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‘It’s not bad,’ she said, withdrawing her two curved shotels from her waist scabbard and storing them on hooks alongside the other weapons on the expansive walls.
‘Do we have a deal?’
She nodded. ‘Kaxim provided a contract that includes the clauses I requested, so naam, we have an agreement.’
Kultur drew close, studying Sana’a with a chilly gaze. ‘You’re the Shotelai everyone in Kos is speaking about.’
Sana’a matched his gaze with a steady, calm, undaunted stare. ‘Tis me.’
He angled his eyes to Killen. ‘You’re sure you want her as your kísímí?’
Kultur spoke as if Sana’a wasn’t there, but she only smiled at the older man’s rankling.
Killen pursed his lips, his eyes flashing at the disrespect. ‘I’ve witnessed her fight. It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I need to learn from the best.’
Kultur grunted. ‘Remains to be seen.’
‘Perhaps you and I can cross blades to prove the point,’ Sana’a murmured, giving him a pointed look.
The kaugur’s strange eyes narrowed at her challenge. ‘Perhaps.’
‘I’ll take on blade training, but who will oversee the íkan side of things?’ Sana’a asked, roaming around the room.
‘I’ll do it,’ Kultur confirmed. ‘The Kíríga’s Kaugur is the royal divination seer, and it’s my duty to pass on the íkan secrets to the King. As such, we shall begin with the sab?r warrior’s meditation. Now.’
Killen turned slowly. ‘Nada downtime, nor chow?’
‘Nada rest until we pray.’
Again, Sana’a sensed a battle of wills between the older Katánian and Killen, whom she saw contemplating whether to continue with it.
Instead, he shrugged. ‘So be it.’
At Kultur’s gesture, they all sat on the sand, arms outstretched and feet tucked in, kneeling.
The Kaugur closed his eyes and began to murmur under his breath.
In time, his words parsed into song.
Kag?an, who is ever patient.
Kag?an, who is all-knowing.
Kag?an, whose eye rests on Katáne.
He who raises us in the morning
and rouses us to new life.
He who spreads out his arms
the right and the left.
He who stands by his children,
he lets them soar.
He who provides for us
