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Leesil slid his hand across her back, glancing at Sgaile.
Wy
"This is the only ship," Sgaile said, his voice tight, "unless you wish to linger here even longer. The elders arranged passage once-they would not do so again. It is either this vessel, or we travel back across the Broken Range on foot… by whatever way you found to reach us. And then head south. What is your choice?"
Magiere slowly turned her head toward him.
Wy
"Their belongings have arrived," a crew member called out to Brot'an.
Another skiff pulled in beside the ship, and two elves in the small vessel hoisted up baggage. Wy
Magiere's comment about being trapped was not precisely correct. They had used their time in the city to prepare for the coming journey. Magiere was not certain about their path, but she knew their destination lay in a mountain canyon so high up it was locked in snow and ice all year.
"Ah, here are your new coats," Osha said in Elvish, and tapped Leesil's shoulder as he pointed down to the skiff.
"In Belaskian," Wy
Osha gave her a sheepish smile and repeated in broken speech that Leesil and Magiere could understand.
Wy
One elf in the skiff below climbed halfway up to hand off their new coats. Magiere had specifically requested these garments.
Made of sheepskin with the woolly side inward, they were also lined with a thick layer of rough-spun cotton fabric. The outer hide had been deeply oiled against bad weather, something Brot'an added to their specifications. The new garments would maximize body heat retention in a cold climate.
Meanwhile, Wy
The hkomas's harsh voice called out for sails to be set. Wy
Wy
Sgaile glared at Brot'an with his fists closed tightly on the hidden object.
Osha tensed up, his expression aghast. Sgaile seemed about to argue or question, but Brot'an raised a finger and his lips moved in one brief phrase.
"Chein'as?" Osha whispered too loudly.
"Tosajij!" Sgaile hissed at him.
The younger elf cringed in embarrassment. His wide amber eyes flicked toward Leesil, who wavered as he tried to lift baggage from the deck.
Wy
Chein'as-the… "burning" ones?
Brot'an started to descend, and Wy
"Brot'an…," she called, and then lost her nerve.
Brot'an halted, then stepped back up on deck. He came closer, until he towered over Wy
"Farewell, little one," he said, and lowered his head to whisper, "and do not stop asking questions."
Wy
Brot'an turned away, pausing once before Magiere. A shadow of sadness crossed her pale face. She, too, had depended on his wisdom in this strange land. But Leesil…
He remained crouched over the baggage and did not rise. Too much had happened between Leesil and the master anmaglahk for him to ever trust the man. Brot'an climbed over the ship's side and vanished from sight.
Sgaile turned hard eyes on Osha and pulled him away toward the ship's aft.
Wy
He stood poised upon a crate near the rail-wall, gazing toward the shore. Wy
Out beyond the city, Chap had spent his last days with Lily, the white majay-hi.
He had said his good-bye to her the day they had arrived in Ghoivne Ajhajhe, but the unexpected delay had weakened his resolve. Lily's entire pack had gone home, but she stayed behind to be with Chap. The white majay-hi feared the populated city, and so he slipped out into the forest whenever possible.
"I am sorry you have to leave her," Wy
She would not come.
"I know."
All around Wy
As the sails caught the wind, the ship turned slowly toward the open sea, and Wy
There were so many reasons that they had to leave, but they left so much behind.
Hkuan'duv stood on his vessel's deck and watched the ship carrying the humans as it sailed out of harbor. He waited until darkness came.
Of all the orders Most Aged Father had ever given, this one troubled Hkuan'duv the most. Sgailsheilleache and Osha, two of Hkuan'duv's own caste, were on the vessel he would track, and they knew nothing of his presence. Such a thing had never happened in his memory.
As he stared toward the open sea beyond the harbor, a slender hand gripped the rail-wall beside him, and a soft voice spoke.
"Your thoughts run in circles tonight."
Danvarfij-Fated Music-looked him directly in the eyes. Her nose was too long and her cheekbones were a touch wide, but her skin was clean and creamy, like tea stirred with goat's milk. She had been his last student, studying under him for five years, and there was always a quiet honesty in her eyes.
When her skill with a bow clearly exceeded his, it was the final sign that their time together as teacher and student was over. He had spoken for her before Most Aged Father, and she had been given a word-wood in recognition. When she left on her first solo purpose, Hkuan'duv chose to take no more students.
He did not respond to her comment. She knew him too well.
"Have you seen our quarters?" he asked.