As Ako walked down the deck, she reflected on the journey at sea. Jakub and their mounts entered the dock of Mesaa after saying goodbye to Vimhet and his crew.

It had been a mostly blissful two months at sea interrupted by a few windless days. After a few days adrift, they had arrived in Mesaa. Ako couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss as she wandered through the city. Throughout her journey Ako had learned how to fish. Her skills with a bow and arrow had become very appreciated by the crew. Her marksmanship was impressive to behold, but more practically made bringing food in easier.

Jakub had lost and regained his ‘fortune’ a half dozen times over. Despite both her and Jakub’s more than cordial relationship with Captain Vimhet and his crew, she had been worried more than once that Jakub’s gambling would have the entire crew slitting their throats while they slept. Jakub had been a poor loser and a poorer winner, boasting and acting like a child more than an old man.

In the end, it had all worked out, and while they weren’t rich coming off the ship, they were better off than when they had left. Somehow.

They had no problems entering Mesaa. Jakub pulled out their papers as soon as they were approached. After a cursory inspection they were waved through, the inspector looking more than a little harried even though it was late at night. She looked back at the lighthouse, on the side of the coast, a blinding thing that shone its light up and around the bay that Mesaa made its home in. She had been amazed to see it and stared out at it, only to be blinded a few moments later as it had shone directly on the ship for a moment.

Ako looked over at Jakub and was surprised to see the genial and gregarious man she had been with the last two months replaced by the watchful and cautious Jakub that she had known the month before arriving in Ghada. Ako felt it too: a weight was slowly being draped over her, like a heavy blanket slowly settling on her shoulders. It was oppressive, and she resisted the urge to look over her shoulders as she entered Mesaa.

Ordinarily, she would be awestruck by what she was seeing. In the darkness it was majestic, with soaring spires at each corner of the city. They were hundreds of feet tall, all made from white mortar and to the exact same specifications.

That wasn’t to say that the rest of Mesaa was unmemorable. Like its Kulok brethren, it was built with redstone. The walls were a few dozen feet tall, and greener than she had ever seen in her life. Ako was out of the Huzha Desert for the first time in her life, and she had never felt more uneasy. It was an itch behind her shoulder blades she couldn’t scratch.

“You feel it too?” Jakub said quietly. They left the docks to enter the city proper. There were massive open gates that were open day and night at the Mesaa docks that lead into the city, and the sight of the tall black gates made Ako shiver.

“I do,” Ako said. “I hope it is nothing and that we have nothing to worry about.”

“You and me both,” Jakub said. He shook himself and smiled. It looked forced.

“We’re just spooked after being out on the sea for the past few months. Let’s go find a room, we’ll be fine.”

Ako nodded, unable to speak as they made their way past the guards and into the city. Her entire body was quivering, and she hoped that this was just her being nervous and not anything else. Ako felt her knives that she had hidden up her sleeves; Jakub had shown her how to draw and use them efficiently on the boat, and she would use them if she had to with no regrets.

Even close to midnight, there were crowds. Jakub and Ako lead their mounts through the city on foot, mutually agreeing that they didn’t want to ride. They weren’t the only ones doing this, especially those who came from the docks. Most wanted to walk, and Ako agreed. It felt weird being back on land. She kept expecting the land to sway, and she found it a disconcerting feeling that she didn’t have to account for that as she walked.

“Shit,” Jakub said, his voice almost drowned out as they rounded a corner and saw the crowds turn into something massive. There was an excited air from the crowds as they walked through them, and Ako was regretting her decision not to mount her camel.

“Stay close!” Jakub shouted over the crowd. “They must be celebrating the Cadriz’s birthday!”

Ako nodded, tensing herself and making her body bigger as she weaved through the crowds at Jakub’s side. Jakub had taught her that, when in a crowd and afraid, she should make herself as big as possible to maintain her personal space and freedom to move about the crowds.

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He also said to be liberal with elbows, Ako thought grimly, elbowing one massive man in front of her who refused to move. He turned and glared but stepped aside as Ako kept walking with her camel right beside her.

The encounter took less than a few seconds, and yet, within that moment of time, she had lost Jakub.

“Jakub!” Ako shouted. She didn’t know if her voice could be heard over the roaring crowd. “Jakub! Where are you?!”

A sweaty hand grabbed her arm. Ako was relieved for a moment before she turned around to see one face she had never wanted to see again: her brother, Tau.

“Surprised?” Tau snarled, spittle flying on Ako’s face. Ako leaned back, horrified, unable to speak.

“Unable to say a word,” Tau said, his voice dark. “Typical, Ako. You have never been able to account for your own actions.” He leaned in close until their faces were almost touching. “That ends now.”

He began to drag Ako to a nearby alleyway with one hand, seizing the reins from Ako with the other. Ako flailed, kicking out at Tau, but he blocked the move contemptuously. She lashed out at his groin but missed, hitting his stomach instead.

“You will regret your actions,” Tau said softly, his words somehow projecting over the crowd. “You will pay for what you have done.”

“I did nothing!” Ako shouted at him. “I am my own person, and I should—”

“You left us with nothing!” Tau roared, hauling her camel forward. He let go of the reins for a moment and slapped her across the face hard. Ako reared back, stunned. For a moment she thought to use her knives tucked up her sleeves, but she couldn’t. Despite whatever he was doing, he was still her brother.

“Jakub!” Ako screamed. Hoping against hope that the bard would hear her and help her. “Jakub!”

“Shut up,” Tau said, smacking her again. Ako stopped struggling, becoming a dead weight as she saw that Tau was dragging her to an alleyway. Tau cursed and let go of her as they entered the alleyway.

Ako’s head cracked against the ground, and for a moment, her vision went white. When she blinked up blearily, she saw someone else she had never wanted to see again: Djal, who was smirking down at her with hungry eyes.

“You should have run further if you did not want to be found,” Djal said smugly. He looked over at Tau and smiled. It did not reach his eyes. “Well done, Tau.”

“Thank you,” Tau said, bowing his head.

Djal turned his attention back to Ako and stepped forward. Ako scrabbled backwards. “My family has spies in every port,” he said, his smirk returning. “You left Ghada, and everyone knows how you wanted to go to Velaire. This was then the logical place you would arrive, so we have waited for you.”

“You will be waiting forever,” Ako snarled. “I will never marry the likes of you.”

Djal laughed. It was high and cruel. “I will not wait any longer,” he said. He reached down and unbuckled his belt.

The sight of Djal taking off his clothes galvanized Ako. She drew a knife and got to her feet mostly steadily. Djal’s eyes widened as Ako lunged forward on the balls of her feet, swiping at his throat.

With a speed that belied his bulk, Djal danced back from Ako’s slash. He swept around her follow-through, somehow weaving his way behind her.

“You fight well, but not well enough,” Djal whispered in Ako’s ear. She cried out as he kicked out her legs and sent her to the ground. Her knives flew to either side of her and out of reach, useless.

“Tau! Help!” Ako cried, looking up at Tau, but stopped as she saw that Tau was not alone anymore. He was still standing there with her camel but now with two others, doubtlessly from Djal’s clan. They were blocking the way in with their bodies so the assault would go unwitnessed.

Tau shook his head, sneering down at her. “You made our family into a laughingstock,” he hissed. “You deserve this.”

Ako screamed, horrified as Djal grabbed her legs and dragged her toward him. “I am going to enjoy this,” he said, his smirk widening until it reached ear to ear. “You are about to be put into your place, you stupid cunt.”

“AKO!”

Ako’s heart leapt to her throat at Jakub’s shout. He was at the entrance of the alleyway, trying to get in. He had his knives out, but it was three against one. Tau flinched back as he got a slice on his arm, but the other two descended upon Jakub with knives of their own.

“Jakub…” Ako whispered, horrified as Jakub fell to the ground, blood quickly pooling around him. He had been stabbed in the chest and was twitching. His face was paling rapidly, and he looked as though he was already dead.

Despite his incoming demise, Jakub managed to turn his head in Ako’s direction. Ako’s eyes met his, and Jakub’s lips moved soundlessly as he reached out a trembling hand.

Ako, Jakub’s lips said. His eyes were full of tears. I’m sorry.