Omrai, Revin, Kaiato, Shifra, and a handful of Omrai’s best soldiers rode gallimais through a forest to the city’s east. The black-barked tree branches were topped with a thin layer of white snow. They were several days into their journey to a city hidden in the mountains. They would gather intelligence and strike out from there.

Revin was sad he couldn’t bring Avey with him. Omrai said a baby stego or a wagon to carry him would be much too slow. Instead, they had one ceratop burdened with supplies for wandering the wilds.

Revin couldn’t relax, not even when a sentry had climbed a tree and announced they were close to the mountains. His ribs still hurt. The Ateyan medicine had worked marvelously, and in a few more days and he might not need a bandage at all. But Jebuthar and Narazoth had outmatched and outsmarted him at every turn, Revin wasn’t going to relax until this was over. He looked at Omrai.

“How can we be sure this city hasn’t been compromised?”

Omrai blinked, as if a deep thought had been interrupted. He shrugged. “We can’t. His ships are faster than my messengers. We’ll just have to be watchful.”

Revin nodded. The conversation died again. He looked up at Birdy, who flew above, keeping a lookout over the forest canopy. Ever since he’d fed and bonded him, Birdy was fiercely loyal. From Birdy’s point of view, the treetops looked like a rolling range of black and white hills far as the eye could see, and beyond were the incomprehensibly massive true mountains.

“So, what do you think about execution as a punishment?” Omrai said.

It was Revin’s turn to blink at the interruption. “I- I don’t know. Never thought about it. Why?”

“I want to see where our wills align,” Omrai said, “After what happened with my brother, I’m not risking another catastrophic disagreement.”

Omrai looked at Revin, expecting him to respond.

Revin rubbed his neck. “I-uh, maybe killing someone is a bit harsh,” Revin said, “The book of Almeric says the punishment should match the crime, so maybe for murderers. I guess?”

“Interesting,” Omrai said, “Should it match the severity or the nature?”

Revin tilted his back head toward Kaiato. “You would have killed Kaiato if he were a spy.”

“I would have killed Kaiato if he were seeking my harm , which he wasn’t,” Omrai said.

“How do you know he wasn’t?” Revin said, legitimately curious, “What if he tries to kill you in your sleep?”

Omrai shook his head, “I can tell when people have that sort of villainy in mind. He doesn’t.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Revin said, he still didn’t understand. “But from what Shifra was saying, you can be executed for blasphemy too.”

Omrai nodded. “Yishai is very strict.”

“So, do you agree?”

It was Omrai’s turn to blink. “It doesn’t matter if I agree. I don’t always agree with the laws of my land, but I uphold them.”

“So, you enforce things you don’t believe in?” Revin said.

“I believe in enforcing the laws chosen by my country,” Omrai said.

You mean laws chosen by your brother , Revin thought, but he kept that to himself.

“Ok,” Revin said, “Then at what point would you stand against him?”

Omrai paused for a second, “Have you been talking to Shifra?” He raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Revin said. “No, well… a little.”

“And what did she tell you?” Omrai said.

“She didn’t have to tell me much. She thinks his taxes and laws abuse the poor and make them poorer.”

Omrai frowned. “To preserve lives, armies must be paid. For justice to reign, laws must be in place. These things do not come free.”

“She said the people suffer a lot,” Revin said.

“There will always be poor,” Omrai said, “The taxes support the government. The government supports order.”

“And what about religion? I agree with Shifra. Forcing religion is a bad idea.”

“Yishai wants stability, a shared religion is one method. Sometimes you need to force people to do what’s right. Isn’t that the case with every government?”

“Not mine,” Revin said immediately.

“Well, from what you’ve told me, the prophet of your religion is also the political ruler, correct?” Omrai said.

Stolen story; please report.

“Yes,” Revin replied.

“Well, you agreed with Shifra that we shouldn’t have a state religion, yet our prophet does not reign as king,” Omrai said.

Revin paused, frowning…

Omrai smiled, “You agree with her without comprehending all she wants, I understand what she wants. By Father God I understand more than she knows. But I am loyal.”

“Even if you have better ideas?” Revin said. “Even if you disagree with him?”

Omrai gave Revin a firm look. “Yes.”

Revin shrugged with a sigh, “I don’t think that’s the best way to deal with it.”

“You’re still young.”

Revin’s tightened his grip on the reigns. He hated when people threw that comment at him. “I wonder,” Revin said, “for our wills to align, do we have to agree on everything? Or just our goals?”

Omrai frowned, “You’re the beastspeaker. You tell me.”

“I don’t know. And since you’re just my Trial-Lord, if our disagreements get in the way of developing my powers, maybe I could find someone else to be my Lord and still help you.”

“Even so,” Omrai said, “We need to work together to handle Jebuthar.”

“And Narazoth,” Revin said, “without him, Jebuthar would just be a warlord without an army.”

“And without Jebuthar, Narazoth would just be a monk with limits,” Omrai said.

✦✦✦

Shifra watched Omrai and Revin debate some topic. She wished she could hear what they said. While Omrai was so absorbed, she slowed until her gallimai walked next to Kaiato’s. A few of her father’s soldiers cast her disapproving glances, but she ignored them.

“Tell me more about Koyeji.”

Kaiato raised an eyebrow. “What do you want to know?”

Shifra grasped for a good question. “What’s it like living there?”

“I love it,” Kaiato said, frowning slightly. “The art, the music, the machines, all of it. It’s a lot of work, but it yields great fruit.” Kaiato looked on ahead, “The carno fights are some of the most celebrated events.”

“Carno fights?” Shifra said, eyes widening. “You watch the slaughter of saurians for entertainment?”

Kaiato shook his head. “No,” Kaiato said, “If you think we capture saurians minding their own business, you are greatly mistaken. My sister is a carno-fighter. It is not about cruelty. It is about ascension. The ability of a single person to stand against a foe greater than themselves, and to win . It is our ability, through drive and discipline, to destroy that which would destroy us.”

Shifra had never heard it explained in such a way. “It still seems a little brutal.”

“It is a fitting punishment for wild carnivores that rampage through villages and gain a hunger for man-flesh,” Kaiato said. “I think it’s less brutal than raising saurians from birth and enlisting them in war to die.”

“I agree,” Shifra said flatly.

Kaiato’s eyes widened and he nodded appreciatively. “You’re not like other Ateyans.”

“And you seem decent, being the only Koyejian I’ve met.”

“My sister taught me well,” Kaiato said. “She’s always been my greatest example.”

Shifra nodded. Thinking of her own family. Her brothers and sisters. “I’m the eldest,” Shifra said, “I’m not very good at being an example myself. I don’t really get along with them.”

“Why?” Kaiato said.

“I don’t know,” she said, “We never agree on anything.”

Kaiato nodded. “Does that matter? I disagreed with my family often, but still, I obeyed.”

“Such obedience isn’t so easy for me,” Shifra said.

They went quiet. Just listening to the sounds of the wind ruffling the leaves.

“Do you miss your home?”

Kaiato nodded.

“What were you framed for, again?”

Kaiato frowned. “Murder. One I didn’t commit.”

“I’m sorry,” Shifra said, glancing up ahead at her father. He wasn’t looking at her, and the soldiers were too busy watching the perimeter to notice her.

She reached across the space between them and placed her hand on Kaiato’s. “Sounds frustrating.”

He looked at her hand, then up at her. His brow unfurrowed and he smiled. He didn’t grasp her hand back, but he didn’t twitch as if he wanted to move it. She didn’t even know completely why she was doing it, she just felt like she wanted to. So, she did.

“Normally, I would have stayed and faced the courts,” Kaiato said, “But my sister feared for my life, forced me to go. She’s the strongest person I know. Made me who I am. And, she’s never lost a carnofight.”

Shifra frowned in confusion. “Doesn’t losing mean you’re dead?”

Kaiato nodded. “Sometimes, yes. But we have men standing by with paralytic darts. Still, accidents do happen, and the fighters know the risks of participating. It’s still impressive to watch.”

Shifra nodded. “I guess everyone has reasons for believing what they do.”

“Thank you for recognizing that. Most aren’t nearly wise enough.”

Shifra smiled, and so did Kaiato.