Eight 4

After breakfast, we wandered Bashruuta’s streets, but other than the building materials and the unusual number of tradespeople working to support caravans, the town was like any other I’d visited. Really, the view of the valley below was what stood out most, and we learned from our meanderings that the Wholesome Ox had an open-air rooftop café where—if the weather was good—one could sit and enjoy a drink while also contemplating the mountains. So, we went back to the inn to do just that, chatting lightly amongst ourselves as the snow-topped peaks gazed down at us.

By the time noon rolled around, the topic of conversation had wandered far, with Anya and Weni asking Teila to update them on her wedding plans. The marriage wouldn’t happen for another couple of years yet, but that didn’t deter Teila, Billisha, and Aluali from their preparations. The sketches I’d seen of the planned outfits were impressive, and they were talking about adding on to Bihei’s longhouse.

A part of me wondered if we shouldn’t just buy a bigger place, but that would mean leaving the home Bihei had once shared with her deceased family. She’d been reluctant when I’d brought the idea up before, but maybe she’d be more receptive now. Either way, we’d make it work; I just wanted them to be happy and safe.

A commotion from the nearby plaza interrupted my thoughts.

The café provided a nice view in that direction too, so we all went to stand at the railing and watch a couple of expeditions entering the town. Both were on the big side, with about twenty-five members each. They were more heterogeneous than ours, though—the hunters and soldiers mixing together. I also noticed a couple of healers among them.

None of the expeditions’ members had less than three talents. In fact, there were several with five, and the apparent leaders possessed six each. Notably, one was Scout Born while the other was One With the Sword. Damn, that’s hot.

Based on the people’s names, the expeditions seemed to be from Sugrusu Hakei and its environs, and a quick check with Owl’s Ears confirmed it. They’d been on their way to Albei when they’d come across a messenger carrying the news that the race’s starting point was Bashruuta.

Yuki dutifully passed along the information to my teammates, and our connection carried back their intense focus as they associated faces with talents. Even Snow hopped up onto the railing to better note the most dangerous among our newly arrived competitors.

###

We hung out at the café until about two o’clock, after which the weather turned foul, and it would stay that way until the storm system either moved on or dissipated. So, we went indoors to stake out a table in the dining room—a spot by a window so that we could track anything happening in the plaza.

The sorrowful ghost was still there, but I put him out of my head for the time being.

Over the course of the afternoon, the brooding clouds got darker still, and a thick, heavy rain pounded upon the plaza outside. As guests arrived, water streamed from their cloaks onto the floor. They stamped their feet and rubbed their hands. Then, as the staff would rush toward them with warm towels, the guests’ grimaces turned into relief.

Poets, storytellers, dancers, and musicians cycled on and off the stage, and we noted how it was the same people over and over again, just re-combining into different groupings and roles. One of the flutists from the morning, for example, also drummed, danced, and told the story of Hurleik the Mighty, who once climbed the mountains in search of a hidden spring that poured molten silver instead of water. And although he found many adventures along the way, never was it the spring.

About an hour after dark, the expeditions from Ganas Hakei arrived. There were also two, with about sixty weary people in total doing their best to stream through the Ox’s doors to get under cover. Most looked like they’d managed the hard travel well, but a few sank to the ground in relief.

I didn’t know how the staff did it; an army of towels came out to greet the new guests. And the expeditions’ members were more than happy to regale how they’d arrived in Albei only to discover that they needed to be in Bashruuta, and oh by the way, there was a storm coming, so they’d better hurry.

One of the expeditions was led by a pair of soldiers—one with a talent called Captain of the Breach, while the other’s most notable was Rank and File. The other expedition, though, had a philosopher in charge, a man named Tethdlen who’s first talent was called Guru of the Scintillating Weave. He was the only silvered in the room.

When I pointed him out to my table, Anya…it sounded like she stifled a squawk before jumping up to rush over. With a sigh, Weni followed, and I sent Snow along too. That way, I wouldn’t have to spend mana on Owl’s Ears to eavesdrop on the conversation.

My team, meanwhile, continued to watch the room. We were the sisters’ bodyguards, after all, and we meant to keep them safe over the course of the whole trip, not just the portions inside Old Baxteiyel.

Anya’s bow took her past ninety degrees, and she spoke from that position: “Honored… Honored Tethdlen, that is you, isn’t it? I’ve seen your portrait in our lodge’s sensatrata. I can’t begin to tell you how deeply, deeply grateful I am to your treatise on the substantification of ethleisi forces. There isn’t a day when I don’t apply the principles it describes.”

Tethdlen gazed down at Anya in weary amusement. My skin prickled as his influence swept over the room. It didn’t linger, though, and my Status remained clear.

I imagined it was some kind of scan, yet when I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed it… I realized I wasn’t the only one eavesdropping. At the mention of Tethdlen’s name, the intensity in the room had ratcheted up. For the other expeditions, this was the moment when they knew that the real competition had arrived.

###

We didn’t stay for too much longer. While Ikfael had enjoyed the entertainment on stage from her figurine, she hadn’t had anything to eat the entire time we’d been in public. So, we brought a feast from the Wholesome Ox back to our lodgings. Once again, the taste wasn’t exactly on point, but the volume more than made up for it. A good half was stored in her Hoarder’s Pocket.

Afterward, she walked around the longhouse to stretch her legs. It gave us something to watch while we talked about what we’d seen. There were the words we said aloud, and also the ones my team shared through Yuki so that we couldn’t be overheard.

‘No change to our plans,’ Mumu sent.

‘The smaller we seem, the less interference we’ll see,’ Tegen added.

‘I think Anya’s outburst worked in our favor,’ Teila said.

How so? I asked.

Teila glanced toward the peltwei before sending, ‘She bowed so deeply. They’ll dismiss her for it.’

Ah… and us by extension, I thought.

‘For that and because we are only seven,’ Mumu sent.

‘They don’t know about our secret eighth member,’ Haol sent, nodding toward Ikfael. ‘If they did, they’d be more worried.’

‘True,’ Tegen sent. ‘Who could even imagine a spirit of the land participating?’

‘Ikfael could,’ Yuki said.

And Heleitia too, I thought, but I kept that one to myself.

###

Yuki woke me just before two in the morning. In a dream, we’d been going over the maps we had of Old Baxteiyel when they tapped me on the shoulder—both the Tinkerbell form inside the dream and a tendril outside of it. At the same time, the other hunters also opened their eyes.

The longhouse was dark, with only the dim glow of banked coals in the hearth providing light. Carefully, I got out of the bed I was sharing with Tegen.

“Good hunting,” he signed.

I nodded to him and made my way to the door where my things were waiting for me. Anya and Weni were still asleep. We hadn’t kept the outing a secret from them, but there was no need to disturb them either. Ikfael was awake, however, and watching from inside her figurine. I slipped her around my neck.

Mumu, Teila, and Snow met me by the door, and once we were ready, we slipped out into the downpour. The street was empty, and only the dim outlines of the militia members on wall duty glimmered through the rain.

Clear, I thought.

‘Then let’s go,’ Mumu replied.

The rain hid our passage through the sleeping town, while the wind howled between the buildings and covered our steps. Not that there was much danger of being spotted. Every house was shuttered against the storm, the stone walls shrugging off the bad weather.

The channels that drew water away were full and fast flowing. Earlier in the day, I’d seen how they drained out over the escarpment. No doubt there was a small waterfall spilling down from the town this evening.

Snow blinked ahead to find a spot overlooking the plaza and signaled that it was also clear. Then, when we arrived and my spirit eyes confirmed it, she blinked again to take position on the roof of one of the Wholesome Ox’s stables.

Her sharp ears picked up the sounds of movement inside— probably someone standing guard. Next door, the inn’s shutters were closed. None of them fit perfectly, though, so she was able to see that no light was leaking. Except for the stables, the inn was just as asleep as the rest of the town.

Around the plaza we went, hugging the borders so that we could duck away if necessary.

The weather made moving stealthily easy. The weather also made it hard—or at least uncomfortable. No matter how good my gear, icy water still found a way to soak through my clothes. We’d only been out for fifteen minutes at most, but my skin already felt cold and clammy.

We paused by the stable doors, but the place appeared locked up tight. The odds anyone would open them to look outside were tiny, so into the courtyard we went until we arrived outside the corner where the ghost had sat all day.

A hook latched the nearest shutter closed, but it was simple enough to lift it and pry open the shutter. Just wide enough to peek through.

Okay, the ghost is there, I thought. No one else; none living anyway.

‘You’re sure this is necessary?’ Mumu asked. ‘So far, we haven’t done anything wrong. Foolish maybe, but not illegal. The next step, however, is.’

The situation hasn’t changed, I replied. And, in fact, the itch to do something about the kid’s ghost was stronger than ever.

I suspected its source was Heleitia—the itch was at the same spot where she’d marked me—but that wasn’t the same thing as confirmation. In a way, coming to see what was up with this kid was a way to confirm it. Depending on how the situation unfolded, my hope was that I would find a clue to her intentions.

Mumu hesitated only a moment. ‘Then go and be quick. Teila and I will guard.’

I Camouflaged at the signal, while Snow blinked down to my shoulders. She wasn’t heavy—about twenty pounds—but a bit awkward, like a big, wet, furry bag of masa with legs. That only lasted a couple of breaths, though, as she grabbed me, sighted through the window, and blinked us inside.

The two of us waited a beat, but the area was clear.

The ghost was wrapped up in his own world, fussing with his bow like he’d done all day. I let myself become one with the land, and felt how the stone bore the rain. Year after year, the weather was fickle, but our roots ran deep, and our history ran deeper still.

As for the boy, he was sorrow, lingering and regretful. He’d… he’d died a useless death, but there was more to it than that. There’d been a chance once, an opportunity to do something important. Something meaningful. But he’d been too afraid.

There’d also been a cost attached, but I couldn’t quite reach it with my spirit eyes. That part was buried too far within him, like a splinter deep under the skin.

As I probed the boy’s spirit, the other ghosts took note of me. Some were fuzzy, gray existences barely hanging on to the mortal plane. Others were fresher—men, women, and beasts.

That was the thing about walls. They didn’t always work, and sometimes the monsters got inside.

Most of the ghosts didn’t want to linger, and they departed with a single blessing. Yet, there were two who were hungrier—a man dressed like a soldier, his face full of scars, and the other a vole the size of a sedan.

They’d each lunged at me, but while I had let Tenna’s Gift thin, I hadn’t pierced it. Their attacks were useless. I felt unpressured as I gathered my will to push-force-exorcise them out of the world.

That got the boy’s attention, and he eyed me warily. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear him. A glance around showed that all the ghosts in the common room had been dealt with. A peek showed that there were none outside were paying attention to this part of the inn. Once more, I checked the common room, this time rapidly snapping my Status camera to make absolutely sure there was no one else present.

This is dumb, I thought. I’m taking a chance I don’t need to take. I’d hoped to learn more about Heleitia’s intentions through the kid’s ghost, but I was in a building full of the dawn and dusk, some of the best soldiers and hunters in the region, not to mention a silvered philosopher.

Sure, the room looked clean, but who knew what potential these people had for noticing and investigating unusual activity nearby. Someone might notice if I pierced Tenna’s Gift and spoke to the ghost.

Mumu, am I being foolish?

‘Has something happened?’ she asked.

I’m having second thoughts, I replied.

‘There is no way for me to answer,’ she sent, ‘since this matter touches upon your Glen’s secrets. Without knowing more, none of us can tell you whether the risk is worth the result.’

Yuki brought Teila into the exchange. ‘What will you regret more?’ she asked. ‘Potentially revealing your ability to speak with the dead or not hearing what the ghost has to say?’

Regret, huh? There was a kid in front of me who was hanging onto life because of it. What had he done? And why was it important enough for Heleitia to send me his way? Assuming it was her.

It was all so frustrating! Because of the divinations flying around, I couldn’t tell how many of my actions were mine and how many were because I was being manipulated—by Heleitia, by the hierophant, by who knows who else.

Mumu’s voice was stern as she said, ‘A hunter needs both boldness and cunning—boldness to seize opportunities and cunning to avoid traps. What they cannot do is falter. Choose a direction. Pick a path. Make a decision. To go anywhere is better than to go nowhere.’

Even if it’s a mistake? I asked.

Mumu’s voice gentled. ‘We all carry the scars of our mistakes, Eight. This is the world we live in, our world of striving. We either survive it or we don’t.’

Throughout this back and forth, Yuki’s qi had been cycling slowly, in the way that usually meant they were pondering something deeply. I prodded them. You’ve been quiet. What do you think I should do?

Briefly, I felt a pulse from them as they checked the network. No words were exchanged; instead, it was more like they touched all the people they connected. Like being in the kitchen and glancing in the living room to make sure the rest of the family was all right. Like looking at an old photo album to remember the time the family had gone on holiday.

‘We should be who we are and who we aim to be,’ Yuki said afterward. ‘Let others do what they do; we walk our own path.’

A hint of a smile came to my lips. In other words, don’t get lost trying to figure out how all the divinations interact. Instead, just find a way to be me and what I stand for.

Yuki thought a moment. ‘Yes, but we said it more elegantly.’

The smile came out fully. True, you did.

‘Eight, report. What have you decided?’ Mumu asked.

Yuki and I were consulting. The plan has changed—the kid will be moving on but without me talking to him.

‘The Glen’s needs will go unfulfilled,’ Mumu sent. ‘Is that all right?’

It’ll have to be, I replied.

Ikfael wasn’t connected to our network, so she’d been excluded from our deliberations. All she saw was me eyeing an empty corner, while all I saw of her was her observing her surroundings.

“I’m going to send the ghost on to his rest,” I signed.

Ikfael spirit inside the figurine nodded, but that was all. If Heleitia had had a purpose in bringing me to this situation, the otter seemed unaware of it. I better get to it then. My decision’s made. Let there be no room for regrets.

The kid fought me, not literally but he resisted moving on like he was afraid of what was waiting for him. And then, when the gentle light enfolded him, he was dumbstruck. His face went from consternation to confusion, from confusion to relieved tearfulness. I didn’t know what he’d done in his life that was so terrible, but all that met him on the other side was acceptance.

As the last of the light faded, the itch between my brows finally eased.

Yuki said, ‘We should do more of this. It’s worthy work.’

That would mean spending more time in Albei, I noted.

‘We visit two-three-four times a year. A ghost a day during those trips wouldn’t be so bad.’

That was a good idea actually, especially since I wouldn’t have to go hunting for the ghosts. They were everywhere in Albei. I could start with the public ones and not run out for decades.

Let’s talk about it later, I thought, when we’re not in the middle of breaking the law.

‘That’s us, breaking and entering so that we can steal the establishment’s ghosts.’

Careful, I thought. People will start calling us “Ghost Thief.” Wait, that sounds cool.

Yuki snickered, ‘Better than Storm Caller or Heart of the Storm?’

I shook my head. No, no, those are still better, but it’s close.

The common room was quiet, but there was a peacefulness in the air that had been missing before. With a mental nudge, Snow grabbed onto me and blinked us back out into the rain.

‘All done?’ Mumu asked.

Yes, I replied. Let’s head back so that we can warm up.

Yuki said, Haol restarted the fire, so Tegen is making tea. The sisters are awake and helping.

As we reversed course, traveling the way we’d come, the spot between my brows started to itch again. The feeling was similar to before, but there were no ghosts nearby who stood out. The cause was a mystery this time, and my jaw clenched in frustration. I didn’t like the feeling of being someone’s errand boy.

Other than that, we got back to the street where our lodgings were located without issue. Snow had ranged ahead to find an overlook, and she let us know it was clear. Except it wasn’t. When I turned the corner, my spirit eyes picked up movement beside our borrowed longhouse. The sheets of rain falling, I saw a human figure fiddling with the wall. They must’ve been Camouflaged or hidden in some other way.

In an instant, I merged with Yuki to share my sight, and then we split so that they could alert the others.

The plan from Mumu came just as quickly. ‘Inside, pretend all is well, but take precautions to safekeep our clients. Outside, we will trail from a safe distance, with Eight at the lead.’

We cast our Camouflage spells and hid ourselves against the adjacent building. Then, I marked my quarry with Prey of the Hunter; it was the only sure bet in such bad weather. The rain was totally overwhelming any qi in the air.

Now then, my little spy. Who do you belong to—

Suddenly, the man shot away. At speed too, he was already a longhouse away.

We’ve been made, I sent. Then cast Dog’s Agility to chase after him.

Time slowed in that delicious way provided by Dog’s Agility—the need to go fast, fast, fast pumping through me. Mumu and Teila cycled their own spells, and we took off after the spy.

Dimly, though, something bothered me about the way he’d run. It almost seemed like he was running from the wall rather than us. Perhaps he’d thought the others inside had discovered him?

My thoughts spun. The itch between my brows felt like a fingernail digging through my skull. The way the spy had run—it was almost like the wall itself had become dangerous.

Fear spiked through me, Yuki carrying it to the others inside the longhouse. I snapped a Night Eyes spell into place, and through the shower of rain falling I caught sight of a package attached to the wall.

Down! I yelled.

The world answered with an intense light and bada-thump! Followed the sound of a giant smashing the longhouse’s stone wall.

My eyes were seared, and I lost precious seconds trying to blink them clear. It felt impossible—a giant blind spot sat in the middle of my vision. So, I cast Healing Water on the rain falling on my face, and that did the trick.

In the background, I registered Tegen calling out that everyone inside was safe. He’d gotten his Unbroken Shield up in time. Haol had taken a shard of stone to the shoulder while protecting Anya, but Weni was helping remove it. A Healing Water should take care of the wound.

Mumu sent, ‘Everyone, status, now.’

The responses confirmed it—there were no lasting injuries. We were fortunate; if that bomb had gone off while we were asleep…

‘Do we know the culprit’s location?’ Mumu asked, but I didn’t hear her.

All I could think was that if I hadn’t gone to deal with the kid’s ghost, we would’ve been asleep. Looking at the damage the bomb had made, there would have been fatalities.

‘Eight!’ “Eight!” Mumu grabbed me by the shoulders, turned me around, and checked me for hidden wounds.

“Sorry, sorry,” I said. “I just realized something important.” Heleitia had likely just saved my life. Ikfael and the other hunters too.

“Do you have the culprit’s location?’ Mumu asked again.

Inside me, Prey of the Hunter alerted me to my quarry’s presence to the north, about where the Wholesome Ox lay. Then the spell’s target just disappeared. For only the second time ever, someone had been able to slip loose. The spell wavered, but with nowhere to attach to, it eventually dissipated.

I shook my head. “No. Whoever it is, they have a way to neutralize Prey of the Hunter.”

Mumu’s glare turned wary. “Again? Is it…”

No, not the Maltrans, I sent. I had gotten a read on the culprit’s spirit and should be able to recognize them if I see them again.

I’d used my Status camera as soon as I’d spotted the figure at the wall, and it had read:

Kimson of Bashruuta (Human)

Talents: Seered by Light, Loyalty Amplified, Steady-Handed

Wait, what? The spirits of the world speaker and the man with the bomb were nothing alike. More alarmingly, why hadn’t I realized my Status camera was telling me it was Kimson? It would’ve been beyond peculiar for the world speaker to brave the elements to spy on a bunch of sleeping people.

Someone… someone had a talent for messing with my head, or at least with the information presented by my Status camera. And, in fact, that had also happened once before.

It must’ve been the Maltrans. Or at least their assassin. Maybe the others too, but he was definitely in Bashruuta.