Shadow Weaver (Back on Wattpad 2020!)

Chapter 16

For four days we ride through the night and sleep outside deep in the shelter of fields, hills and forests, away from the roads. Sunrise to sunset lengthens, lasting almost five hours, warming the lands and the air.

We are in the habit of establishing camp before dawn and waking in the late afternoon twilight. My body adjusts to the physical exertion of riding, which puts a different strain on muscles used to snow trekking. I am energised by regular meals and the power of the sun. But every time I feel life humming through my veins, I also feel guilty. Is Kel faring well with his Lyndonian captor? Will he remain strong, even though he does not know I'm coming for him?

After breaking fast after the fourth night of riding, Brin and Tug take care of the horses, and Deadran instructs the Prince and me on Carucan geography. Our prior lessons have all been about court politics and etiquette, a subject, which briefly fascinated me, but quickly became tedious. Geography is a welcome change.

Deadran unrolls a worn parchment, holding down the corners with stones. Jakut and I sit on the ground before him. We lean forward to see better, our shoulders brush, and awkwardness spikes through me. I pull away, but the Prince is faster to sit back, so I am free to take in the Kingdoms of Ederiss.

I used to enjoy sketching the lands of Ederiss from Ma's memories. It was what I did when she gave me ink and paper instead of practicing the Carucan alphabet. But Deadran's map has many details and subtleties missing from Ma's map, or at least her memories of what she studied. My attention is drawn to an island southwest of the Etean Kingdom.

"What is this island?"

"Auran," Deadran says. My head jolts back. Auran, Island of the Rushing Winds, where my people came from, and which was supposed to have drowned beneath the waves over a century ago.

"How old is this map?"

"Twenty long-sleeps, but it was copied from a map in the Ruby Palace whose date I do not know."

The excitement in my chest flows out leaving me disappointed. This map must predate the catastrophe.

"Is this," the Prince asks me, "where your people came from?" I had not noticed him moving, but now his face is almost next to mine. He speaks softly, as though he understands how important my heritage is to me. As though he realizes this is not just history, but the missing roots I feel I cannot really grow without.

"Accounts of Carucan history," Deadran says, "site this island as the origin of the glitter-eyed children." Deadran's milky eyes are turned on us in his usual unfocused, but attentive manner.

"Origin?" the Prince echoes. "Then why do they hide in the northern forests? Why doesn't the King allow them to return to their island?"

I bristle, wondering what could possibly hold Jakut's interest in Uru Ana history.

"The island drowned," I say.

He nods. "And so your people came searching for new lands." He erroneously assumes my people imposed themselves on lands that did not belong to them.

"The Etean King," Deadran interjects, as though sensing the rising tension, and trying to diffuse it, "or Alaweh as he is known to the Eteans, was responsible for Auran being swept under the sea, after he mined their crystal cliffs and coral reefs. Only four hundred or so Uru Ana children, brought by his fleet to Etea, survived."

I feel the Prince's gaze, but when I look at him he looks down.

"I would like to know more about the Carucan cleansing," I say. I have been wishing to ask since our first lesson, and now we have crossed the line of awkward, the moment seems ripe.