The Last of the Wilds

One had gray hair while the other was younger. She felt her heart lift and waved her hands in what she hoped they’d interpret as a friendly, beckoning gesture.

The two Siyee circled lower and landed in a spray of sand. They straightened and regarded her with both caution and curiosity.

“Greetings, sea lady,” the older of the Siyee said slowly in the Elai tongue. “I am Tyrli, Speaker of the Sand tribe. My companion is my grandson, Riz.”

“Greetings, people of the sky,” she replied. “Please forgive me for trespassing uninvited in your land. I am Yli, daughter of hunter Sei.”

Imenja had warned her against telling the Siyee she was a princess. They wouldn’t want to let her go home alone. If she couldn’t go back to the ship she would have to wait until the next group of Elai traders arrived. She might have to anyway, if the Siyee could not tell her where Borra was, but it would be so much nicer if her father had a chance to meet Imenja and Reivan.

The man smiled. “You are forgiven, sea lady. May I ask you why you are here alone?”

She bowed her head. “I am lost,” she admitted. “It is my own fault. I slipped away when my elders were not looking. Raiders caught me, but I escaped. Now I find I do not know the way home. I’ve never travelled this far before. I hoped to find Siyee who could tell me.” It was the truth - or close enough. She saw sympathy in the Siyee’s faces.

“You are lucky,” Tyrli said. “Lucky the raiders didn’t kill you and lucky you escaped.”

“The White should do something about them,” the young man said, scowling.

“You are also lucky to find us,” Tyrli continued. “We are a few hours’ flight from our village, patrolling the coast for Pentadrian invaders. It would have taken you days to reach our tribe.”

“Do you know where Borra is?”

“I can give you rough directions.”

She sighed with relief. “Then I am lucky indeed.”

He chuckled. “You must be tired and hungry. We have made camp not far from here. Come and eat with us. You can rest in safety tonight and begin your journey home tomorrow.”

“I’d love to but I have to get back to—” She stopped as she realized she could not tell him she needed to return to meet Imenja. She could think of no good reason why she must swim back along the coast again.

He smiled at her warmly. “You’re anxious to get home. I understand that, but your home is still many days’ swim from here and it will be dark soon. Stay with us tonight.”

Perhaps she could slip away after they told her where her home was. Forcing a smile onto her face, Imi nodded. “Yes. I will. Thank you.”

He gestured for her to walk beside him along the beach. Glancing out to sea, she fought a rising panic.

Imenja is going to be so worried when I don’t return to the boat, but what can I do? If I press Tyrli to give me directions now he might get suspicious. She chewed on her lip. But if I don’t meet Imenja, she might come to shore to look for me.

Tyrli patted her on the arm. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “We’ll help you get home.”

As Auraya neared the Blue Lake tribe’s village she slowed and felt her anger fade a little. Siyee were everywhere - in the village, fields, and, of course, the bowers where the sick were treated. It was too easy to imagine how confused and frightened they’d be if they saw her attack the Dreamweaver who was helping them.

:Huan, she said. The goddess had remained close, though silent.

:I am here, the goddess replied. Ah, I see your concern. It would be better to avoid disturbing the Siyee. Find a way to lure Mirar away from the village.

Auraya’s relief was short-lived. He would not leave the sick Siyee and the village unless she gave him reason to. If she faced him he might somehow detect that something was wrong. Could she ask someone else to take him a message? What should it say?

Only that I want to meet him privately, she thought. She felt ill as she realized he might interpret that as an invitation to resume their affair. It seems unfair, but so was deceiving me into believing he was someone else. At that thought, anger flared again.

Concentrating on the minds below, she located Speaker Dylli inside his bower. She dropped to the ground beside the entrance.

“Speaker Dylli,” she called.

“Auraya of the White?” he responded. She heard him coming to the door.

“Yes,” she replied. As the hanging door opened, she smiled. “Could you have a message delivered to Wilar for me?”

He nodded. “Of course, but I cannot tell you when it will reach him. He left a few days ago to gather ingredients for his cures. Tyve is here. Can he help you?”

“No.”

Mirar has gone. She felt a rush of emotion and found that it was relief. I don’t want to kill him, she realized. Even though he deserves it. I just don’t like having to kill. Maybe I won’t have to. He’ll slip out of Si and it will be up to Juran to hunt him down. But as soon as the thought came she knew she would not avoid the task so easily. “Do you know where he was heading?” she made herself ask Dylli.

He shook his head.

Auraya nodded. “He can’t have gone far. I will just have to fly around until I find him.”

The Speaker smiled. “Good luck, Auraya of the White.”

“Thank you.”

She propelled herself straight up into the sky and considered the village and surrounding lakes and forest. When the Siyee searched for animals to hunt they often flew in ever widening circles. She would try this, at the same time searching the thoughts of anyone who might have seen, or be watching, Mirar.

Searching gave her time to think. She considered everything Huan had told her. The goddess had detected Mirar through Auraya’s link with him. Strange that she didn’t tell me at the time, she thought. It’s also a little strange that Chaia hasn’t spoken of it. Perhaps he doesn’t want to sour our relationship by making it obvious that he wants me to kill my former lover.

She considered her reluctance to kill Mirar. It is because I haven’t fully comprehended that he is not Leiard, she told herself. It is all too incredible. I don’t have time to sit and think about it, however. I must trust that what Huan tells me is true. Perhaps it would be easier if I knew why Mirar did it, she thought. I wonder if I can trick him into revealing his plans to me.

:You would be unwise to believe anything he told you, Huan warned. A true villain does not gloat about his achievements or plans except to deceive. Accept that some questions will remain unanswered.

Auraya sighed. Why me? she found herself asking. Why did he target me? He would never have deceived the other White so easily. I am a fool!

:No, Auraya. We do not choose fools to be our representatives. If we could not see through the deception, we could hardly expect you to. That is why he must die. His abilities and his hatred of us make him dangerous to mortals.

Auraya winced. His abilities included an extraordinary healing Gift - a Gift he had taught to her, that had saved many hundreds of Siyee. Why would he do that? Was there a hidden trap in it that might cause her or her patients harm? Teaching her had led to his discovery. Had he known this was a risk?

A movement caught her eye below the foliage of the tall trees. She slowed and felt a chill run over her skin as she caught a glimpse of a Dreamweaver robe. Mirar was following a stream that flowed down a narrow ravine, carrying his bag and a heavy coil of rope.

Suddenly her heart was racing.

:Don’t be afraid, Huan told her. We made you strong enough to defeat Wilds.

:I do not doubt that, Auraya replied.