Sember once told me that walking through the plains the very first time had felt like someone had erased the forest. That the wide-open sky had dizzied her. But I didn’t feel that way. The yellow grass sprang waist-high, swaying and rippling in the breeze like it was under water. I brushed my hand along the grassy tips, enjoying its tickle on my palm. The forest was beautiful, but the plains had its own kind of elegance.
I like that you find beauty in all things.
“Huh?” I blinked, not expecting Tessia’s intrusion.
I’m sorry. I never know when to start a conversation. It seems like an interruption every time.
It’s okay, I thought back to her. I think it’s just something people need to get used to. Talking can be just as disruptive, but it’s more acceptable because everyone’s used to it.
She shrugged. I guess.
I wasn’t sure how else to reassure her, so I began talking aloud. “What do you guys think this Zurbo tribe is going to be like? From the stories I heard, they had acorns for brains and treated Siena like some kind of pariah. But they still used her for healing people! How hypocritical can you get?” I shook my head and turned to Kibi. “They’re not still like that, right? I mean, it’s been ten years.”
Her antennae paused in their twitching as she considered. I thought for sure she’d speak to defend her own tribe, but she shrugged instead and went back to staring into the distance.
I turned to Fen for input.
“As far as I’m concerned, all Plainsmen hate us.”
“Hate seems like a very strong term. Are you sure about that? Or are you just going by what Niralessa tells you?”
His eyes hardened. “Look what they did to Corin!”
I stopped walking and jutted my chin at him. “Which only happened because they were trying to get back one of their own!”
“We would never have needed to take her if these animals would just treat us like normal people.”
“How do you know they weren’t? Did you ask her?”
He leaned forward, jaw tense.
I stood firm, ready for his retort.
He surprised me by looking away first. “They’re all the same,” he said without much conviction.
“But what if they’re not?” I said softly. “I think . . .” I gave him a long look. “I think deep down you know what’s right, and that’s why you’re with us instead of Niralessa.”
He gnawed the inside of his cheek, glancing at Tessia and Kibi, who had been quietly watching this entire exchange. “Maybe,” he mumbled. His eyes touched on me briefly before he resumed walking. It was quick, but I thought I saw respect in their depths.
I could work with ‘maybe.’
***
Kibi continued leading the way, with the feelers on her head seeming to pluck information straight out of the air. Did this girl ever get lost?
My thoughts strayed to Corin as we walked. His lifeless body, his hair crusted in blood and dirt. I thought about Bolden, also dead, blood streaming out of his pierced throat. So much blood and death. I couldn’t let Niralessa escalate this into a full-blown war.
“Looks like we’re about to find out what these Plainsmen think of us,” Fen said.
Alarmed, I faced where Fen was looking and saw two young men with spears jogging toward us. When they reached us, they seemed younger than I first thought, with smooth faces and still-developing muscles on their bare chests.
And they were identical twins.
I blinked, thinking at first that my eyes were tricking me. I’d heard of identical twins, but never seen them before. But there they were. Same face. Same haircut. Same serious expression.
“Who are you?” one of them asked, spear pointed at my face.
“And what is that?” the other one demanded, gawking at Fen.
In one quick movement, Fen grabbed the spear that was pointed at me and yanked it away. The boy stood there, wide-eyed, openmouthed, and empty-handed. The other boy lifted his spear at Fen, his face wavering between fear and courage.
“Fen, give that back,” I reprimanded. “They’re kids. They’re just doing their jobs.”
With a growl, he thrust the spear back into the hands of the boy. “Don’t point those at us.”
The spear nearly slipped out of the boy’s grasp as he fumbled with it.
I kept my voice friendly. “You’re with the Zurbo tribe, right? We’re bringing a lost member back to you.” I gestured toward Kibi, only to find her hiding behind Fen’s legs. “Come on, these are your people. Say hello.”
She peeked out, her antennae twitching nervously on her head.
“Oh,” one of them said. “It’s Ant Girl.”
Kibi’s head darted back behind Fen.
I planted my hands on my hips. “Ant Girl? Ever hear of manners? Didn’t anyone teach you that calling people names is mean?”
The boys stared at me like I’d just told them the world was round. (Obviously it’s flat. I mean, look at it.)
With an exasperated sigh, I said, “Just take us to your chieftain. He should know what to do.”
The two boys looked at each other. One shrugged, and the other nodded. “Follow us.”
It wasn’t long before we reached the compound. It was just as Siena had described, with wooden posts circling a settlement of mud huts. A river ran nearby, where women washed clothing and filled clay pots.
When we reached an opening in the wooden enclosure, one of our two young escorts took off running. “We captured some Aberrations! Wooooo!”
I turned my scowl to the remaining boy, who visibly shrank.
“Um, he likes showing off,” he said by way of excuse.
I turned my disciplinarian voice on full force. “You do not call anyone that word. Do you understand me?”
He nodded meekly, taking a step back. He reminded me of a little boy pretending to be a warrior. To his credit, he didn’t run away, but his eyes did keep sliding to Fen’s large presence, who seemed content to let me do all the talking.
It didn’t take long for other Plainsmen to gather at a safe distance from us, staring. It made me wonder if this was how Siena felt when she’d first come to Foresthome. So many curious eyes watching. I noticed they were mostly women and children, with only a few men among them.
“Please forgive Mykis.” A man about Remi’s age approached us. His proud posture, coupled with how everyone got out of his way, practically screamed chieftain. “He’s very eager to prove himself, and sometimes gets a little . . . exuberant.” His smile was charming, and I instantly liked him.
I returned the smile. “I’m Nirrin, and these are my friends, Fen, Tessia, and Kibi.”
He inclined his head. “Welcome to the Zurbo tribe. I am Chief Meresh.” He held out his hand in greeting, and I clasped it. He turned his eyes to Fen and swallowed. A moment later, he reached a tentative hand out to Fen, seeming to hold his breath.
Fen looked at the chief’s face, looked at the hand, and clasped it.
I exhaled with relief.
So did the chief.
“I am glad to see Kibi in good health,” Meresh said, smiling warmly at the girl. “How are your parents?”
How were her parents? Hadn’t she been kidnapped? Why didn’t anyone seem pleased that we’d brought her back?
When Kibi’s bottom lip trembled in response, Meresh gave me a questioning look.
“Um . . .” This wasn’t at all what I’d expected. I turned toward Kibi. “You were taken against your will, right?”
She nodded from the safety behind Fen’s legs.
I faced Meresh again, palm up as if to say, “Well? Explain that!”
He frowned and scratched the scruff on his jaw, then surveyed the growing crowd. “Maybe we should discuss this inside?”
Please don’t leave me out here! The frantic voice of Tessia entered my mind. People are staring at me.
I finally noticed the remaining twin focused intently on the row of ridges that ran along the top of Tessia’s bare head.
“Hey!” I waved my hand in front of his face. “What’s your name?”
He snapped his eyes to me and gulped. “Majon.”
“Well, Majon, in addition to calling people names, staring is rude too.”
Meresh turned on him. “You were calling people names?”
The boy shook his head vigorously. “N-no, Chief! That was Mykis!”
The chieftain nodded and patted his shoulder, then addressed us. “Please, come this way.”
***
“What do you mean you didn’t know?” I stared at Meresh, disbelieving. “Didn’t her parents tell you? Isn’t that why you sent warriors to rescue her?”
His forehead creased with bafflement. “I didn’t send anyone.” He leaned back and rubbed the back of his neck, thinking.
The chieftain’s hut was the largest on the compound, with an assortment of pillows and cushions to lounge on in the main living area. We sat at a large table, filling out the six chairs he had. Meresh had brought Majon in with him, ostensibly to get his side of the short story of our arrival. In reality, I suspected the illustrious chief didn’t want to be alone with three Gifted and a girl who talked too much.
“Bolden said he was gathering a hunting party for some buffalo that were spotted.” Meresh rested tentative eyes on me. “Were he and his men the ones who found you?”
“Found and attacked. They’re dead now, did you know that?”
He blanched, lips parting with surprise. “I had no idea.” The breath seemed to leave his body as he deflated. He shook his head. “Bolden was a good man. Impetuous, but . . .” Meresh lifted his gaze again. “He really did that?”
I nodded. “Kibi had to watch him die.”
I looked over at the sniffling sound from across the table and found Kibi with tears on her cheeks. I wanted to bite my tongue for being an insensitive lout. Talking about her uncle dying in front of her like she wasn’t even here. If she didn’t want to kick me right now, I would.
“I’m sorry, Kibi,” Meresh said. “I didn’t know. I would never have sanctioned this.” He sighed wearily. “This is terrible.”
Majon keeps staring at me.
I looked over to Tessia and found her nervously picking at a hangnail. Maybe he thinks you’re pretty, I thought to her.
No.
What’s he thinking, then?
He’s never seen anyone like me before. Wonders why these Aberrations don’t talk.
“Majon,” I said to draw his attention away, “what’s your impression of Kibi’s parents?”
He pulled his eyes away from Tessia and faced me. “Her parents? Um, they’re parental?”
I heard a quiet snort from Tessia’s direction.
“Parental.” I raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean? They realized Kibi was gone, didn’t they?” It struck me as strange that they wouldn’t tell the chief if their daughter was missing.
“Um, I don’t know.” Majon squirmed, obviously not used to this kind of scrutiny.
“Do you think they’re good people?” I pressed.
“Um.” He looked to Meresh beside him, unsure how to proceed.
“Nirrin.” His tone held the gentle but firm warning of a chieftain protecting his people. I kind of admired him for it. “Why don’t we speak to the parents directly?”
“Great idea.” I rose from the table.
It was time to get this sorted right at the source.
Aksara