Apparently, the food had been decided while Nuliyaa and Cheeyt were inside the inn. They returned to the wagon to find everyone eating hand pies from one of the carts down the street.
“You didn’t leave the wagon, did you?” Cheeyt demanded when Tseetsaa passed her one.
Nuliyaa clamped her mouth shut to keep a retort from flying out. Neither Kachaark or Singmij would have let them walk away without establishing a guard. Even Tajak would have given a gentle reminder that someone would have to stay behind.
Kachaark’s eyes narrowed on Cheeyt. “No,” he said. “We stayed—” he motioned to himself, Sinchach, Tajak, and Tseetsaa “—and Singmij and your mother went for the food.”
“Oh. Good. Yes.” She unwrapped hers while Nuliyaa took her first bite. The spices were unfamiliar and the grease was dripping down her arms, but it wasn’t bad. Much better than what they would have gotten in the inn. “Supyuunch’s company is here,” Cheeyt dropped into the silence as everyone else chewed.
Kachaark choked and coughed, then snorted in a way that sent the tufts of grass along the road swaying and made their group take a step back to avoid splatter. “What?”
“Nuttulch and Saknuu have already started drinking.”
“Oh, by all that is—.” He stopped and stuffed the rest of his pie into his mouth.
Both Cheeyt and Kachaark had said things about Nuttulch and Saknuu’s drinking in the past. “What are you expecting?” Nuliyaa asked.
“If we’re lucky, they’ll pass out before they remember we’re out here,” Cheeyt muttered.
“If not, we’ll get dragged into whatever they start,” Kachaark said once he’d swallowed.
Miyt lowered her food. “What will they start?”
“They get into a lot of fights,” Cheeyt answered. “Let’s just find the room and hope we’ll be someplace out of the way so they forget about us.”
Cheeyt shouldn’t have said anything, Nuliyaa decided when they walked behind the inn to find the stables. Because the rooms attached to the stable were situated to open out onto the yard between the buildings, giving anyone who walked out of the inn a perfect view of whoever was in the stable rooms unless the room door was shut. Which wasn’t going to happen. The rooms had no windows and they stank of mold.
“Please don’t tell me you slept in this the last time we came through Riverport,” Cheeyt said to Kachaark, her words practically a snarl.
She, Kachaark, Nuliyaa, and Singmij stood at the room’s door, surveying the sparse interior. There was no furniture. The mage-lamp was fading and would probably run out of fuel right when they needed it most.
“Is that straw?” Cheeyt strode forward to kick at the pile in the corner, the only thing in the room. A cloud of dust rose up and she backed away, coughing.
“This isn’t the same building as last time.” Kachaark examined the wall. “Looks like a new build.”
“Looks like this place shouldn’t be approved by your Guild anymore,” Singmij said.
“I’ll report it when we’re back in Wumaltsmaas.” Cheeyt scowled at the straw.
“Once we back the wagon up to the room, we’ll have some privacy,” Nuliyaa said, determined to make the most of it. They wouldn’t be damp tonight. She no longer had to take the potion Sinchach made for her in order to feel like she wasn’t dying. According to Cheeyt’s stories, this was relatively comfortable compared to what they had to look forward to.
“True.” Cheeyt blew out a breath and let her head hang for a moment. “Let’s set up,” she said as she straightened.
After muttering about the darkness for a few minutes, Sinchach produced a few stones from his pocket that, after some muttered words, began to glow softly. The light was more diffused than mage-lamps or fire, but it was enough that they weren’t sitting around in the near-dark anymore.
That done, he beckoned to Tseetsaa and began showing her how to draw the sigils for a ward around their wagon and room. Tajak trailed behind them.
“What is that about?” Cheeyt murmured at Nuliyaa. They had settled Chesfi and Miyt in the room and sat right past the door to the outside, with Singmij just inside. “He’s not interested in her, is he?”
Nuliyaa shrugged pulled her heavier littiichangs tighter around her shoulders. The air in Riverport was cooler than home, with a humidity that clung to the city rather than being pushed around by the sea breeze. The result was a chill she couldn’t quite bundle up enough to ward off.
“No. Nengmekians don’t marry until at least thirty.” Cheeyt and Nuliyaa both gaped at her. “Though younger people certainly like to think they’re ready before then.” Then she frowned. “But, no, I don’t believe so. I think he’s just overwhelmed and looking to have control over someone to make himself feel better.”
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“Oh, yes, that is so much better,” Cheeyt said dryly.
“He is good for Tseetsaa,” Miyt said from her bed, her voice sleepy. “She is able to help.”
Chesfi didn’t give an opinion. She was rolled onto her back, paws flopped in awkward directions as she snored just loud enough to provide background noise to their conversation.
“She did hold herself together very well with the pirates,” Singmij said.
Voices rang out over the yard. Cheeyt’s face pinched. “They didn’t forget us.”
“Ah, well. Maybe they’re too drunk to see us.” Singmij shrugged.
“Tseetsaa!” Nuttulch’s cheerful, slurring voice carried over the yard. “Where’s your sister? Oh, is this your chechi?”
Tseetsaa threw a wide-eyed, panicked look in her sisters’ direction. And then Nuttulch’s head appeared around the corner of the wagon. “There you all are!”
“We’re about to go to bed, Nuttulch,” Cheeyt spoke in her scary-older-sister voice.
“Aw, we barely see each other these days, Cheeyt.” Nuttulch wobbled around the wagon, almost stepping on Kachaark, who had propped himself against the front wheel. Saknuu came close behind.
Four people came out of the stable. They wore their hair shaved on one side of the head, with the other half long and braided away from their faces and the flowing ends bleached. Their tunics and pants were more closely cut than Keeylish wear, with wide leather belts with pockets cinching their waists. Instead of the draped littiichangs Nuliyaa was used to seeing, they had a single rectangle of fabric tucked into their belts at the front and tossed over their shoulders. She didn’t know if the dark color was cultural or part of a uniform.
Cheeyt and Singmij tensed, watching the newcomers like Nuliyaa had seen the neighbors do when a strange dog appeared in the garden. “What are Bakfathi doing here?” Singmij breathed in.
“I don’t know.” Cheeyt’s reply was quiet and worried.
Saknuu sneered at them and Nuttulch said, “Get out, swamp-suckers. This is a Keeylish establishment.”
“Better swamp-suckers than bull-humpers.” One of the Bakfathi spat at Kachaark.
Nuttulch leaped at the Bakfathi, fists swinging. Saknuu followed as another Bakfathi caught Nuttulch’s charge and shoved him back. He nearly fell over Kachaark, who grabbed out, trying to restrain Nuttulch.
Nuliyaa pushed away back toward the room’s door as Singmij and Cheeyt stepped past her. She crouched at the door, trying to figure out what to do. Sinchach and Tseetsaa had barely started on the ward.
“Chesfi!” Miyt hissed and Nuliyaa almost missed the brush of fur against her leg. She blindly groped for the malk but Chesfi was doing whatever magic it was that let her move about unseen.
“What are you doing?” she snapped, voice low.
“Protecting my current pounce,” Chesfi answered.
“We’re protecting you! Get back here!” But Nuliyaa knew Chesfi ignored her.
More Bakfathi came out of the stable. Others stepped out of the inn. What were they going to do against so many?
Saknuu took a blow and reeled. Nuttulch shook off Kachaark and dove back in.
Tseetsaa shrieked.
Her sister was sprawled across the dirt, trying to claw away from the fighters. Tajak spun on the Bakfathi, his hand going for his sword even though Sinchach was unharmed.
But Sinchach got there first. He slapped a paper against the ground. A wave ripped out from the paper. Those closest, including Saknuu and Nuttulch, fell and the others stumbled to their knees.
“Enough!” the young mage roared. Tajak helped Tseetsaa to her feet. She clung to him for a moment, looking more scared than she had during the pirate attack.
“We are here for a restful evening,” Sinchach continued. “Take yourselves elsewhere.”
One of the Bakfathi looked toward Cheeyt and Singmij. “You bull-humpers better watch yourselves,” she growled. “Not going to be much tolerance for people like you around here soon.” Her eyes flicked beyond them for a moment. Had she seen Chesfi?
Maybe not. Her attention turned to the innkeeper who had appeared from the watching crowd. “You best be out of here first thing in the morning.” There was no doubt who he was addressing. His glare was aimed at their group.
Nuliyaa stared at him. “We are not responsible for this.” Their mage was the one who had stopped it before anything—or anyone—was damaged!
“This one says they’re with you.” The innkeeper motioned to Supyuunch, who shot a nasty grin at Cheeyt, to Nuttulch and Saknuu.
“They are not our employees,” Cheeyt said, her words strangled with fury. Nuttulch and Saknuu looked like they didn’t understand why. Nuliyaa now saw far too well why Cheeyt and Kachaark had been so against hiring them.
“Be out first thing, and don’t come back.” The innkeeper returned inside.
Supyuunch half-turned, grinning back at Cheeyt. “Got rid of these two, and took you down a bit. It’s been a good night for me.”
“Wait, what?” Saknuu demanded.
“You’re done. Get your bags and get away from my crew.” Supyuunch walked off.
Both Nuttulch and Saknuu turned to Cheeyt. “No,” she said immediately, her voice almost breaking. “I warned you. I told you to stop drinking. I’m not going to risk my company, my family, when you’ve done this to yourselves.”
Singmij reached up to clasp her shoulder. Cheeyt shook off her hand and stalked away.
“Go,” Nuliyaa reinforced when they didn’t look like they were going to leave. “Get going before Supyuunch decides to sell your things.” They finally slunk off.
“Are you all right?” Nuliyaa hurried to her sister, Miyt at her heels.
Tajak and Sinchach gathered close to Tseetsaa, their hands hovering like they wanted to check her themselves but knowing it was appropriate. She pushed past them to throw herself against Miyt.
Tajak elbowed Sinchach. Nuliyaa blinked at the movement. That didn’t seem proper between a bodyguard and the body he was protecting
Sinchach fumbled at his pocket and pulled out a vial. “Here.” He thrust it toward Tseetsaa. “It’s a potion that will help with the soreness.”
“Thank you,” she murmured before she took it.
“How are you on supplies?” Cheeyt had reappeared, her expression locked down into professional mode. “Do you have what you need to make it to Spires?”
“Yes.” Sinchach looked confused.
“Good. I want to be out the gate as soon as it opens tomorrow. We’re not doing any shopping here. We’ll be moving as fast as we can. How much weight can we add to the wagon before it puts too much drain on the sigil?”
He still looked confused. “Several hundred more pounds, at least.”
Cheeyt nodded and turned to her family. “You three will be riding. We’ll move faster that way and I want to get into Spires territory as soon as possible.”
Tseetsaa spoke up for once faster than either Nuliyaa or Miyt. “That sounds like a good plan.”
“I’m glad you agree. Get this ward up, then everyone go to sleep. We’ll be covering a lot of ground tomorrow.”