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"I still don't understand why you'd send me there, of all places–"
"You know as well as I that if you want any hope of breaking an impossible curse, you'll need the magic of the Isles. And besides," Leila gave a bright smile, "it's where the Wizard Eirnin lives."
"I've never heard of him," said Naji.
"He's from the north, from the ice-islands. I studied under him as a child. Long before I met you." She smiled and pressed herself close to Naji and he sank into her like her closeness was a relief. "I've seen him cast impossible curses before. And a cure is only one letter off from a curse."
I snorted and kicked at the powdery dirt of the floor.
Naji gave her long hard look. "It's too dangerous."
"So cast some more spells. Someone as powerful as you…" She made her eyes all big and bright. Naji gazed moonily at her. "You'll be fine."
"And what about me?" I said. "Will I be fine? I know what happens when the untouched go to the Isles of the Sky. They get turned into rainclouds and dirt or they get sucked down to the depths and drown over and over."
"You aren't untouched," Naji said. "You healed me by the river."
I glared at him. "Well, I ain't as strong as you, then."
"I have to protect you before I have to protect myself," he said. "Leila is right about the magic–"
"Of course I am," Leila said, reaching over to toy with the curl of his hair.
I couldn't say anything, thinking about the idea that he was putting my protection before his own.
"It may be my only option," Naji said to me.
"My only option, too," I said. "You're not the only one cursed here. And I still don't want to go." But already I knew it might be worth it, if the Isles really could break Naji's curse. They were the place where the impossible happened, after all. It was just that their impossible was supposed to be the sort of impossible that's also horrible.
Naji gave me a sad, confused sort of frown.
"Of course," he said, "no merchant ship is going to agree to sail to the Isles of the Sky."
"No pirate ship, neither," I added. "And that's what Port Iskassaya is anyway, a pirates' port-of-call."
"How convenient," Leila said, "that you travel with a pirate."
Naji pulled away from her and trudged away from the flowers, back over to the center circle. "We need to talk," he said to me.
"Can't argue with that."
He gave me one of his Naji-looks. For a few seconds I didn't think Leila was going to let us leave the garden, but she didn't say nothing when Naji grabbed my upper arm and dragged me back into the dripping dimness of the house.
"Told you she ain't trustworthy," I said. "She's been pla
Naji didn't say nothing for a long time. Then he said, and it damn near knocked me over, "You're probably right. I was… hoping… that she wouldn't play any of her games with me. Not now. Not… with everything." He slouched down on the cot and stuck his head in his hands. "I knew she trained in the north, that's why I came here, but I truly hoped–"
"And what did she mean about protecting us from the Mists?"
Naji dropped his hands down to his sides. "Oh, her word is good for that," he said. "She wouldn't do anything to actually kill me."
"That don't answer my question."
"Because the answer doesn't concern you."
"Really?" I said. "'Well, in that case, this curse of yours don't concern me neither. So if you don't mind, I'll be on my way." And I slipped off my charm and headed toward the front door.
"Ana
I yanked my arm away from him. "Look, you want me to go with you to the Isles of the Sky – and I can kinda see how maybe it's not the stupidest idea in the world, all things considered, even if it's definitely up there – but if you really want me to go, you have to be straight with me. You gotta tell me things."
"Tell you things," he said.
"Yeah. You know how you didn't tell me who Leila was, or what we'd find here in the canyon? Or what that black smoke was when the Hariri clan attacked?" I glared at him and after a few seconds he nodded. "Well, no more of that."
"I know what 'tell you things' means."
"Sounded like you were asking. Keep in mind that if you want to barter passage on a pirate ship, you will need me. You don't got the cash to buy your way onto one, and ain't no pirate in the Confederation's go
Naji got that flash of a smile around his eyes. I was too worked up to care.
"I think that sounds like a deal," Naji said.
"Now why the hell should I be worried about the Mists attacking us?" Kaol, even saying Mists sent the creeping shivers up my spine.
"Someone in the Otherworld wants me dead," Naji said. "They'll have no fight with you, but they want me. It's a long–"
Leila appeared in the doorway, that white dress swirling around her ankles. She had her cruel smile on, teeth shining in the lamplight. Naji stared at her the way he did, his face all full of longing. Then he turned back to me.
"Let me tell you on the river," he said.
"Fine." So he didn't want to talk in front of Leila. "But if I don't know the whole story by Port Iskassaya, I'm gone."
Naji's eyes crinkled up again. Then he stuck out his hand. I shook it.