“What is that?” Tahki said, holding his nose. Rye roasted what looked like black carrots over the fire.
“Cho root,” Rye said. “You can dig for it under the soil. It smells bad and tastes bland, but it’s full of nutrients.”
Tahki stuck out his tongue. “No thanks.”
Rye removed the sticks he’d been using as skewers and handed one to Tahki. With a begrudging look, Tahki took it and nibbled on the tip.
“How’s your shoulder?” Tahki said to Sornjia.
“Fine,” Sornjia said.
Rye smirked.
“What’s so funny?” Tahki said.
“You two look alike, but you aren’t very similar,” Rye said.
“Why do you say that?”
“If the situation were reversed,” Rye said. “You wouldn’t stop complaining until the whole country knew you’d been shot.”
Sornjia smiled. Tahki didn’t.
“Your smile is different too,” Rye said.
Tahki watched Rye observe Sornjia, and the most ridiculous feeling of jealousy overtook him. He and Sornjia were identical. If Rye was attracted to him physically, he would be attracted to Sornjia too. And personality wise, Sornjia had always been the more likable one.
“But Tahki has something I’ll never have,” Sornjia said.
“What’s that?”
“Ingenuity.”
At that, Rye smiled. “I guess he can be clever, when he wants to be.”
Tahki felt his face flush. “Where’s Pooka?”
Sornjia gestured vaguely.
“Does she listen to you?” Rye said. “I mean, she can understand you, can’t she?”
“I have no idea,” Tahki said.
Rye leaned forward. “Because we could really use her to get inside the castle. She could scare away Zinc’s men.”
“She won’t,” Sornjia said.
Rye frowned. “Why not?”
“She knows you want to reason with Dyraien,” Sornjia said. “She wants the castle destroyed. You have other plans.”
Rye chewed his root slowly.
“Rescuing Gotem is our priority,” Tahki said. “Dyraien can’t open the Dim without him. Once Gotem is safe, we’ll figure out what to do about the castle and Dyraien.”
“We should get moving,” Rye said. “Sending some of Zinc’s men to Edgewater will have slowed the installation, but even at half staff, they’ll complete it today.”
Tahki nodded and stood. He went to the river and splashed his face, the cold water waking him up. He felt better after eating the root, more alert. When he returned, Rye spoke lowly with Sornjia.
“Are you ready?” Tahki said.
Rye glanced up. “Yes.”
“You’ll be fine here, won’t you?” Tahki said to Sornjia.
Sornjia touched his middle finger to his thumb, the sign for everything is all right, a common Dhaulenian gesture Tahki hadn’t seen since leaving home.
With that, they departed for the castle, the sun draped across them. It felt strange for the day to be bright and beautiful when such a dark task awaited.
“What did you and my brother talk about?”
Rye glanced at him. “Dyraien, mostly. I talked about our life together. All the things Dyraien did for me.”
“And just now? What did my brother say to you?” And then he felt the need to add, “You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want.”
Rye smiled. “I think he told me to keep you safe.”
“You think?”
Rye shrugged. “He says things in an odd way.”
“Well, you did a better job deciphering him than most people do.”
THEY FOLLOWED the lower road and scaled a small part of the cliffside when they neared. Rye had to help Tahki several times when they came to a particularly steep area. Tahki wasn’t afraid of heights, but the river raged below them, and he couldn’t help but look down with every step, despite Rye telling him not to.
When they breached the top of the cliff and the black spirals came into view, Tahki felt a strange draw to the castle, a kind of addictive pull. He hadn’t built her, but he felt a connection. For the last month she had filled his mind. An odd sense of possessiveness fell over him as they crept closer to the obsidian walls. He felt like he was betraying an old friend.
They snuck around to where the waterwheel turned. The wheel collected water from the river and deposited it to a funnel that carried it into the castle.
“Look,” Rye said. He pointed to the kitchen door. A man stood, arguing loudly with a short old woman.
“Gale,” Tahki said.
“Wait here.” Rye moved from their spot before Tahki had time to question him. He darted quickly and knocked the man in the back of the head. Gale gaped as Rye beat the man until he stopped moving. From books, Tahki always thought a man could be taken down with a single blow, but the reality was much more gruesome. He moved to Rye’s side.
“What in the hells are you doing?” Gale said, and narrowed her eyes at Tahki. “Do you have any idea what Dyraien told me about you?”
“I’m sorry, Gale,” Tahki said. “Dyraien killed the queen. He tried to kill Sornjia too. He lied about the castle, about everything.”
Gale looked to Rye, who nodded.
“You really are going to be the death of me,” Gale muttered.
“You should get out of here,” Rye said.
“And go where?”
“Find Hona,” Tahki said. He ignored the look of disgust Rye gave him. “She knows what’s going on. Get her to talk.”
Gale covered her eyes with her hand and sighed. “They’re looking for you. Both of you. Dyraien gave orders to bring you to him right away. The inside is crawling with Zinc’s people.”
“Then we’ll have to find another way,” Rye said. He headed toward the north side of the castle.
“I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you,” Tahki said before sprinting after Rye. He followed him up the road a little way, far enough they’d be out of sight, until they stopped near the river. Tahki shook his head, dread filling every part of him. Water sloshed over the bank, flowing down. Mist beaded on his face.
“This can’t be the only way in,” Tahki
