“But that attention to details is what—”
Amyu watched and listened as they argued. Usek was ignoring them, lighting the lanterns with a flint and striker. He took two up, and handed one to her.
“It’s an old argument,” he whispered. “Come with me,” and he headed off down the narrow path between the shelves.
Amyu followed.
The darkness of the cave soon enveloped them, the shadows of the cheese-lined shelves dancing strange patterns as they moved past. Amyu wrinkled her nose; it wasn’t a bad smell, or even musty or stale, but it was a sharper scent as they moved further in. She glanced up, but the light didn’t touch the ceiling. “How big is this place?” she asked as they moved on.
“Big,” Usek said. “We don’t use it all, but Auntie swears that it used to be filled.”
“It doesn’t smell stale,” Amyu said.
“That’s because there is a draft that moves from the doorway to the back of the cave.” He stopped then, glanced back at the others, and dropped his voice. “You’re going up there, aren’t you?”
Amyu froze, but his expression was more of caring than forbidding. “I—”
“Aye, your pack told me,” Usek said, giving her a frown. “If you explore caves, make sure you check for signs of bears and cats first, and watch the air flow. They don’t all have natural chimneys.” He glanced back to where Nerith and his father were coming up behind them. “You understand?”
Amyu nodded.
“Take that lantern,” he said, nodding at the one in her hand. “They can burn animal fat if need be. Gets damn dark up there.” He turned and kept walking.
Amyu followed.
They came to a gap in the shelves, a wide area between. Now there were only empty shelves stretching beyond, but in the open area, there were—
“Saddles,” Amyu breathed and held her lantern high.
There were three, off to the side, on wooden frames. The leather was cracked and curled; Amyu suspected that if a child climbed on one now it would fall apart.
“Not just any saddles,” Usek said. “Look again.”
Amyu narrowed her eyes.
Nerith and Anser came up from behind, and their lanterns added to the light.
“Not so different from what I remember,” Asher said. “Just saddles—”
“No,” Amyu said, walking over to trace down the saddle line. “Look at the stirrups. They are made of chains.” She stepped toward the back. “And there are two belly straps, and here, back here,” her fingers traced the leather strap that looped around the back, drooping on the floor. “On a horse, this would run back, behind the tail.”
“And here,” Usek got closer. “See these rings? The rider was chained in, I think.”
Amyu sucked in a breath as she glanced from him back to the saddle. “Chained in for flight?” She stepped forward. “And these are halters, not true bridles. See where the—”
“Get away from those, you Firelander bitch!”
The shriek of pure rage caught them all off guard. Amyu jerked around, reaching for a weapon with her free hand before she could stop herself.
Kalisa stood there, hunched over a cane, one hand grasping a shelf for support, her face twisted in hate.
Mya stood behind her, wringing her hands. “Anser, I am so sorry, but she demanded we follow you. She—”
“By what right,” Kalisa snarled. “Do you let this Firelander touch my things?” Spittle flew with her words.
“Now Auntie,” Anser said soothingly, stepping forward with his hand raised in peace. “We were just telling Amyu about your stories, about the airions—”
“No,” the venom was strong in her voice. Kalisa stepped forward, tottering, shaking her finger at Amyu. “You are not of Xy, or of my blood. You are not the Chosen one.”
