse so nervous that he lost his appetite. Ialu picked up his chopsticks, but after only a few bites of food, he drew some coins from his robe and placed them beside his plate. “Kailu, you’ve really done us a great favor.” “Don’t mention it,” Kailu said with a worried frown. He blinked. “Oh,” he said, “I forgot to tell you something. Elin was injured.” Ialu’s face clouded. Jesse bit his lip, feeling his scalp grow cold. “It’s nothing serious, though,” Kailu added hastily. “Lagimu said she wore a bandage around her ear and her left arm was in a sling, but she seemed fine.” His words, however, couldn’t chase away the anxiety that nestled in Jesse’s chest. In the end, he didn’t touch the chicken he had taken, pushing his plate away with a quiet “Thank you.” When his father stood up, Jesse stood, too. Kailu reached out a hand and grabbed Ialu by the arm. “You take care, you hear? I’ll do anything you ask, so stay in touch.” Ialu nodded and gripped Kailu’s hand in return, then gently let it go. When they stepped outside, Jesse squinted against the blinding sun. Trotting after his father, he asked, “What’re we going to do now?” Ialu turned and looked at Jesse, narrowing his eyes against the glare. “I know a place your mother might’ve gone,” he said. “We’ll go there first.” 2 HOUSE FOR TWO Jesse felt the air cool as soon as they turned into the street. His father had been walking so quickly that he had to trot to keep up, and he was now drenched with sweat. It had been a very hot day, and the humid midday heat lingered even now that the sun was lower in the sky. A welcome breeze flowed along the street, caressing Jesse’s sweat-beaded skin. The houses lining both sides had bigger eaves and were surrounded by hedges that muted the sound of voices. Dainty flowers blooming in the hedges fluttered in the breeze. A shadow fell over them. Clouds had billowed up in the dazzling blue sky and were spreading quickly across it. Ialu stopped in front of a small house partway down the street. It looked quite old and deserted. As if it were his own home, Ialu pushed open the wooden gate and walked up to the door. Then he looked up at the eaves trough. His expression shifted slightly. “What?” Jesse whispered. Ialu reached up and pulled a key from the eaves trough. “Your mother’s been here,” he said. “Really?” Jesse blurted out, then quickly clapped a hand over his mouth. Ialu pointed. “Can you see?” On the dusty eaves trough, Jesse noticed a spot that looked as if someone had wiped their fingers across it. “Are those Mom’s fingerprints?” “I’m pretty sure they are. They weren’t made by a man.” Ialu turned the key in the lock and opened the door. Inside, the house was bare. Beyond a dirt-floored area was a large room floored with wood. Dust floated lazily in the afternoon light that slanted through the window. Before he set foot inside, Jesse’s father let his eyes run swiftly around the interior and then up at the ceiling. Jesse did the same. “Whose house is this?” he asked. His father gave him a swift smile. “Mine,” he said. “Really?” “This is where I used to live. I thought about selling it when we moved to Kazalumu,” he said, taking off his shoes before stepping into the wood-floored room. “But I decided to keep it in case something like this happened.” He stared at the room for a moment, as though lost in a memory. The wooden floorboards felt cool against the soles of Jesse’s tired feet. He walked over to stand by his father, who glanced down at him. “You’ve been here before,” he said. “When you were still inside your mother’s tummy.” Jesse raised his eyebrows. “Mom lived here, too?” “Yes, for about a year. We decided to move to Kazalumu after she got pregnant.” Ialu could almost see Elin standing by the window. She loved to open it wide and let the breeze flow through. He had rarely opened the window when he lived on his own. But when she began living with him, they often opened both the window and the front door to air the house. Memories washed over him in waves, and for a moment, he gave himself up to them. Why did she decide to come to me? He had thought about this many times. It couldn’t have been easy for her to find this house. Only Kailu and his foster brother Yantoku knew where he lived. She’d said that Kailu had told her where to find him. According to Kailu, she’d approached him at dawn as he left the woods around the palace at the end of the night shift. What had she been thinking as she stood at the edge of the forest waiting for him? Living in the capital, away from her friends and Esalu, she was under great pressure. The Royal Beasts at the Lazalu Sanctuary had all gone into convulsions. Elin had been summoned to find out why and treat them. In the end, she found that their handlers had caused the convulsions; trying to copy Elin’s methods, they’d stopped giving the Beasts tokujisui. The Lazalu Sanctuary was home to the handler whose lips and nose had been bitten off by Leelan. It must have been agony for Elin to have to expose the handlers’ mistakes in that place. Had she come to Ialu because he was the only one she could talk to about those things? He could still see her face from when she’d stood at his door. Her expression had been a mixture of confusion and defiance. He took a deep breath. Stifling the memories that welled up inside, he looked down at his son. “Jesse,” he said. “There’s money hidden in this room. Can you guess where?” Jesse’s eyes shone. His first thought was the closet or the cupboard, but he quickly discarded these options. Those would be the first places a thief would look. His eyes swept the room and fastened on something that seemed different. “Oh! I know!” he exclaimed. “Under the floor!” Ialu looked surprised. “What made you think that?” “Because everywhere else is dusty except the floor. If Mom had cleaned the house, she wouldn’t have left any dust. She likes cleaning.” A smile spread across his father’s face. “You’ve got sharp eyes. But you’re only half right. Bring me that stool, will you?” Jesse walked over to the corner and picked up the stool. As soon as he saw it, he clicked his tongue. “Rats. I missed this. There’s no dust on this stool either.” Ialu’s smile deepened. “Your mother wiped the floor so that thieves wouldn’t notice that she’d used this stool.” Taking it from Jesse, he stood on it and hit the ceiling with his palm. A small board popped out with a click. He passed it down to Jesse. “Stick that piece of wood in the bottom of the cupboard over there,” he said. Jesse turned the piece of wood in his hands. There were several grooves in the flat tip. It’s a key, he thought. He ran over to the cupboard. There were three slots in the base that looked like part of the design. One was the same width as the piece of wood in his hand. He slipped it into the slot and felt something move inside. There was a small noise above him, and the top of the cupboard popped outward. His father walked over and removed the top board to take out a hidden drawer. When he placed this on the floor, Jesse’s eyes grew round. There was a bag of gold nuggets and a dagger, clearly old and well used because the leather of the scabbard and the hilt was amber-colored with use. “Didn’t Mom take any money?” “There were two bags. She took one and left this one for us,” his father said. As he picked up the bag of gold and the dagger, he frowned. Following his gaze, Jesse gasped. There was writing on the bottom of the drawer. Ialu tilted the drawer so he couldn’t see. He grabbed his father’s hand. “Wait! What did it say? Is it from Mom? Did she say anything about me?” Ialu put the drawer back on the floor so that Jesse could see the thin letters, which Elin had likely carved into the wood with a sharp object. Jesse read them aloud. “I’m going to the place where my mother and Jeh came from. I promise to come back. Please tell Jesse to be a good boy.” Jesse’s eyes blurred with tears. He rubbed his fists into his sockets and sniffed, trying to keep the tears at bay. But he couldn’t. “Why?” he cried. Why had she gone away? Why hadn’t she waited for them? Ialu cradled Jesse’s head in his hands and pulled him close. Pressing his face into his father’s chest, Jesse clung to him and wept. The sound of the boy’s sobs tore Ialu’s heart. Holding him tight, he closed his eyes. A searing light flashed inside the dimly lit room, and seconds later Ialu heard the rumble of thunder. After two more flashes, rain began to pelt the roof. Jesse, who hated thunder, squeezed his arms tighter around his father. Feeling the strength of that grasp, Ialu looked out the window and frowned. Where Elin’s mother and Jeh came from … There was only one place that could be. He found it hard to believe that she would attempt the journey. Still, if that’s where she was headed, she would be going west, which meant that she would need to cross the river to leave the capital. Ialu’s face froze. They had planned different escape routes together. If she was planning to take that route, this was the worst possible weather for it. Elin hadn’t grown up in the capital. She wouldn’t know how dangerous the river could be in weather like this. A chill spread deep inside his chest. Fear seized him. They might never see her alive again. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off his foreboding. “Jesse. Stop crying,” he said. “We’re leaving.” Jesse wiped his tears and looked up. “Where’re we going?” “To the river.” Ialu stood up and stuck the dagger in his belt. 3 RAGING RIVER Lightning flickered across the undersides of the clouds. Elin glanced at the sky, then lowered her head. A warm, dank wind rippled across the river’s surface and whipped her face, bringing with it the smell of water and the stifling odor of grass. Large circles appeared on the water. Almost instantly the river disappeared behind a gray curtain of pounding rain. Sheltered beneath the bridge, Elin was untouched by the worst of the rain, but gusts of wind sprayed her with a fine mist. She gripped the collar of her loose cotton jacket tightly. Moments before, it had been so hot that she’d wanted to take it off, but now she was grateful for it. It smelled faintly of moth repellent and had been so long in the cupboard that the pattern was noticeably out of date. She’d worried that she might stand out if she wore it in town, but she’d had no choice. She needed to hide the bandage covering her elbow. In addition to the checkpoints set up on all the roads and bridges leading out of the capital, there were soldiers posted throughout the city. They had never seen Elin. That meant they would be seeking someone with green eyes and a wounded arm and ear. Elin had hidden those features under the half-coat and a broad straw hat. She’d removed the bandage over her ear because it would have shown beneath the hat. But the stitches in her elbow hadn’t been taken out yet, and she wanted to leave the bandage on if possible. Especially considering what she would have to do next. An elderly woman sitting nearby squashed a mosquito on her arm with a loud slap. “Honestly! What’s taking him so long?” she muttered. A mosquito buzzed near Elin, and she waved it away, listening absently to the woman grumbling about her husband under her breath. This was where peddlers waited for their husbands’ boats. They set out from nearby villages early in the morning with fresh vegetables, small fish, and other wares to sell, then got a ride home from here in the evening. There were five women sitting in the grass under the bridge talking quietly while they waited for their husbands. This broad, slow-moving river served as a moat guarding the capital. On this side spread the city, while on the other spread farm fields. “I wonder what’s going on,” one of the women said with a frown. “You said there’s one on Mugo Bridge, too?” another asked. “Really? That means anyone going in or out of the city’s being checked.” “Looks like it. Even on the main street, they’re making people take off their hats and show their faces. That’s what I heard.” “Perhaps they’re checking everyone at the landing on the other side of the river, too. Maybe that’s why the men are so late.” “I bet you’re right! Just like they did here.” From the shadow of a street stall on the bank, Elin had watched soldiers climb down under the bridge and examine the women’s faces. She had only joined them after she’d seen the soldiers leave. The old woman beside her suddenly turned to Elin. “I’ve never seen you here before,” she said. “What’re you doing here?” She had probably been wondering about her for some time because Elin carried no basket and didn’t look like a farmer’s wife. Dusk had already fallen. Although Elin couldn’t see the woman’s face, she could feel the suspicion in her eyes. “I’m waiting for my nephew,” Elin murmured. “I’m going home to my parents’ house.” The woman snorted, apparently satisfied that Elin must have left her husband and was going back to live with her parents. The drumming of the rain intensified, and lightning flashed incessantly. The women huddled together under the bridge, staring at the river. “At this rate, we may be spending the night at an inn,” one of them grumbled. It grew so dark they couldn’t see each other. With each flash of lightning, their anxious faces glowed white and then disappeared. “Wait a minute. I think I hear them!” Picking up the sound of oars through the pounding rain, the women stood up. Several lights appeared in the darkness—lanterns borne by the women’s sons who sat in the prows. When the boats landed, each woman climbed into one. Snatches of conversation drifted through the darkness. “I thought you’d never come.” “Any longer and we wouldn’t have made it home.” Elin remained seated, listening as the boats pulled away and the women’s voices, shrill with excitement and relief, faded along with the sound of oars. Once they were gone, the darkness deepened. Even in the pouring rain, however, she could see the watchfires burning brightly in sheltered stands on the bridge and at the landing on the far side of the river. They warned her that soldiers waited there. Why had Seimiya let her go? And how had Yohalu and the Aluhan reacted? Was she making the right decision to cross this river without seeing Ialu or Jesse? She guessed they were on their way to the capital. Should she have hidden herself in the city and waited for them? Jesse … His worried face rose into her mind. Maybe he’s plodding through this rain toward the capital right now, driven by the hope that he can see me again … So many thoughts clamored in her mind that it ached. If she listened to them now, they would twist themselves around her heart like vines, making it hard to move. She stood up abruptly and removed her jacket. Pressing her lips firmly together, she took off her top and tied it around her waist. She removed her sandals and tied them together by their laces, then shoved them firmly inside her sash at the back. She also tied the pouch of gold nuggets to her sash and tucked it inside against her stomach so that she wouldn’t lose it. Taking a deep breath, she walked across the sodden grass and down to the landing. Her plan was to ride the river downstream to a sandbar at the mouth of a small tributary. A boat might be distinguishable in this darkness, but a person would just look like a log drifting on the water. The rain was still falling hard, but fortunately the lightning seemed to be less frequent. The river did not appear to be flowing much faster than before, either. Elin, who used to swim with her friends in the swift mountain river below the school at Kazalumu, knew how to let her body glide on the current. But when she slipped off the simple dock of rough planks into the water, she felt the river tug at her with unexpected force. She’d intended to grab the post of the pier and get her bearings before swimming off, but the water swept her away before she could even touch it. Fear gripped her chest. The current was much faster than anticipated. She squirmed, trying to get into position to swim, but her body couldn’t do what she wanted. Pain shot through her left elbow when she moved it. Water surged over her face, and she couldn’t breathe. Thrashing and kicking, she thrust her face above the water and gasped for breath. She glimpsed a light behind her and shuddered at the speed with which it receded. When she tried to take another breath, something huge seemed to swell and rear up beneath her legs. In the next instant, she felt herself propelled forward at breakneck speed. There was no hope of swimming. She was swept along like a piece of wood, jostled and battered by the roiling water. Her lungs writhed, desperate for air. She knew with sudden clarity that she was dying. The water level’s rising. Ialu bit his lip, his body pummeled by the heavy rain. For a long time, he and Jesse had been standing in the shallows where the current slowed, scanning the river. They could see the watchfires burning far upstream. Before sunset, they had crossed the bridge, one at a time, waiting a little between each passage before finding their way to this spot. Although the soldiers examined all the women’s faces carefully, they didn’t stop any men or children, and Ialu and Jesse made it through almost too easily. Still, Ialu was impatient. The fact that it was growing darker and harder to distinguish people’s faces meant Elin might try to cross the river at any time. It had taken him much longer to get a sturdy rope than he had expected, and that time loss could be critical. The water level was much higher than before. Although it didn’t look so fast, the river was fed by many tributaries and could suddenly swell with water in a heavy rain. “Dad.” Although Ialu had told him to keep quiet, Jesse couldn’t help himself. “It’s dark already. Are you sure you can see her?” With each flash of lightning, Ialu’s figure blazed out in the darkness. He had tied one end of a long rope to a nearby tree and the other around his waist. Stripped down to his underwear, he stood staring into the blackness like a beast hunting its prey. “Stop worrying,” Ialu answered. “I’ve got good night vision.” For a second, he recalled the years he had spent searching the darkness on rainy and moonless nights, determined not to miss anything that moved. He reeled his thoughts back to the present. “Quiet now, Jesse,” he said. “Don’t distract me.” Slowing his breathing, he extended his awareness to embrace everything around him. With his mind stretched evenly across his surroundings like a tautly strung net, the bottom of the darkness brightened. Each sound—the raindrops, the churning water—registered separately in his ears. He could even distinguish the noise of each log rushing past. Something pricked his sharpened senses like a needle. He peered upstream. For a moment, he thought it must be a log. Then a slender hand reached above the water, only to vanish again. Elin! With an earth-shaking roar, the river heaved and swelled. Ialu dashed forward and flung himself into the water. The force of it hit him like a board. He gritted his teeth and parted the water with his arms. Although blinded by the dark, he kept his position fixed in his mind along with that of Elin’s path down the river. He didn’t swim, but instead let the river carry him while he strained every muscle to steer himself toward the place where Elin would pass. Something touched his outstretched hand, then slipped away. He was about to despair, when he felt a tug on his fingertips. He closed his fist and pulled. Catching the limp body in his arms, he felt the rope yank at his waist. Pain seared through his abdomen. It seemed like he was being torn in half, but he didn’t let go. He clenched his jaw. Clutching the body with all his strength, he let the water carry him, using the tree to which the rope was tied as a pivot. He kicked his legs feebly and felt something brush against him. Weeds. Something grated against his skin, and he grimaced with pain. He was stuck in a field of reeds on the sandbar. For a few moments, he lay gasping, unable to move. Gradually, however, he became aware of the cold, lifeless body embraced in his arms. When he placed his cheek close to its mouth, no breath touched his skin. Elin! He was too weak to lift her. On shaking knees, he dragged her through the reeds and onto the shoal. He heard Jesse’s shrill voice. “Dad! Did you save her?” The boy ran up beside him, but Ialu didn’t answer. Laying Elin faceup, he lifted her jaw, pinched her nostrils shut, and, placing his mouth against her frigid lips, breathed into her mouth. He put his hands on her chest, one on top of the other, and pressed sharply and repeatedly. Elin’s arms flopped limply with each press, but she showed no sign of coming back to life. “Mom! Mom!” Kneeling beside his father, Jesse rubbed his mother’s arm and wailed in a thin voice. Her flesh was shockingly cold. In the occasional flash of lightning, her pale skin glowed in the dark. Ialu pressed on her chest. Again and again he pressed, then blew into her mouth. She’s not breathing! Jesse began to sob. She’ll die! She’ll die! Without even knowing what he was doing, he rubbed her arm frantically, then grabbed her hand and tugged on it, calling her repeatedly. But his voice was drowned by the whistling wind, the rolling thunder, the pounding rain. How long this went on, Jesse didn’t know. Ialu pressed once more, and Elin suddenly twisted and coughed, spitting up water. “Elin!” Ialu turned her on her side and pounded on her back. She coughed violently, then inhaled with a whistling sound. After drawing several rattling breaths, she opened her eyes and stared blankly into space. Jesse gazed dumbly at his father as he scooped Elin into his arms and hugged her tightly. 4 A SERIES OF NOTES Water dripped from the eaves of the stable. Rolan pushed away the head of his beloved steed, Guloh, who kept nuzzling his chest. Sensing someone behind him, Rolan turned and glanced outside. The previous night’s storm had blown all the clouds away, and the day was dazzlingly clear. Rolan’s brows rose when he saw who was standing in the white sunshine. “Oli.” How like her to have come alone, he thought, even though she was the Aluhan’s sister. Picking up the hem of her skirt, Oli sauntered into the stable. “Morning, Guloh,” she said, reaching up to give him a friendly pat. “What’s this? My horse gets greeted before me?” Oli cast Rolan a piercing glance. “And why should I greet someone who doesn’t even have the courtesy to say goodbye before he leaves?” Rolan’s mouth twitched. “I’m sorry. I was just tired of all the commotion these last couple of days. I wanted to get away as soon as possible.” Oli gave him a searching look. “Are you attracted to her?” Rolan’s eyes widened. “To whom? You mean Elin?” He grinned and shook his head. “Well, I guess I was quite taken with her. Or rather, I still am. But it’s not like I want to hold her or anything. Well, okay, maybe that, too. A bit. But more than that…” His gaze wavered as though he were searching for words. “I want her to be happy. It may sound strange, but I’ve thought that ever since Father told us about her.” Wrinkling his nose as though embarrassed, he added, “Because she’s a musician, you see.” Oli blinked, then understanding dawned in her eyes. “Ah, I see.” Stroking Guloh’s nose as he nudged her with his muzzle, she nodded. “You’re right. She’s a musician, too.” Rolan leaned against the stall gate. Narrowing his eyes, he gazed absently at the sunlit pasture. “She’s an interesting woman, don’t you think? To come up with the idea of using a harp to communicate with those fearsome Beasts. And not just to come up with it, but to actually do it. I like that.” Shifting his eyes back to Oli, he smiled slightly. The pain Oli glimpsed beneath his smile hurt. “Isn’t it beautiful how a series of notes, a melody plucked on the strings of an instrument, can move the heart?” Rolan said. “Where we come from and what we are—all those things disappear into the music, and everyone who listens is moved. At moments like that, I see light. It’s those moments that keep me playing my lakkalu.” There was something fragile about Rolan. Having lost his family to the flames of war, he now roamed through different lands, placing himself in the midst of conflict. Oli knew all too well the nihilism that lurked behind his cheerful, carefree façade. And he had just explained why, despite all this, he could still keep his head up. Once again, Rolan gazed out at the pasture. “I think that Father and the Aluhan are too smitten with the Toda and the Royal Beasts. Other countries can never succeed in raising Royal Beasts? Even though the secrets of the Toda have already been stolen?” His voice dripped with sarcasm, and he shook his head slowly. “There’s no such thing as ‘never,’ is there? Right now, Elin’s the only one who can control the Royal Beasts. But if she’s going to make a whole troop, more people will have to get involved, and her methods are bound to find their way to other countries. We shouldn’t be so heavily dependent on one weapon. Nothing is absolute. Things change all the time. We have to keep adapting and trying out new approaches.” He turned toward Oli and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “I’ll probably spend my whole life searching for new ways. I’m just a messenger who seeks to witness and convey what the people of this land refuse to see.” Pressing her lips together, Oli stared at him for some time. Finally, she asked, “Where will you go next?” His face softened. “I’ll drop by Amasulu and take Kuriu to Imeelu. That city’s full of people with interesting connections. If I can find someone with the right ones…” He paused for a moment, then said, “I’m thinking of going to Lahza.” Oli paled. “Are you serious?” Rolan nodded. “We can never find a way forward until we learn more about the Lahza and how they think. If we want to reach a solution through negotiation rather than war, we need to know them.” A light gleamed in his eyes. “And if there’s anyone in this country capable of finding that out, it’s me, don’t you think? I look like an Asheh of the plains but have the heart and mind of a man from Lyoza.” Oli’s face twisted. “You’ll come back, though, won’t you? Promise me you’ll return safe and sound.” Rolan gazed at her, his jaw set firmly. “I promise, Omli,” he said quietly. “I’ll come back.” 5 TWO PATHS Birds chirped. The shed door was open a crack, and little bird shadows flitted across the shaft of light that fell through it. Jesse had woken a few minutes earlier when his father had gone outside, but he stayed in bed. He didn’t want to lose the comfort of pressing his face against his mother’s side, of being enveloped by her scent. Her blouse touched his nose each time she inhaled, then fluttered away when she exhaled. He loved the feel of the cloth caressing his skin. She was still asleep. Last night had been terrible. They’d searched frantically for a farmhouse that would take them in. His father had carried his mother while Jesse had hauled all their stuff through the pouring rain. How relieved he’d been to see a light shining through the darkness. The elderly couple that answered the door reminded Jesse of the people back home. They looked shocked to see a family standing drenched in the rain. Ialu told them their boat had capsized in the storm, and the couple quickly let them in to warm themselves at the hearth. Mother was listless and exhausted, and the old man and his wife fretted over her, urging all three of them to sleep in the house. But his father had refused and asked the couple to lend them the shed. Jesse had wished they could have stayed in the house, which he believed would have been much nicer. But once he’d eaten the hot supper the couple had shared, it didn’t matter. His full stomach warmed his frozen body, and he was amused to see steam rising from his and his parents’ clothes when they sat around the hearth. Elin lay down beside the fire and fell fast asleep. She didn’t wake even when Ialu picked her up and carried her to the shed. Still, gladness filled Jesse’s chest like warm coals. The shed was much colder than the main house, but the old man had spread a blanket over a pile of the hay that he kept as fodder for his livestock. With another blanket on top of them, they were soon warm. Ialu turned his back to the door and cradled Elin in his arms, while Jesse buried his face in his mother’s chest and was soon sound asleep. In the middle of the night, Elin groaned and thrashed about as though in pain. Jesse opened his eyes in surprise. “It’s all right, Jesse,” his father whispered. “She’s just got a little fever. I’ll watch over her. You go back to sleep.” Worried, Jesse had tried to stay awake, but his eyelids felt so heavy, he couldn’t keep them open. As soon as they closed, he’d dropped off again. Elin muttered and jerked. Jesse sat up and peered into her face. “Mom?” he said. Slowly she opened her eyes. “Mom! Can you see me?” He waved his hand in front of her face. Her eyebrows drew together. “Jesse?” she murmured in a puzzled tone. Throwing himself across her chest, Jesse wrapped his arms around her neck and rubbed his cheek against her face. “Mom…” Tears choked his voice; he sniffed and squeezed her tightly. His mother’s hand stroked his back. He clung to her, feeling the warmth from her hand and from her cheek where his face touched hers. At first, her touch was hesitant, but then it grew stronger. “Jesse?” she said. “Is it really you?” She pulled him close. For a long time they hugged each other. When Jesse finally released his arms from around her neck, it was only because he was in such an awkward position that his knees and back were starting to hurt. “Jesse.” Elin was looking straight at him. Not like last night, when she had stared blankly, seeing nothing. “Where are we?” she asked. “And where’s your father?” “We’re in a farmer’s shed. Dad just went outside. Probably to wash his face.” Elin furrowed her brow and raised her eyes to the ceiling. “But why are we here?” “Don’t you remember?” Jesse grimaced. “It was so awful, Mom! Why’d you try and swim that river? If Dad hadn’t jumped in to save you, you would’ve been swept all the way to the sea! It was pouring, and freezing, too. Father carried you, so I had to carry all our heavy luggage until we found this place!” The words were still spilling out of his mouth when he heard the door open behind him. “Jesse, lower your voice. I can hear you even outside.” Jesse turned to see his father holding a tray laden with wooden dishes. The aroma of freshly baked fahko and warm milk reached Jesse’s nostrils. “Ialu,” Elin whispered. Ialu nodded, then placed the tray on the floor. “How’re you feeling?” he asked. Elin just stared at him without answering. “Can I eat now?” Jesse said, unable to wait any longer. Ialu nodded. The fahko had been drizzled with honey and soaked in warm milk. Jesse took a bite, and the sweet taste of milk and honey spread through his mouth. Ialu handed Elin a bowl, and she took it without a word. The two of them began to eat in silence. Jesse was dying to know what they were thinking, but sensing that he shouldn’t say anything, he focused on his breakfast instead. When they had eaten the last crumb of fahko and drunk the last drop of milk, Ialu stacked the bowls quickly on the tray and slid the door open. Sunlight poured into the room. It was a lovely day. Elin blinked in the light as though waking from a long dream. Then she stood up suddenly. “Mom?” Jesse said in surprise. “Stay here,” she told him absently and followed after Ialu. “Stay here?” Jesse grumbled to himself. “She’s got to be kidding!” He tiptoed to the door. His parents were on the other side. Their voices were too low for him to hear, but he caught the words “Yojeh” and “Toda” and “Royal Beasts.” They talked tensely for a long time. Then his father said something in a harsh tone, and his mother’s voice broke off. Neither of them spoke after that, and his father’s footsteps receded into the distance. It was quite some time before he heard his mother move. He scuttled away from the door just as she opened it. He looked up at her, red-faced, ashamed to have been caught eavesdropping, but she didn’t seem to see him. “Where’s Dad?” he asked. “Did he go to take the dishes?” His mother blinked, as if his voice had jolted her back to the present. “Yes,” she said. Then she took a breath and shook her head. “He went to the capital to do some shopping.” Shocked, Jesse frowned. “But we just went to all that trouble to escape from there. Why would he go back? That’s so dangerous! The soldiers are looking for us, aren’t they?” His mother placed a warning finger to her lips. “It’s all right,” she said quietly. “The soldiers won’t catch him.” Jesse raised his brows doubtfully. “Why? Because he was a Se Zan?” His mother’s eyes grew round. “Who told you that?” Jesse sighed, exasperated. “Mother, I’m eight years old, you know. I’m not a child anymore. Dad told me everything. Everything! Like how he met you. And how some bad guys are trying to make you use the Royal Beasts. And that they tried to catch us so they could make you do what they say.” He wanted to show her he knew everything so that she wouldn’t leave him out of the conversation anymore. A mixture of emotions crossed her face as she gazed at him. Neither of them spoke for a long time. Finally Jesse couldn’t stand it anymore. He grabbed her hands and swung them back and forth. “Mom, why were you gone so long? Where were you? What were you doing?” She pushed the door open and leaned against the doorframe. In the garden of the main house, hens bathed in the warm sunlight and scratched lazily at the earth, pecking at the ground. Far in the distance, a lone figure worked the fields. “I was visiting different Toda villages,” Elin said. She pulled Jesse to her and ruffled his hair. “I’m sorry I was gone so long. I know you must’ve missed me. The Aluhan commanded me to go. I couldn’t tell anyone because my work involved the Toda.” “The Toda? Can you heal sick Toda, too?” “If it’s not serious, yes, I can.” She paused, then added, “My mother was a Toda doctor.” “She was?” Jesse gaped at her. Gazing down at her son, Elin felt a pang in her heart. She and Ialu had hidden their pasts from Jesse all these years, telling him nothing about themselves. She was wondering where to begin when the door of the main house slid open. The farmer’s wife stepped out, bearing a bamboo basket. It was packed so full of potatoes that Elin was sure they would start rolling off the top. At that moment, a chicken darted past, squawking loudly as it ran between the woman’s feet. Startled, she lost her balance, and the basket tilted. She gave a little shriek as the potatoes rolled and bounded every which way. Before Elin could move, however, Jesse had run to her side and begun picking them up, using the hem of his shirt to hold them. “Why thank you, dear,” the woman said. Jesse dumped the potatoes he’d collected into the basket, and Elin hurried over to help. “Are you feeling better?” the woman asked, peering into her face. Elin bowed. “Yes. Thank you so much for all your kindness.” The woman shook her head. “Not at all. We didn’t do anything. My, but you gave us such a fright! You looked so pale and weak. We worried about you all night.” “I’m so sorry to have troubled you. Would you mind if we waited here until my husband comes back?” “No, of course not. Please stay. Your husband kindly gave us a small gold piece before he went off. He said he’d be back by evening.” She glanced at Jesse, who came running up with a potato retrieved from some distance away. He looked in high spirits. “Thank you, boy. Guess I’d better get on with this now.” As she started to walk away, Elin called out, “Are you going to peel them?” The woman nodded. “That’s right. See that little pool by the spring? I’m going to peel them over there.” “Then let me give you a hand. And I’m sure my son can at least help wash them.” “Are you sure? That would be a real help.” The spring water was cold, and the surface of the pool was littered with green leaves torn off in the storm. While Jesse scooped them out, Elin began helping with the potatoes. The woman washed them deftly, chattering all the while about how she was going to boil and mash them to make potato dumplings that she would sell in the city. Elin listened with one ear, making appropriate responses here and there, but her thoughts were focused on her conversation with Ialu. After they had brought each other up to date, she had told him what she planned to do. All expression had vanished from his face. He didn’t move a muscle, even when she explained her promise to Seimiya. She had guessed how he’d react if she told him that she was going to the Afon Noah. That was why she’d decided not to wait for them at the house in the capital. “Are you planning to leave Jesse motherless?” he said. His voice was calm, but she could tell he was furious without even looking at his eyes. “What do you really care about?” he asked. Then he had turned his back on her. She grimaced. He knows full well what I really care about. But he just couldn’t accept her decision. Jesse had climbed into the pool of water, tucking the hem of his long shirt into his sash at the front and back to keep it dry. Elin looked at his slender limbs. He was still so young. She couldn’t take him with her into the mountains. Even in spring, it would be a rough journey, and she might be traveling where there was no trail. As Ialu feared, there was a good chance she might not come back alive. But if she was going to go to the Afon Noah, if she was ever going to find the Valley of the Kalenta Loh, now was her only chance. As things stand, Ialu, these fetters that bind me will trap you and Jesse both, for life. I can’t do that to Jesse. Even if I die on the way, at least you and Jesse will be freed. She bit her lip. If she was going to go, she had to go now. Ialu wouldn’t be back until evening. It was time. She breathed shallowly, watching Jesse. He was so engrossed in gathering leaves that he’d forgotten about washing potatoes. She tried to stand, but her legs refused to budge. She felt again the warmth of Jesse’s arms around her neck and his cheek pressed against her face. How would he feel when he realized that she’d left him? She stared at her hands, unable to move. At sunset, Ialu still hadn’t returned. Elin smiled reassuringly at her anxious son and told him his father would be fine. But when he failed to show up by the time they went back to the shed after supper, she worried something had happened. It was close to midnight when she finally heard the clip-clop of hooves and the creak of wagon wheels. She slid gently out from under the blanket so as not to wake Jesse and opened the door. The moon had set, and the sky was lit only by the stars. A lantern hung from the roof of a large covered wagon, and in its light, she saw Ialu climb down from the driver’s seat. The night wind was chilly, making the heat of the day seem like a dream. Pulling her collar close, Elin walked over to Ialu, who was tying the reins to a large tree. He raised his head when she reached his side. “It’s a big wagon, but Yantoku wouldn’t hear of me refusing. He sold it to me for half its value, saying it was his gift to us.” “How is he?” asked Elin, recalling the kind face of Ialu’s childhood foster brother and fellow carpenter. “Good. They have a child now.” He went behind the wagon and pulled out a fodder pouch. Seeing this, Elin went over to the pool by the spring, filled a large bucket with water, and brought it to the horse. Judging by its muscled body, it had probably been a workhorse. It seemed sturdy and good-tempered. When she placed the bucket beside it, it snorted and slurped the water thirstily. Once the horse was done, Ialu placed the fodder bag over its neck. Something about his movements made Elin pause and look at him closely. The horse shifted slightly, exposing Ialu’s face to the lantern light. “Ialu!” she exclaimed. She placed a hand on his forehead. It was beaded with sweat and burning hot. “The fever’s not that bad,” he said, shaking his head listlessly. “Because you jumped into the river—” He shook his head again. With a grimace, he loosened his sash and exposed his midriff. “It would help if there was some clean water to wash this with,” he said. Looking at his skin, Elin gasped. A dark red line circled his abdomen, as though something had dug into his flesh. The bruising spread all the way up to his ribcage. “It looks like it was made by a rope,” Elin breathed. With a shock, she realized what must have caused it. “Come into the light,” she said, pulling him toward the lantern. She probed the wound, and he winced when she pressed her palm against his ribs. Frowning, she chewed her lip. The wound was already festering in places, and his ribs might be cracked. “Did you buy some medicine?” she asked. “It’s in the back.” Elin climbed up into the wagon. Opening a wooden box filled with medicine, she scanned the labels and picked out some ointment and cloths. She handed these to Ialu and jumped down. “There’s a well behind the shed,” she told him. “Sit here while I go and get some water.” With a nod, Ialu rolled up his sweat-drenched top and threw it into the wagon. When Elin returned, he was sitting on the ground with his back against a wheel. Elin took down the lantern and placed it nearby. Kneeling down beside him, she soaked the cloth in water and gently washed the wound. In one spot, the weave of the rope stood out starkly on his flesh. Tears filled her eyes, blinding her. She brushed them away with the back of her hand, but still they fell as she washed his wound. “I was thinking the whole time,” Ialu said hoarsely. “Trying to see if there wasn’t some way the three of us could live together in peace.” His voice was the only sound in the blackness of the damp night. “I was thinking that when we met up, the three of us could escape somewhere far away. I thought we might make it if we could disappear into a town where no one knows us.” His voice faded, and a hush fell over Elin’s skin. After some time, Ialu spoke again. “Elin, today the palace issued a proclamation to the rulers of every domain in this kingdom.” His voice was barely a whisper. “It called on them to find us; to take us into custody and bring us to the palace. Whoever succeeds will be generously rewarded. But any domain that fails to notice us hiding there will be held responsible and punished severely.” Elin listened with her head bowed. The net that surrounded them was closing in. No matter where they fled, no matter where they might try to hide, the relentless gaze of the people would seek them out. She put a hand to her face and closed her eyes. They could never escape, not unless she gouged out these green eyes of hers. “I thought of living deep in the mountains where no one comes,” Ialu murmured. “I thought maybe the three of us could stay hidden in some remote mountain stronghold.” If it were just the two of them, maybe they could have, Elin thought. But she couldn’t subject Jesse to such loneliness. Slowly, she shook her head. Ialu sighed. “Yes, you’re right. We can’t do that. It would be too hard on Jesse. And too dangerous. We’re being hunted by the Lahza as well. If they attacked us in the mountains, no one could help us.” Somewhere in the distance Elin heard the call of a bird, thin and shrill. Then it died away. Feeling Ialu’s hand on her arm, she looked up. His calm eyes held her own. “Do you think by going to the Afon Noah you can change this?” Trembling, Elin drew a breath. “I don’t know. Even if I find the Valley of the Kalenta Loh, who knows if they’ve followed the same lifestyle for centuries or kept the old records? And even if they have, there’s no guarantee I can find anything that will convince the Yojeh and the Aluhan to give up their plan.” She closed her eyes tightly. “It’s just that it seemed the only way left. The only way I could free us from this hopeless situation. And the only way I could…” She swallowed the words, unable to continue, but Ialu murmured, “The only way you could avoid using the Royal Beasts as weapons?” She nodded. Tears welled behind her closed lids and slid down her cheeks. For a long time, neither of them said anything. In the quiet darkness, Elin felt reality sink slowly to the bottom of her chest, like dust settling to the ground after being stirred up into the air. She had tried to race forward, shutting her eyes to all the impossibilities. Having lost her momentum, she now saw clearly that it was an impossible dream. “You can’t go to the Afon Noah alone. You know that,” Ialu said quietly. “There are checkpoints set up along all the main roads. And who knows what traps have been laid by those who work for the Lahza. They were able to find our house and attack me. If they’ve infiltrated our troops, some of their agents might be posing as soldiers.” Elin nodded. A shudder ran through her as she recalled how they had abducted the Toda Steward without anyone suspecting. The net laid by the Aluhan was in plain view. But she had no way of knowing the extent, or even the nature, of the one laid by the Lahza. “I could go with you, but we can’t take Jesse. We would have to leave him with Miss Esalu. Shall we do that?” Elin raised her face, then shook her head. “No. I can’t.” A quietness filled her breast. The shining white path that had stretched into the distance vanished. In its stead, she saw before her, clear and distinct, the dirt-colored road that she had to take. “I guess this is as far as it goes,” she said. The figure of a Royal Beast soaring in the heavens flashed through her mind and was gone. “Yes. This is as far as we can go,” Ialu said. He moved his hand from her arm to her head and pulled her toward him. Elin pressed her cheek against his chest. His voice came to her, muffled by his body. “In my life, I’m so grateful for these last ten years.” Tears flowed from Elin’s eyes. She couldn’t speak. These last ten years. Yes, how glad she was to have had them. Somewhere inside she’d always known that it couldn’t last, yet still she’d been happy. And now those days had come to an end. A new life would begin. Listening to the beating of Ialu’s heart, she closed her eyes. Gradually, something filled her, like the tide flooding in. She must do what she had vowed never to do. This was the path that lay before her. But she would have had to confront it sometime anyway. Behind her closed lids, she saw snow-tipped peaks. Whatever had happened beyond those mountains long ago had changed the lives of every generation—the lives of her and her mother, of Seimiya and Yohalu. The catastrophe that had started all this—what had it really been? What would happen when Royal Beasts covered the skies and swooped down upon the Toda hordes? Concealed by her mother’s people and the Yojeh’s ancestors, the answer now lay buried beneath the sands of time. If she couldn’t ask the Kalenta Loh to tell her what that was, then she had only one choice. Slowly, she opened her eyes. I must find the truth for myself. She must unravel the secrets of the Royal Beasts and the Toda with her own hands, using everything she had learned so far. In the depths of her nostrils, Elin smelled once again the Kiba she had dissected in that cold, clammy cave; saw the fallopian tubes, deformed by the tokujisui, and the unfertilized eggs that had taken the life of their mother without bringing forth new life. At the end of this search, maybe all she would find would be the cruelty of the human herd. But if she never found out and simply let the flow sweep her along, when the battle raged, she and her family would die just like those Kiba with the mistakes of the past buried inside them. Many people—and many beasts—would die, without ever knowing the reason. She couldn’t let that happen. A breeze seemed to flow through her body, whipping away her murky doubts and filling her instead with a quiet thought. With my own hands, let me break asunder the chains that Jeh and my mother’s people made to bind the beasts. With my own eyes, let me find the truth that was hidden. If there was any path that could free both the beasts and her family, it could only be found at the end of that road, when all was revealed. Her work was just beginning. 6 AUDIENCE Jesse tugged at his mother’s sleeve and whispered in her ear. “I need to pee.” Sunlight poured into the large, bright room. On one wall hung a tapestry of charging Toda scattering men on horseback. Jesse had tried to distract himself by examining every detail, but the chair on which he sat was so big his legs dangled, and he sank into the upholstery. Worst of all, the thought of facing the Yojeh and the Aluhan made his heart pound so hard he could barely stand it. He had waited as long as he could before telling his mother. Dressed in their finest clothes and lost in thought, she and his father seemed like strangers. But when he pulled on her sleeve, she moved into action. Rising, she spoke to the pretty young woman in the corner of the room. “Excuse me, but my son wishes to use the lavatory.” The woman glided over. “Allow me to take him there for you.” She smiled at Jesse, but he tightened his grip on Elin’s sleeve. Perhaps she felt it, because Elin said, “Thank you. I’ll go with you. Please lead the way.” The air was much cooler in the corridor. The high-ceilinged passageway was so broad, they could have raced down it four abreast. But we’d probably slip and fall, Jesse thought. He sighed as they walked along the shiny wooden floor. Elin squeezed his hand. “There’s nothing to worry about, Jesse. The Yojeh and the Aluhan are very kind.” Jesse pursed his lips. “That’s all very well for you to say,” he said. His voice came out much louder than he’d intended. Glancing at the woman walking in front, he whispered, “I just don’t get it, that’s all.” His mother had escaped from the palace, only to announce suddenly that they were going back. And now, here they were, but she wouldn’t tell him why. Instead, she kept telling him to behave himself and that she’d explain later. He glared up at her to make sure she knew he was mad, but she just smiled. “Yes, I know,” she said. “But be patient a little longer. I’ll tell you all about it later.” Then she gazed off into space as though she were somewhere else. Even the lavatory was large. It smelled of flowers. The water jug and the basin for washing his hands were both made of white ceramic with a pattern of little birds. Once Jesse had peed, he felt more relaxed, and memories of the last few days filled his mind. I liked staying in that shed. The farmers had let them stay two more nights because his father had come down with a fever. They were really kind, bringing slices of freshly picked melon. They had chilled the melon in well water first, and, sprinkled with a little salt, it tasted delicious. Jesse’s mother spent most of her time sitting beside his father, writing a letter. Once Ialu was better, she gave him the letter to take to the capital. After that, everything had happened very quickly. They said goodbye to the farmers and headed toward the bridge to the capital. While on their way, soldiers rode up and surrounded them. Jesse was petrified, but his parents patted his head and told him not to worry. From there, they were led to this hall. A tall, middle-aged warrior was standing in the entranceway, waiting. To Jesse’s surprise, as soon as his mother saw him, she dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the ground. At his father’s urging, Jesse had knelt, too, bowing low as though he were sorry, even though he had no idea what he was supposed to be sorry for. Instead of scolding Mother, the man had reached out his hand and helped her to her feet, then led them inside. Waiting for dinner had been especially hard. Jesse was starving but his parents had made him sit in a big room all by himself while they talked with that man in the room next door. All he could do was watch them through the crack in the doorway. When he finally did get to eat, however, the meal had been fit for a king. And afterward, he’d been thrilled to have the big bath all to himself and Mother. It had been a long time since they’d been in the bath together. They got to sleep in the same room, too, on soft, comfy bedding that smelled heavenly. Although he hadn’t a clue what was going on, his parents didn’t seem to be worried. He felt pretty sure the bad things were over. “So you’re Jesse, are you?” Jesse drew in his breath. Two armchairs sat on a dais at the far end of the enormous room. On one sat the Aluhan, while on the other sat a woman dressed all in white. She was smiling at him. Her long luxuriant hair fell down her back, and her eyes looked golden. The thought that this was the Yojeh made his throat constrict so that he could barely talk. His words came out like a high squeak. “Yes, ma’am. I’m Jesse.” “You look so like Elin. Except that your eyes aren’t green.” Jesse pouted a little at this. “Yes, ma’am. My mother and father have given me a lot of things. I get my eyes from Dad. But my face is like Mom’s. And Miss Esalu tells me that I get my stubbornness from them both.” When he stopped speaking, a strange expression rose on everyone’s faces. The first one to start laughing was the Yojeh. She put a hand over her mouth as she struggled to control herself. Glancing at Mother, she said, “Elin, your son is certainly an accomplished orator.” Elin’s mouth crooked. “Yes. My apologies. There are times when I wonder who he takes after.” The Yojeh wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and nodded. “That’s children for you. Ours are the same. Although they resemble us in some ways, I wonder where they got some of their other characteristics.” The smile faded from her face. “My daughter’s eyes are dark, too,” she added quietly. “Not golden-brown like mine. The golden eyes of the Yojeh ended with my generation. Whether we like it or not, everything must change.” Elin’s smile had faded, too. The Yojeh sighed and said, “So you have decided to obey my command.” “Yes,” Elin said. “I thank you for giving me time to make that decision. Please accept my sincere apologies for the trouble I caused you.” A smile touched the Yojeh’s lips, but it seemed somehow sad. “What matters is that you’re here. And that you are willing to fulfill my wishes.” Elin bowed deeply. “Thank you. I do not know if I actually can, but I will do everything in my power to multiply the Royal Beasts.” “Not just multiply them,” the Aluhan interjected, “but train them to fight as a corps.” Elin turned to face him. “Yes, Your Highness. But I have two requests.” The Aluhan frowned slightly. “And what might they be?” “The first is about how to use the Royal Beasts. Rather than being ridden and controlled by warriors as the Toda are, I would like to train them to fly riderless.” At this the Aluhan’s gaze grew sharp. “Why?” “There are two reasons.” She looked the Aluhan squarely in the eye. “One is because riding them is dangerous. Toda can be controlled by gripping their horns, but not the Royal Beasts. When they see Toda, their natural enemies, they respond swiftly and with tremendous force. It takes every ounce of strength just to hang on, which makes it impossible to shoot arrows while riding. In addition”—she flicked her eyes to the Yojeh then back to the Aluhan—“I have absolutely no idea what will happen when a whole pack of Royal Beasts attacks a host of Toda. If the tale passed down by the Ahlyo turns out to be true, at least we can prevent needless deaths if the Royal Beasts fly riderless.” The Aluhan’s eyebrows drew together. “But how can we control them, then?” “I don’t know if it will work until I try it, but I’m planning to train them to fly in response to my harp.” “You mean you intend to control all of them on your own?” the Aluhan said incredulously. “Yes. Which leads me to the second reason I believe they should fly riderless,” Elin replied. “The more people who can control the Royal Beasts, the greater the possibility that this secret could be leaked. We may choose people we believe are completely trustworthy, but nothing is absolute when it comes to humans. Just think about how the Toda Steward was abducted. If we train warriors as Riders, the day is bound to come when the secret to controlling them makes its way out of this country.” The Aluhan pondered Elin’s words for some time, then looked at the Yojeh. She gazed back at him, then turned and said, “Elin, I understand how you feel. Much of what you say makes sense. But we cannot rest easy if you are the only one who can control the Beasts. What would we do if anything happened to you?” “Yes, I thought of that, too,” Elin replied. “There’s a limit to what I can do on my own. I would like to ask the headmistress of Kazalumu, Miss Esalu, to help me.” The Yojeh nodded. “That would be fine. I hear that she knows the Royal Beasts well, so I’m sure she’ll make a good assistant. But she’s quite elderly, isn’t she?” “Yes. She is. So there is one other person with whom I wish to share this knowledge.” She looked straight at the Yojeh. “With all respect, I would like to share what I have learned about the Handler’s Art, and what I will learn from here on, with you, Your Highness.” A stunned silence fell over the room. Only the swish of the Yojeh’s robe as she jerked could be heard in that frozen moment. “With me?” she whispered. “If it had not been lost in the fire,” Elin said, “you would have inherited this skill from your ancestors. And what more certain way could there be to safeguard the secret than this?” The Aluhan had been listening to this exchange with an arrested expression, but now he cast the Yojeh a look of concern. “I think this is a good idea, but the Yojeh is with child.” Jesse’s eyes swiveled toward his mother. He saw her nodding calmly. “Yes, of course,” she said. “I didn’t mean right away. I don’t even know yet whether it is possible to breed the Royal Beasts. If I do manage to find a way, it will take at least four years to raise the cubs that are born. So we have the next five or maybe even ten years to think about it.” When she finished speaking, the room was quiet. Jesse watched the Yojeh’s face. She looked different somehow. Up until this moment, she had seemed so lofty he had been overcome with awe. But now, with her eyes fixed on his mother, she seemed like an ordinary human. “I accept your offer, Elin,” the Yojeh said finally. Leaning on the arm of her chair, she pushed herself up. The Aluhan rose swiftly and slipped his hand under her elbow. With one hand on her belly, she climbed down the stairs. She drew near and took Elin’s hand in her own. “I want to know what my ancestor saw and why she chose to become the Yojeh,” she murmured. “Do you think the Royal Beasts will tell us?” Jesse looked up at his mother. Her face seemed strained, as though she was hiding her pain. “Let us see what the Royal Beasts will teach us,” she said, her voice just a whisper. The Yojeh squeezed her hand then let it go. She looked at Ialu where he stood behind Elin. He kept his head bowed. “Ialu,” the Yojeh said. “It has been a long time.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” The Yojeh’s expression turned hard. “Raise your face.” Slowly, Ialu lifted his head. “You haven’t changed,” the Yojeh said. “Maybe you have aged a little, but that’s all.” Her face softened. “I hear that you make furniture.” Ialu nodded. “My father was a cabinetmaker,” he said. The Yojeh’s eyes widened. “Your father was an artisan? I thought that you were born into a warrior family.” A wry smile touched Ialu’s lips. “I was eight when I first gripped a sword. I became a warrior on the training grounds on the outskirts of the palace.” The Yojeh regarded him silently for a moment. “Do you intend to spend the rest of your days wielding a chisel?” she asked. “No.” Ialu returned her gaze. “Yesterday I consulted the lord of Amasulu. If your Majesty and the Aluhan will permit me, I wish to become a Toda Rider.” Jesse caught his breath. He saw his mother spin around to look at his father, her face turning deathly pale. 7 TODA RIDER Elin stared at Ialu, feeling the blood drain from her face. When he had left the room after supper the night before, she had thought he was stepping out for some fresh air, but he must have gone to consult with Yohalu. And now, he had shared his intention with the Yojeh and the Aluhan, so that even if she protested, there was no turning back. But why? She couldn’t breathe. The skin from her brow to her cheeks felt taut and numb. Everything around her seemed to recede into the distance, and she broke into a cold sweat. Gripping her hands together, she fought to stay on her feet and betray no sign of the consternation she felt. Seimiya frowned at Ialu’s words, and she turned to Shunan. “Did you know about this?” Shunan shook his head. “No. This is the first I’ve heard of it.” He fixed his eyes on Ialu. “You were a Se Zan,” he said. “Why would you want to become a Toda Rider?” “Your Highness, it is precisely because of my experience as a Se Zan that I feel the need to do this.” Ialu’s voice was cool and steady. “I longed to support the union of Your Majesties. To that end, I played my small part. Eleven years have passed since you were wed, yet I hear that the Se Zan and the Aluhan’s men still do not communicate.” Seimiya and Shunan looked slightly uncomfortable. “If my wife is to fly the Royal Beasts with Her Highness, the Yojeh,” Ialu continued, “then allow me to ride the Toda in service to the Aluhan. Limited though my capacity may be, I long to serve as a link between those who guard you both.” A light kindled in Shunan’s eyes. “Is this truly what you wish?” Ialu nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.” Shunan glanced at Seimiya. Seeing her incline her head, he turned back to Ialu. “You said that you had spoken with the lord of Amasulu. What did he say?” “He understood. He said that if I could truly bridge the gap between the Toda Riders and the Se Zan, it would be most welcome. But he also voiced one concern.” “What was that?” Ialu’s lips quirked. “I believe that you must share this same concern, Your Highness. It was my age.” Shunan smiled wryly. “Yes, that’s true. How old are you?” “Thirty-nine.” “Almost forty. I see. And what else did he say?” The smile left Ialu’s face. “He was worried for my safety. After all, I have killed many of the Sai Gamulu.” Elin struggled to control the trembling that seized her. Many Sai Gamulu served in the Aluhan’s army, driven by their desire to see the Aluhan rule the kingdom. More than a few must hate Ialu for taking the lives of their comrades and their kin. If he joined their ranks, she thought, they could easily get revenge by making it look like a training accident. Shunan frowned slightly and gave Ialu a measuring look. “Yet even so, you still wish to join my army?” “Yes.” For a long time, Shunan stared into his unwavering eyes. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh. “As you say, this rift between my army and those who guard the palace is undesirable. The older Se Zan trust you completely. And there are many among my own men who hold you in high esteem. They respect you as a rare and accomplished warrior who aided my marriage to the Yojeh. In that sense, there’s no one more suited than you to serve as a bridge between them.” He nodded as if to himself. “All right, then. You shall join my army as a high-ranking officer in the supply troops who make up the rear guard. Your age won’t be a problem there. You’ll be safer, too.” Ialu shook his head. “I am deeply grateful for your consideration, Your Highness. However, please allow me to serve as a Toda Rider, not as an officer in the rear.” Shunan frowned. “Why?” “Warriors will never respect someone who isn’t prepared to risk his life on the front lines.”
Chapter 15
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