ends in a way that lets me return to him, then I will. I enjoy Cehmai's
company.
"And he'll take you back in, even after you've been gone this long?"
Otah could hear the smile in Idaan's voice when she replied.
"He's overlooked worse from me. Why do you ask?"
"I don't know," Ana said. And then a moment later, "Because I'm trying
to imagine it. What the world will be. I've never traveled outside Galt
before, except one negotiation in Eymond. I keep thinking of going back
to it. Acton. Kirinton. But it's not there anymore."
"Not the way it was," Idaan agreed. "We can't be sure how bad it is, but
I'll swear it isn't good."
The silence was only a lack of voices. The river, the birds, the wind
all went on with their long, inhuman conversation. It wasn't truly
silence, it only felt that way.
"I think about what I would do without all of you," Ana said. "And then
I imagine ... What would you do if a city caught fire and no one could
see it? How would you put it out?"
"You wouldn't," Idaan said. Her voice was cool and matter-of-fact.
"I think about that," Ana said. "I think about it more now. The future,
the things that can go wrong. Dangers. I wonder if that always happens
when-"
Idaan had made a clicking sound, tongue against teeth.
"You're not fooling anyone, brother," Idaan said. "We all know you're
awake."
Otah rolled onto his back, his eyes still closed, and took a pose of
abject denial. Idaan chuckled. He opened his eyes to the great pale blue
dome of the sky, the sun burning white overhead and searing his eyes. He
sat up slowly, his back as bruised as if someone had beaten him.
Ashti Beg lay a few yards off, her arm curved under her to cradle her
sleeping head. Two armsmen sat at either side of their boat with pairs
at the stern and the bow, keeping watch on the changeless river. Danat
had joined the watchers at the bow and seemed to be having a
conversation with them. It was good to see it. Otah had been concerned
after his disappearance at the wayhouse that Danat and the captain of
the guard might have found themselves on bad terms. Danat seemed to be
making it his work to see that didn't happen.
The boat itself was smaller than Otah would have chosen, but the kilns
at the back were solid, the wheel new, and the alternatives had been
few. When there are only three boats on the riverfront, even being
emperor won't create a fourth. Ana and Idaan were sitting side by side
on a shin-high bench, their hands clasped.
It was something Otah had noticed before, the tendency of Ana and Ashti
Beg to touch people. As if the loss of their eyes had left them hungry
for something, and this lacing of fingers was the nearest they could come.
"You both look lovely," Otah said.
"Your hair looks like mice have been building a nest in it," Idaan said.
Otah confirmed her assessment with his fingertips. The fact of the
matter was that none of them was presentable. Too many weeks on the road
bathing with rags and tepid water had left them looking disrep utable.