Page 72 of Sun Warrior

“No. I mean, thank you. But what were you saying before that?”

“Oh, the Skin Stealers. I’ve been thinking about what we sawtoday—the group of them with the boar. Remember what Rose said about Thaddeus changing even more after he came back from being captured by them?”

“Yeah, she talked about Odysseus and said she thought they’d flayed his flesh and put it on Thaddeus.”

“What if that’s another kind of cure for the disease? Only the cure permanently changes the person, and maybe even the animal. Odysseus has always been a nippy little Terrier, but Rose says he’s been worse lately. And Thaddeus has always been an angry jerk, but lately he’s become mean and dangerous. When the disease changed, I think it changed them, too.”

“That sounds so crazy, Nik.”

“I know, but hear me out. We already believe the Skin Stealers are responsible for this new disease.”

“You know more about that than I do. Earth Walkers rarely have had anything to do with Skin Stealers. We never go to Port City, or even close to it. It’s been forbidden for generations.”

“But why?”

“Why?” Mari shrugged. “Because that’s how we’ve been raised. ‘Of cities beware—Skin Stealers are there.’”She recited the little rhyme all Earth Walker children learn from the time they are old enough to speak. “We’ve always known the city was dangerous, so we stay away from it. And not just Port City.Allcities are to be avoided, or at least all of the ancient cities.”

“But maybe your ancestors knew more than just that cities were dangerous. Maybe they knew they’re diseased.”

“Maybe. Mama never said much about it, but she didn’t have reason to. Like I said, the Clan stays out of cities. Always. I could check the old journals—those written by my grandmother and her mother’s mother. Maybe we’ll find something in them that’ll help us figure out what’s going on.”

“I think I know what’s going on, and it’s not good. I think the Skin Stealers have purposely spread their poison to the forest.”

“But why?”

“You’ve never been inside the City—I have. It’s a nightmare place. Vermin and bizarre, mutated plants and animals live there. There are sinkholes everywhere and danger hidden by vines and crumbled buildings. It’s worse than the destroyed bridges and the run-offs caused by them.” Nik shuddered. “If they weren’t so disgusting, I’d feel sorry for the Skin Stealers. Nothing could make me live in that poisoned place.”

“Oh, Goddess, Nik! Are you saying you think they’re poisoning the forest—and us—so that everything is like their ruined City?”

“No, I think they’re poisoningusso that they can leave the City and take over the forest. Think about it—Thaddeus was captured and let loose by them. He returned to the Tribe and ended up murdering our Sun Priest and causing the forest fire that destroyed more than half of our city—and killed many of our people. He is justone person, but look at how much damage he’s done. Look at how badly he’s weakened the Tribe.”

“Nik, how easy would it be for the Skin Stealers to take over the Tribe of the Trees right now?”

“Too damn easy.”

***

They washed and got ready for bed. Mari tried to act normal, tried not to be nervous and awkward, but she failed. When she caught herself picking her fingernails and sneaking secret glances at Nik as they finished cleaning the dishes, she gave up and decided she’d better tell him the truth.

“I’m a virgin!”

Nik froze in the middle of drying the last mug. “I’m not surprised.”

Mari turned her eyes from him, utterly humiliated.

He put down the mug and went to her. “Hey, that sounded wrong. What I meant to say is that I’m not surprisedbecauseyou had to keep what you really look like hidden from your Clan. That would make it tough to have any kind of intimate relationship. I’m amazed you managed to have friendships with Jenna and Sora.”

“Oh, Sora and I weren’t friends until after Mama died and I revealed who I really am. And even then it took her blackmailing me to forceme to allow her close. And Jenna thought what the rest of the Clan thought—that I was sickly. She understood unusual circumstances because her mom died when she was little and, instead of leaving her to be raised by the Clanswomen as any other Earth Walker male would have done, her father insisted on actually being her father. So, Jenna was easy to be friends with, even though if it was a sunny day I always, always canceled my plans with her.”

“No boyfriends?”

“No.”

“Never?”

“Never,” she said. She moved her shoulders restlessly. “I used to envy Sora because of all the male attention she got. She’s so pretty and confident, and she was always surrounded by interested males, especially Jaxom, who I thought she was going to choose as a mate. I’m pretty sure he did, too. I wonder what’s going to happen to him now?”

“That’s a different kind of discussion, and I don’t want to change the subject. Not yet. HowdoEarth Walkers choose their mates?” Nik went to the pallet that was now Sora’s bed and patted the space beside him so that Mari joined him.