Lenya shrank down, her shoulders slumped, under the harsh tone of the general.

“There is no war,” I corrected him. “Any political disagreements you might have had with them have gone out of the window. Ith-Korr lost one hundred souls, along with a great share of their wardens.”

“Your people now only claw at survival,” Alator added.

The general above us clicked his teeth, then stifled a cough.

Both age and weakness, maybe disease, I thought.

“We only ask for what is reasonable,” I tried to diffuse some tension. “Wardship Captain Paresh asks for you to speak with him, or for you to send someone in your stead. The Hanging City welcomes you back.”

Skelth grumbled, and a coughing fit took him that he couldn’t suppress. The cloud moved past the suns and he was silhouetted again as his shoulders convulsed and he brought a hand up to his mouth.

A half-step sounded from behind us as Akishen must have instinctively moved closer to try to comfort her father. Almost imperceptibly, the tiniest hint of a breeze passed through the carved canyon, and very small loose stones rolled lazily towards Lenya. Looking to her where she knelt, her voice came to me as a faint whisper, though her mouth did not move:

‘Coughing blood.’

“It is we who chose to depart from Ith-Korr, for the city has turned its back on its people.”

He’s talking about the Secret, their degradation.

I decided to press once further, taking a step towards the platform. I heard another shuffle from behind as Akishen moved, but stopped herself once more.

“Do not let your family and people suffer in civil conflict. Much more is now at stake.”

The words were swallowed by the walls, but I felt Skelth bristle, then relax, and breathe out a long sigh.

“I will not release the hostages. There are some of our people who have been taken by Ith-Korr lately — I would see them returned in exchange.”

Of course. . . . Didn’t think about a prisoner exchange. Wonder if he’s talking about Keth and Ja’ram, I thought. They were the two bandits we met before entering the city; their bounty had paid for the Linothorax I still wore.

“It would at least put Paresh’s mind at ease if we could confirm their safety,” Lenya said, raising her head again and replacing her hands over her heart.

The silhouetted Skelth pondered for a moment, then nodded.

“Akishen,” he said.

“Yes, General,” came the brief response, then Akishen passed us and leapt up and climbed the criss-crossed wooden stakes that made up the high wooden platform. She moved very easily upwards, then when she was aloft, she picked up her father and dropped lithely from the platform. He steadied himself on a simple walking stick, and walked up to us.

Explains the divots in the ground, I thought, a bit embarrassed with myself.

“I will lead. Follow.”

Moving slowly, we passed along the trench until we came up into the camp clearing, and then directly to one side. We passed some cabins and lean-tos on the way. Approaching noon, in the full light of the suns for the first time since the Boiling Sea, I felt a welcome and soothing warmth.

As we walked, Akishen stated:

“When we met you sneaking into our territory, you knew our names,” her orange eyes were piercing, watching with all the intensity of an inquisitor.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“The Wardship gave us all the information they could.”

“Information gained under torture?” Her face darkened.

“Not that I know of,” I shrugged, again trying to calm her. I remembered that Drya said she had overheard the tip about the Crimson Crown from a jungle-folk man named Tilke. Being paraded through a bandit’s encampment was sending volts through my body, but I steadied my voice. “With how many people you’re recruiting, you’ve picked up a few talkers. Get a bit of mibege in them and they turn into blabbermouths.”

I saw a flash of irritation in her eyes, then she grunted and took up pace to Skelth’s side. He took her hand in his as he walked heavily on one side, limping, possibly from an old wound, or something else. . . .

Lenya came to my side, and again I felt that extremely faint rush of magic. If I hadn’t experienced it minutes before in perfect silence and concentration, I definitely wouldn’t have noticed it while walking. Her voice came to me like her lips were brushing my ear:

‘That look was concern. She is wondering how much her goon divulged.’

They know about the Crimson Crown, I thought. Drya’s man was not lying.

‘That’s right,’ came Lenya’s reply. The magic faded and she slowed her pace to stand between Alator and myself.

Great, I thought, Another person who can read my mind. . . .

She gave a half smile.

Passing underneath the wall of woven vines, we followed Skelth and Akishen through the jungle valley. Again, they took a practised route, until eventually we came to a dense copse covered with another blanket of woven vines. Like the wall around the camp, in the jungle it would have been difficult to tell that this was man-made — they had done a good job of hiding their camp, which I suppose was necessary, considering they’d left breadcrumbs for others to find it.

Akishen pulled the vines up and her father ducked underneath them, and we followed before she dropped it behind us. Before us was a small, completely enclosed area, with a cage. Through the gaps in the holywood prison bars, I could see four jungle-folk, stripped down to loincloths and wrappings, huddled together.

The warden prisoners flinched and started as we entered, but then groaned at the effort. None of them even made it to their feet, and any words or pleas that came from their lips came only as stumbling raspy intakes of breath.

“Skelth! Who are— are we being set free?”

“Not unless we come to an accord,” Skelth spat. Akishen hushed them. “All present and accounted for,” he said, throwing a hand out.

Looking over them, I saw some heavy wounds, bandaged and treated, on their way to healing, but also much more recent wounds; bruises, light cuts, welts on wrists where vines would have cut into them, and patches of fur missing from their bodies that looked like it had been torn out as part of some torture.

My blood rose, and keeping the Warrior’s urge down became extremely difficult. I felt my fingers twitching to my weapon, my face splitting in that ugly grin. Then I felt a heavy, steady hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you for showing us,” Alator said.

Breathing through gritted teeth, I stamped my foot and brought myself down. I turned my eyes away from the broken forms of the wardens.

First time being talked down by Alator, I reflected. The Warrior’s change — if there is such a thing — has not relented.

“I’ve seen enough,” I barked. “Send a runner to talk to the Wardship Captain to discuss the prisoner transfer, at least. Consider your relationship to your beloved city going forwards.”

Skelth’s eyes narrowed as he studied my words and face, but he nodded. “Lieutenant Akishen, if you are willing, you can return with them and talk to Paresh on my behalf.”

Good outcome, I thought, but not what we came here for.

Back out of the small cage glade, I breathed in the steam and tried to set my thoughts in order. The rising blood and the heat itched my wounded nose, and I tasted a thin line of blood.

The situation was electric. Every instinct sent barbed thorns through me, telling me to leave. It had felt nice doing something off my own initiative for once. To lament ever so briefly on my old life, I had swanned gracelessly from school to NEETdom to an awful job I hated, never in charge of my own life, never taking the wheel of my destiny.

Even on Barbican, it had been similar. Kikiara had told me where to go first, then Alator had made my decisions with me, then SYS had directed me towards Akhur’shet, Zhai-Khul and Ith-Korr — this was my decision. Paresh hadn’t asked me to do this (though he had wanted to). I needed to see this through.

And as much as I hate to admit it, Alator is right. This is not a good use of our time. The World-Eater has moved. We need to pick up the pace. . . . They’re free to hate me. I NEED TO ACT.

Passing underneath a low bough, I glanced back to see Alator right behind me, Akishen four paces further, and Lenya behind her. Through the darkness, Lenya’s keen eyes saw the energy in mine. I nodded sharply, and she twisted the grip on her staff and braced.