“C’mon, Kinri. Let’s go.” She meant to the Dadafodd; she’d said that’s where we’d find the drake. “C’mon. My leg is getting done with me standing on it.”
Rhyfel is flying this way.”
high guard?” Mawla still had a that artificial high accent to her voice, but on that last phrase it dropped, turned to something frayed and ripped, sounding something like the nadir who spent their lives smoking yakah roots.
ask.”
walls. Black bamboo holding up the sagging dirt banks, filled up with dustone like grout. It flared massively at the end, and created this big landing area in front of the gate. Mawla leant against the gully wall farthest from the gate, and I sat in the center.
won’t be here when Rhyfel lights down. If you ain’t coming with me???—??I’ll have to leave by myself.”
Just tell me.”
because you won’t tell me?” I nudged her. And then again, until she looked at me. “There are too many people keeping secrets, Mawla. Not enough being open with me. I don’t want to have to suspect you too.”
Mawla. No. You don’t get it. You aren’t a criminal. You aren’t wanted. I know why you’re on the list, I’m why you’re on the list.” She’d looked around???—??just with her head, snaking it???—??but I looked down, didn’t meet eye. “It’s my fault.”
want to tell her. I didn’t tell her. She just, figured it out. Read it off me.”
might have had something to do with it???—??I told her you didn’t, but she still wants to question you.”
Well then,” she said. “Never the heck mind. This is fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about none of this.”
high crime. The kind of crime where only half of you goes to jail cuz the other half sticks around in gossiping mouths. You wake up and see that under your name and you fly to the obvious conclusion.”
got this. Trust me. I’ve flown through worse than this.”
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“I didn’t hear all of it, don’t you worry. Whatever secret crime you to are up to’ll get dealt with just as soon as I’ve got less on my plate.”
Kinri.” He inclined his head. He didn’t look at Mawla. When he glanced at the scarlet drake, and saw he was still engaged in a staredown with the yellowbrown wiver, he looked back to me and asked: “Where is Hinte?”
immediately. If I still wanted to be a Specter (did I want to be a Specter?), not answering that question would be my first step back in that direction.
wanted to kill these guards. I couldn’t let that happen. Not again. She was a danger and the administration surely had to know about it? Rhyfel the younger wasn’t like Ffrom. He was high up. I could trust him.
my question.
Ushra.”
easing in for the next half a ring?”
Oh. Oh no. I know what she’s going to do. No. She’s going to ruin everything.”
indicated.
hope. There was still the hard edge of anger in his voice for the alighted guards. Ushra, obversely, hadn’t even flinched, hadn’t even spared a word or thought for them.
This is the drake Hinte looks up to.
We will,” he said, and turned around. A subtle twitch of his wing for Rhyfel to follow, but instead the high guard spoke up.
No, then.
Alchemists save dragons.” Staune was small and moved quick. Her feathered form ducked into a pocket of the robe, and she came flapping away, a jar of wiggling green held in her bird feet.
six tresspasses???—??her record’s a mess. The charge right now is high trespassing and high treason. She’s been implicated in the Berwem mess.”
peered at Mawla, brilles pale. She gave me a smile that grew very slowly, as if at each beat she decided whether to smile a little bit more. I don’t know how my look changed in response, but the smile soon faltered, and she looked away. Kicked a leg at Staune, watched her jump.
Mawla? All I gotta ask in three questions, then the investigation can all fall on Wrang where it belongs.”
* * *