Page 13

thirteen

Morai

“ W hat should we do with it?” Neoni asked as she watched the baby jaguar Luka had brought in last night play with a vinusi. It looked like a bee, if a bee had fur. It had four yellow wings, two on each side, that started from the top of its head and flared out.

“We could just leave it here. It seems pretty happy,” Tanen said.

“Are you crazy?” Neoni asked. Morai, who’d finally mangled her hair into a bun, lowered her arms, and along with Neoni and Tanen stared at the jaguar. Luka had gone over to a creek they’d found nearby to clean up. Fida had gone off to train, something about keeping with her routine no matter where she is. Morai, Tanen, and Neoni had already taken turns using the creek and were now waiting for Luka, then Fida before they headed out. Now, the current dilemma was the jaguar. Morai found it surprising that it didn’t run after Luka. It barely left his side last night.

“We can bring it with us,” Morai suggested.

“How?” Neoni asked. “Do you have any idea what would happen if anyone noticed us with a jaguar?” The scarcity of mundane creatures meant that if one was discovered nearby, it would either be taken as a pet or sold to the highest bidder. It was not uncommon for them to be killed and sold for their fur, teeth, or anything else they could use. While mundane creatures weren’t magical, they were excellent conductors of anything magic, dead or alive. The hunting got so bad, that the king had to issue an order preventing hunting or killing of any kind. The only ones permitted to use mundane creatures were people like Kirnon, and it was mostly for academic studies or medicinal purposes. And getting a permit from the king for such purposes was extensive.

“We could use illusion magic,” Tanen said. Neoni scowled at him.

“And who among us can use illusion magic?” Tanen raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“I was only making a suggestion.”

“A suggestion for what?” Luka asked, coming from behind a tree. The jaguar, upon seeing him, ran towards him, abandoning the vinusi who finally was able to fly away. Luka crouched and petted the jaguar.

“We’re trying to figure out how to get it into town without being seen,” Morai said, catching herself staring at his hair that was dripping wet.

“Yes, and I suggested using illusion magic,” Tanen said. Luka stood with a frown.

“None of us can use illusion magic.”

“That’s what I said,” Neoni said.

“And I said it was only a suggestion.”

“Yes, and not a good one since none of us can use it,” Neoni shot back.

“Or we can find someone who can,” Tanen said, flooding his arms across his chest.

“Not in Braken. The village is too small to have someone of that caliber,” Morai said. If there was someone with illusion magic, they would have already been carted off to the capital. Morai frowned, looking from her friend to Tanen, then back. Why was she sensing tension?

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Luka said.

“Can someone let Fida know she can use the creek.”

***

“Finally, I thought we’d have to sleep on the road again,” Neoni said, slumping down in her chair. They’d made it into Braken and quickly found an inn. Luka and Tanen were seeing to the lizards with the jaguar safely hidden in Luka’s bag. Morai still thought it was a dumb idea, but they didn’t really have a choice. Morai and Fida pulled up some extra chairs to the table before sitting down. A barmaid came towards them, her hair was tied in a red scarf, and she had a corset over her dress that was so high it caused her chest to almost be level with her chin. She gave them a warm smile.

“What will you be having?” she asked.

“Can we have five bowls of soup and some bread? Some ale will be nice,” Fida said.

“Be right back,” she said turning to leave.

“Wait,” Morai said, and the barmaid stopped, a question written across her face.

“Do you know the best place to restock on supplies?” Morai had wanted to explore the village a little bit, but with the sun setting she’d have to do a quick tour tomorrow before they left. The barmaid's brown eyes lit up.

“That would be Inan, it’s really the only shop around here, they’d carry what you need. She has all sorts of things. It’d be the last building before you leave the town.”

“Thank you,” Morai said, the barmaid nodded and went to place their order. Fida pulled out Kirnon’s map from the dimension bag, they’d taken most of the bags in except Luka’s, and set it on the table, unrolling it. Luka and Tanen returned and took their seats. Tanen tried to catch Neoni’s eye, but she pointedly looked at the map spread out before them. Morai scowled but said nothing, at least not yet. She’ll ask her about what’s going on later.

“So, we’re here,” Fida said, drawing an “x” on Braken, with a colored quill pen. “Once we leave Braken, we’d have to trespass on the Grasslands of Hevon, but I heard the Chepi living there usually keep to themselves so we should be good. Once we leave Hevon, it’d be nothing but forests and trees.” She traced a line going over trees and some groves until she reached the place marked as the dark flower forest, then circled it.

“Ideally, we should make it there and back within two weeks, but it might take longer depending on what we encounter.” Fida paused as the barmaid brought in their food and drinks.

“Is there a place we can restock before we leave?” Luka asked when the barmaid left.

“I already asked about that. Neoni and I will be going there tomorrow,” Morai said, beaming smugly at him.

“Wait, I am?” Neoni asked with a confused look on her face, that Morai chose to ignore. Luka scoffed.

“Really, here?”

“Yes, here. You have no idea how satisfying it is to be the first to get to something before you,” Morai said.

“Don't worry, I have something planned.”

“Can we stop with the rivalry when our parents aren’t even here?” Tanen asked.

“No,” both Luka and Morai said in unison.

“At least you agree on some things,” Neoni said. Morai folded her arms and sat back in her chair.

“What do we need?” she asked Fida.

“We lost most of our food when the chimeras attacked. It would be nice to stock up on healing potions, but I don’t think a small village like this will have any.” Morai nodded.

“I’ll see if they have any herbs we could use,” she said.

“Okay then, let’s call it a night,” Neoni said.

“The sun hasn’t completely set,” Morai said, looking longingly out the window.

“Yes, and I’m tired. Especially after all the food we just ate.” Neoni grabbed Fida’s hand and pulled her up the stairs, as though Fida couldn’t do it on her own.

“Did you do something to Neoni?” Luka asked Tanen. Oh, so he noticed, too?

“I don’t know. She’s been picking fights and avoiding me,” Tanen said, looking like a lost puppy. Morai wasn’t sure if she should say something, but Luka’s bag which he had on his lap moved, distracting her.

“Did you feed it?” she asked.

“I did before we came in here, he’s sleeping.”

“He?” Luka grinned.

“I checked.”

“Do you have a name for him?” Tanen asked, looking over at the bag.

“I wasn’t going to. What if his mother comes looking for him. I don’t want to get too attached.” Morai raised a brow, he seemed plenty attached already. Morai got up from her chair.

“Hope you all have a good night,” she said, then paused. “If you'd like, I can talk to Neoni.” She’d been planning to, but it wouldn’t hurt to let him know. Tanen’s eyes lit up.

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t realize you were invested in my brother’s romance,” Luka said.

“I’m invested in anything that isn’t you,” she said.

“Ouch,” Luka said, placing a hand on his chest in a mocking gesture. Morai rolled her eyes heavenward before heading upstairs.

***

At daybreak, Morai and Neoni left for Inan’s shop, while Fida, Luka, and Tanen went to get the lizards ready. Inan’s shop was small but true to the barmaid’s word, they sold a lot of things. From herbs, some common potions, some weaponry, travel food and the like.

“So, what’s up with you and Tanen?” Morai asked as they looked at a wall of dried herbs. Inan, the owner, was a slender woman, her dark hair was tied in a scarf. She wore a white dress, with a brown apron over it. She stood by the door of her shop, playing with her two-year-old while her baby dosed on her back. Neoni, who was thumbing through a book of herbal remedies to figure out what they should pick out, looked up at her.

“What?”

“You and Tanen, what’s going on?” Neoni snapped the book closed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Morai rolled her eyes.

“There’s no need to play dumb. You’ve been icing him out.” Neoni’s cheeks went pink, then she sighed.

“There really is nothing going on,” she said, and Morai raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

“Fine, if you don’t want to tell me…”

“No. It’s not that. It’s just…with all the rivalry going on with your family and his. And me being your friend, I didn’t want any well…you know.” Morai stared at her confounded.

“What does our families’ rivalry have to do with you?”“Well, I’m your friend. I was just trying to be loyal.”

“Don’t tell me you’re icing him out because of me?” Neoni had the grace to look down at her boots. Morai sighed. “Neoni, listen, what’s going on with our families has been going on for generations. You shouldn’t have to not court him just because Tanen is from a rival family. It’s got nothing to do with you, and him for that matter.” Neoni deflated. Morai bit back a smile, she hadn’t realized just how much she’d meant to her friends.

“So, it’s okay with you?”

“Yes, go out with him or court him. Whatever it is you want to do. I don’t care as long as you’re happy,” Morai said. That left a twisty feeling in her chest. She was pleased that Neoni liked Tanen and was glad she was pursuing a relationship with him. However, it also reminded her of the rift that had been growing between her, Luka, and their families. She sighed, more determined than ever to get that money and move. Morai frowned.

“Fida doesn’t have anyone she’s interested in that’s in Luka’s family, does she?”

“Oh, goodness, no!” Neoni said, plunking a bunch of herbs from the wall.

“That girl is married to her sword, and no one can come between them,” Neoni said, heading to the front where Inan straightened with a smile on her face.

“I wish you luck on your journey. Not everyone who goes to the dark forest comes back alive,” Inan said.

“What?” Morai asked, a bit taken aback.

“Oh, my apologies. Only people who come into this shop are heading there, so I just assumed,” Inan said.

“You aren’t wrong,” Morai said, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Just out of curiosity, how many usually make it back?” she asked, as Inan bagged the goods they bought in a sack. They’d bought a couple of herbs, potions, some food, and other necessities.

“Maybe one out of five? My husband was one of those who left and never came back.” Inan looked around the shop with a fond look on her face.

“This was his shop, you know. He left a few years ago, with the promise of returning, but he never did.” Inan sniffed a little, tears welling in her eyes, but she blinked them back rapidly. She smiled a watery smile when her two-year-old stretched out his hands to be picked up.

“I’m sorry,” Morai said. Neoni, who was never good with loss, was looking out at the horizon.

“It doesn’t matter. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Morai chewed on her bottom lip as they made their way to the lizards. Was it really worth risking her life just so she could find a place of her own, and loving the person she wanted, too? She could just stay in Linden without anyone knowing about her feelings and it would be fine. Morai waved when she saw the rest of the group with the lizards. But even if she wanted to back out now, it was already too late.