“Well, yes, I did.” Lissir shrugged. “Another one from Livim, by the way. Most of the people Zeddira has brought are from Livim. But that’s not important. What is important is that the Raiken is setting up outposts here on Earth, mostly because the recent reports indicate that the Koa Esher are doing that too.”
“Everyone’s colonizing the place?” I lifted my head again.
Vergis leveled a flat glare at me. “I don’t think you have any right to get upset about anyone colonizing anything.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, but just… You know. There are going to be issues.”
Lissir nodded. “Yes, the Raiken expects that, but they’re not looking for war. They’re looking to extend the prosperity they have already brought to parts of Aër. They’re looking to work with the humans who still remain in the regions, especially the ones who might be in a bad situation.” Lissir looked at me. “You said something about a religious group when Inkiri first brought you home? Tador mentioned something like that.”
I blinked. My eyes weren’t handling the light too well. “Tador?”
“The guy he was cozying up to last night,” Vergis said.
Lissir bobbed his head. “Their tactician. Also a decent lover. But from what Tador said, they came across a human settlement about four days’ walk away from where we found you. Since the humans there attacked first and were unwilling to talk or even listen, they decided to storm the place. It was in a relevant position, from a tactical standpoint. They were prepared to let the humans be after they took all their weapons, but then they discovered children—young girls, he said—with babies of their own, made to work the fields and bearing the marks of fists and worse. The protectors who entered that place were…very shocked.”
I wasn’t particularly interested in the coffee anymore. “That sounds about right.”
“A part of the reason Zeddira was on Earth was to decide what would happen to the men of that group, or most of them. He came to an agreement with the survivors and other humans they have established relations with that Raiken law should apply.”
Charles chuckled. “Love it. Raiken law is a lot better about that sort of thing.”
“What’s that mean?” I asked.
“Mistreating a hangu in that way, and doing it repeatedly?” Inkiri rubbed my back. “Sakkir. You know that word, don’t you?”
“The de-horning that basically means killing? After cutting their dicks off? Yeah.”
“Good riddance,” Vergis said.
Lissir tapped the table with his fingers. “Yes, yes, a good thing. Are you all listening to me? Our people are expanding their reach to Earth, which, on balance, I think will be good. But the Koa Esher are doing the same. I’ve been reading everything Kinnek has collected on the Loathly Lady, and from my understanding, her favor would be very relevant in such a situation.”
Inkiri clicked. “Zeddira learned some of this from Kinnek yesterday.”
“I thought he would have. It’s a good thing.”
All eyes turned to me.
Inkiri pulled me close against his side, and I relaxed into him. “He wants a quiet life, Lissir. Not to be what the Raiken might wish him to in this expanded territory.”
“Oh, come on.” Vergis crossed his arms. “I’ll be the first person to say I liked things better before Earth became the new Wild West for all and sundry bagua, but what’s done is done.” He looked at me. “And you know, with great power, yada yada. Get yourself a cape and say smart stuff. Or skip the cape and don’t speak all that much. Might be better, considering. Just be the twinky magic dispenser nature has selected you to be.”
Charles cleared his throat. “Son, this was not a pep talk.”
I had to agree with Charles, but it was also maybe possible that Vergis was right. A little bit. And I hated all of it. The presence pricked at the fringes of my mind though, just enough that I could feel something like a nod of agreement with Vergis’s words.
All of a sudden, I wished I were high again.
Chapter 21
We had the next week to mentally prepare for leaving, and who really knew what we’d find when we got back to the Stone? Well, I did, because the presence told me.
There were sentinels placed there, near the Hill of Tara, it said, and if we passed through the veils, they would know we were there, just like last time.
Which meant last time, Vergis and me hopping the veils from Aër was what had brought them down on us. I told him when I told everyone. We were in the kitchen once more, although this time around, Luëris had managed to sneak in there as well by saying he was interested in seeing the coffee machine work. He was quietly observing from where he stood next to Nokim at that end of the counter.
Vergis, who was sitting at the table between me and Charles, looked really, really pissed. “You’re saying I walked your civilian princess butt right into a trap.”
“You two couldn’t have known they were watching that place,” Inkiri said to him. “There was no reason to assume so.”
