The Last of the Wilds

eases it as well as immersing oneself in new feelings.

Yes, she thought. New challenges. Like getting these Pentadrians out of Si.

:That wasn’t what I had in mind.

She smiled crookedly. I thought not. But as they say: work before pleasure.

:I’ll hold you to that.

His presence abruptly vanished. Auraya shook her head. Sometimes she did not understand Chaia, but then he was a god and she wasn’t. She rose and moved to the hanging that covered the bower entrance.

“Owaya fly?”

She looked back at Mischief, who had decided one of the baskets hanging from the bower roof was an acceptable sleeping place. Only his nose was visible over the lip.

“Yes. Auraya fly alone. To a dangerous meeting. Mischief stay here. Safe.”

Mischief considered this for a long moment, then his nose withdrew from sight. Since being kidnapped before the battle, he took all warnings of danger seriously.

“Msstf stay,” he murmured.

Relieved, Auraya moved outside and took a step toward the Speakers’ Bower. At once a small crowd of Siyee children erupted from the forest and surrounded her. She laughed in surprise as they showered her with flowers. A few daringly reached out to touch her hands. Suddenly one gave a piercing whistle and they scampered away. Auraya caught enough from the jumble of their thoughts to learn they were prudently fleeing the approach of an adult. She turned to see Speaker Sirri walking toward her.

The Siyee leader was smiling. “You’ve become a figure of legend since you last visited. The singers among us have made up a song called ‘The White Lady,’ in which you defeat the Pentadrians single-handedly.”

Auraya chuckled. “That’s a little unfair on the other White.”

Sirri shrugged. “Yes. It certainly looked like you struck the killing blow, however.”

“It was more... complicated than that,” Auraya told the Speaker. “The others were attacking in less visible ways. It just happened to fall to me to take advantage of the enemy’s mistake.”

“When the sorceress became distracted?”

“Yes.” Auraya saw Sirri’s crooked smile and looked closer. What she saw amused and surprised her. “Tryss was the distraction? He attacked her?”

Sirri nodded. “So he says, and I have no reason to doubt him.”

“How incredibly brave,” Auraya breathed, thinking of the shy young inventor of the Siyee’s hunting harness.

“Not many know of it. He does not want to be treated like a hero when so many died. The war has changed him. I think he feels guilty for having made something that enabled the Siyee to join a war that killed so many of us. I try to tell him it was not his fault, but...” She looked up at Auraya and frowned, suddenly wondering whether Auraya, too, felt the burden of guilt. When Auraya met her eyes Sirri looked away. “I’ve come to tell you that the volunteer Speakers are waiting in the gathering place,” Sirri said.

Auraya frowned. “Am I late?”

“No. They are early. Anxious to get it over with, I suspect.”

“Then let’s oblige them.”

Sirri led Auraya to the edge of the forest then leapt into the air. Auraya followed and they glided down to the Flat, where the two speakers, Iriz and Tyzi, waited. Several hunters wearing harnesses waited nearby. Sirri had decided they should accompany them in case the Speakers were separated from Auraya, and the Pentadrian birds attacked.

Iriz and Tyzi radiated both fear and determination as they exchanged greetings with Auraya.

“Which Pentadrian group will we meet first?” Iriz asked.

“Which do you think we should approach?” Auraya asked in reply.

“Whichever is closest,” Tyzi answered. “The sooner we tell them to leave, the better.”

“The one travelling northeast then.”

“The north group is closer to a tribe,” Iriz pointed out. “If the Pentadrians decide to attack, we might not be able to send a warning in time.”

“The north group won’t know what the other group is doing,” Tyzi said. Then she looked at Auraya doubtfully. “Or will they?”

“They have a way of communicating with each other as Circlian priests and priestesses do,” Auraya said.

Tyzi frowned. “Then we should meet the north group.”

“By the time we get there, the Pentadrians travelling east will be close to a tribe, too,” Iriz said.

“Scouts are watching the enemy,” Sirri said. “All Siyee know to avoid them, and have made preparations to leave their home if they have to. No tribe is going to sit and wait around to be attacked.”

Iriz and Tyzi nodded in agreement. “The closest tribe then,” Iriz said.

“We should reach them by this afternoon,” Tyzi added.

Auraya looked at Sirri. “And return tomorrow, if all goes well.”

The Speaker smiled grimly. “Let us delay no longer.”

She moved to the lower edge of the Flat, where a short drop divided the rocky slope. As Sirri leapt off the edge, the other Speakers and hunters propelled themselves after her. Auraya drew magic and sent herself up to join them.

As she drew level with Sirri, she felt another presence at her side.

:You’re back.

:I am, Chaia said.

:Do you know what these Pentadrians are up to?

:Yes.

:Are you going to tell me?

:No.

:Why not?

:It is up to you to find and deal with them.

:So you won’t even tell me where they are.

:There is no need. You will find them easily enough.

:What’s the point in talking to you if you won’t tell me anything useful?

:Does there have to be a price? Isn’t my company enough?

She sighed.

:Of course there doesn’t have to be a price. I just wish I knew how dangerous these Pentadrians are. I would not like these Siyee to be hurt or killed.

:Then you should be taking every precaution. Chaia’s tone was no longer playful. Do not be complacent just because I am present now and then. I cannot be everywhere at once, or with you all the time. If I could, and if the world was full of highly Gifted mortals willing to do my will, we would not have needed to make you what you are. He paused. Have you taken every precaution?

:I have, she answered. At least, I hope so.

As he moved away, she felt a twinge of anxiety. Once more she started to consider all the possible outcomes of this meeting with the Pentadrians.

Dedicated Servant Renva grasped the hand of Servant Vengel and held tightly as he hauled her up over the top of the ridge. He steadied her as she struggled to stand. The ground was a mess of grooves and sharp protruding stones and there was no flat surface to stand on.

When she had caught her balance, she looked around. The ridge was high enough to give her a view of the terrain ahead. She groaned as she saw exposed ridges and shadowed ravines extending toward the mountains ahead.

This is a nightmare! she thought. Surely only winged creatures can live here. It’s as if the land is doing its best to repel us.