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Unfortunately, the long journey had given him plenty of time to paint my thoughts in gore.
“No one is listening to us,” Olish murmured, waving his hand at Solin, Tral, and Aktor who stood off to the side, consulting crushed grass and estimating how many bison had travelled through.
We were getting close.
The fire kept hissing directions in my ear, growing all the more eager for bloodshed.
More to the east.
Now to the west.
Hurry, the day is waning.
I was grateful the fire now spoke to me in cordial tones, and we’d reached an amical relationship, but I still found it intrusive having it appear in my mind at its whims. If I was honest, I was jealous too.
I wanted that power.
To slip into Darro’s mind whenever I wanted without having to find the silence, sink within, and concentrate on staying connected to my inner spirit instead of being swept up by the outside world.
I’d hoped it would get easier with time, but it was still just as hard as it had been the night the wanderer sang his salacious stories.
At least Rakka had left.
After staying with the Nhil for two days, he’d packed his bag, accepted a cute bison carving from Leca, some handmade beads from Meko, and a perfectly cured rabbit skin from Hyath, then visited Solin and I for a quick fire blessing, before striking off to the north, journeying to visit the deserts of Pasir.
“Come on, Runa. Bison. Tell me.” Olish narrowed his eyes, but his usual jovial self shone through. A flicker of his bronze aura appeared, reminding me that just because I’d grown used to seeing in colours and no longer gasped at the strangeness, it didn’t mean the gift had stopped.
“Argh, you’re so frustrating when you sink into your thoughts. Do you know that?” Olish huffed, his eyes going to the sky and squinting at the early-afternoon sunshine. I’d been warned by Solin that we might end up camping under the stars tonight. A few hunters took turns dragging the travois that carried saplings and sinew to make more transports to cart back the weight of the meat we would gather, along with dense furs to sleep in when the frosts found us tonight.
Olish looked younger with the sun pouring gold over his features, and my heart warmed under its rays. I sensed Darro trailing after us. I was content as long as he was close by, so the least I could do was help my friend with the one thing he’d asked of me.
“Gauli,” I said quietly.
His blue gaze whipped to mine. “Gauli.”
I nodded. “That’s the word...in my tongue.”
“Finally!” He reached out and tugged my braid. “Thanks.”
Up ahead, the hunters tensed, sending a ripple of awareness through the air.
My skin prickled.
“They’ve found them,” the fire cackled with smugness. “Let the killing commence.”
Throwing Olish a look, I replied to Quelis silently. “You’re bloodthirsty, anyone ever tell you that?”
“We are fire. It is what we do.” It burned with a smoky laugh. “It is what you are.”
I didn’t reply.
I’d stopped arguing with it five days ago when I’d dared ask it why I could understand the language Rakka had called Liquin. Only for it to say what I already knew—that I belonged to all four elements, but I belonged to Quelis first.
But if that was true, why did I have such an awareness of water?
Why could I sense how much liquid existed in a petal or seed just by touching it?
I had no business knowing such things nor why I could understand the earth element, Lokath, or why I sometimes had dreams of sitting in a woodland of my own making, conjuring sycamore trees and palms, weaving willows with pine, and pears with lavender.
I’d always wake with the names of so many plants and flowers on my tongue, instinctually knowing that pine sap was good for swelling and infection. That pear leaves could aid bladder maladies, and sycamore bark could clot blood that wouldn’t stop flowing.
Yet, whenever I tried to share this knowledge with Pallen, it seemed to trickle out of my head like a river, leaving me tongue-tied and finger-fumbling, once again reducing me to her ill-equipped, dreadfully failing pupil.
“Tell me the word for success, Runa,” Olish said quickly, clutching his medicine bag as the hunters fanned out, using hand signals to get into position.
Aktor broke away from where Solin and Tral continued talking, making his way toward me.
My heart sank; I straightened my shoulders. “Joskiel. And the word for successful is joskiellen.”
“Joskiel?” He stiffened as Aktor came closer. “In that case, I pray for a joskiellen hunt.”
I gave him a quick smile. I couldn’t wish for that because that would mean innocent beasts had died.
As if he knew how hard today would be for me, Olish planted a quick kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you later. I’m guessing you’re being summoned and as a healer, I need to stay out of danger so I’m able to tend to those who might need it. Just...don’t watch, okay?”
