Chapter Thirty-Nine

 

Kuma was pushing a wheelbarrow full of bricks to close off one of the many entrances into Big Dave's Town when he heard the news about his uncle's arrival. He'd been working himself every moment, trying to keep the horrors of what happened at bay and his thoughts from centering too much on his father's capture and what would most likely come after. Kuma left the materials in the street and ran back to the house the clan used as a staging point in the town.

Brazio was seated at the table, eating noodles from a bowl with the voraciousness of a hungry tiger. A bottle of beer sat next to the bowl, and he drank from it between slurping down noodles.

"Uncle!"

He slowed his eating and stared back as if he had news. The other lieutenants were present, but they circled around him much as they used to around his father.

"Kuma, you should go," said Natsuo. "This is clan business."

Speaking past a mouthful of noodles, Brazio said, "No. He needs to stay because of his role in this."

The comment made Kuma curious, but he knew enough to keep his mouth shut. He stepped to the side, taking a position against the wall.

Brazio finished the noodles and pushed the bowl away, letting loose a belch before finishing the beer. A jagged scar on his neck made the flesh crease awkwardly, which added to the thinner nature of his uncle. He looked ten years older.

"I need to regain my strength," said Brazio as if they understood the reason.

"You were going to explain what happened at the raid," said Kazuki.

Brazio grew quiet. He stared at the table and began his tale with the reverse ambush from the Crow's hired mercenaries. The nature of his escape brought surprise, not because it happened, but how he'd managed to run inverted on the ceiling. When he awoke to Pandora's opal, a bloom of warmth filled Kuma's chest. The others had heard Kuma's tale about the Blue Daggers already, so this connected the two stories. When he got to the part about the scrap between Pandora and Instructor Irina, Kuma was certain that she would have lost, especially after the reveal of the black diamond. When he finally learned that she'd won, he found himself profoundly relieved, in addition to feeling a measure of pride that he'd beaten her the year before.

When the story moved to the Pajot in the heart of the Drops territory, Brazio took extra time to speak about the terrace gardens and the nature of their area. Admiration could be heard in his voice.

When he explained Pandora's role in the events of the Undercity, Kuma felt some betrayal, even though he'd suspected pieces of her tale. The news of her heritage, as quarter-maetrie, brought aspects of their previous interactions into focus. Then Brazio described how they'd tried to revive her when she tried to speak the name of her grandfather, a full-bloodied maetrie from the Undercity. Kuma found himself about to break in half until he heard that they managed to keep her alive, despite the spell that had triggered upon her attempted betrayal. Only the efforts of the three opals saved her, explained Brazio.

"What now?" asked Gabrielle with arms crossed.

"I do not know what they plan to do with the girl," said Brazio, glancing at Kuma.

"No, the clans?"

Brazio smiled. "Maybe I should let Kuma speak. It seems this idea was hatched between them during their meeting in the Terreno."

When all eyes turned to him, none of them kind, he exclaimed, "What?"

"It's okay, nephew. I know what you intended and without your maneuverings, we'd not be at this juncture." He rapped his knuckles on the table. His uncle had never been a cautious man, but the events that had transpired seemed to have given him a measure of it. "After the girl was safe, we had a long discussion about the fate of our clans and how we might survive together."

"An alliance?" asked Natsuo, frowning. "We'd be the lesser partner. You know it wouldn't end well."

"End well? Need I remind you that we lost over half our clan already. Their bodies probably lie in a pit somewhere off the Machi, being feasted on by critters," said Brazio, his lips pinched with anger.

"Then what was their proposal?"

"It was mine," said Brazio, hunched over the bowl. "I know I'm not the clan leader. As far as we know, my brother is still alive, though I can't imagine for long, but I had to make the offer as if I had the authority to do so."

"What did you offer?" asked Natsuo, leaning forward.

"Allegiance. That our clan pledges loyalty to the Drops and that Razor is no more."

"Are you mad?" asked Natsuo, smoothing back the wisps of hair on his balding head that had broken loose.

"I'd be mad to believe our hand was stronger than it is," said Brazio, his eyes bloodshot with pain. "If we don't then we'll be wanderers in the dark, back to the early years of our existence, but in a much more inhospitable place."

Neither Gabrielle or Kazuki made overt actions regarding the news. Each seemed to be considering it in their own way.

"If we were to do such a thing," said Kazuki lightly, as if a single word could upset the delicate state the clan was currently in, "how would it happen?"

Brazio looked to each of them. "That's the sensitive part of this. We'd have to give up control of Big Dave's Town. There's no way we'd be able to protect this space from across the Undercity. Once we leave, we'd be leaving for good. We could take the passages to the Terreno and then to the Pajot. The Crows are likely still consolidating the Machi, probably in expectation that they could be attacked. When Kuma and his friends took the Eclipse, they gave us this chance. If the alliance clans had been mobilized against the Drops, there'd be no point in remaining in the Undercity."

"We leave? Give up everything?" asked Natsuo. "What will the clan think?"

"That will be up to them. We can give everyone the option. I don't want to coerce anyone. If they wish to leave, they can return to the light or make their home wherever they please. It's what my brother would do," said Brazio.

Kuma saw the guilt in his uncle. Niran had been trying to push them towards the Drops to protect them from the coming storm, but he'd always resisted it. Now Niran was captured and Brazio was suggesting that path in his place. The mantle of leadership weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"Why not hit the Crows and take back the Machi with the Drops' help?" asked Kazuki.

Brazio pushed his bowl away. "I would like to do nothing else, but the Drops aren't interested in sacrificing their people for us. We will become Drops in all the ways that means. And it's not that we'll be safe. We can assume the alliance clans will be under our enemy's control soon. With the numbers from the Crows, our place in the Undercity will be tenuous. The way forward will not be easy. The maetrie have resources that will challenge even our best waku."

"What about us?" asked Natsuo. As the business manager, he'd spent his time in the city, working their legal establishments, brokering the transfer of illicit goods, or facilitating the laundering of the money that kept the clan solvent.

"You would each have a role in the clan. Not a lieutenant, but working with your counterpart. Their business model is different than ours, with the distribution of drugs as their main source of income. It's not ideal but it's the price of survival."

"And you?" asked Natsuo, bristling.

"Since they no longer have an Academy instructor, I would lead them, though Duro requested that he trade time with me teaching the young waku. I think we both understand that the future of our clan, should we accept their offer, is in the new generation of waku since so many were lost with the Crows' attack." He looked to Kazuki. "I'm sorry, Kaz. They don't know you. You've done an admirable job training our young waku. Look at Kuma. Without that training he could have never taken the Blue Daggers and we would not have this option. But they know me, by reputation. It was the only way."

Kazuki made a noise in the back of his throat. "I've always served at the pleasure of our clan leader. If we are to take new oaths, then I accept whatever role they offer."

"Are you agreeing with the plan?"

"It is up to each one of us?" asked Kazuki.

"It is."

"Then I accept. The Undercity is the only world I've ever known and the Drops have honor, unlike our foes. I would like to see them eat my blade in the dark," said Kazuki, thrusting his fist forward in mock attack.

Brazio turned to Gabrielle. She closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"How can we make this decision with Niran's fate in the balance?"

"If it were any other clan, there might be an opportunity to trade for him, but after hearing about our new enemies, I doubt we'll be given the chance. I hope only that he receives a quick death, preferably with a blade in his fist."

A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Kuma knew there'd never been anything extra between the beautiful mage and his father, but he knew in that instant that she harbored feelings for him.

"I would swear to the Drops so I might seek my revenge for him," she said, thumbing away the wetness on her cheek.

Even before Brazio turned to him, Natsuo angrily retorted, "I cannot believe you would ask this while your brother is still alive. Are we oath breakers?"

Brazio pounded on the table, snapping back with his jaw tight. "Do not speak to me like that. Or hide behind your oath in a time of upheaval. Even if Niran was here, we'd be in the same situation. We cannot hold Big Dave's Town, and I refuse to partner with those traitorous Crows. What I want is a chance to bury my blade deep in Gregor's belly and watch the lights in his eyes dim for all eternity."

Natsuo paled from the backlash. He tugged at his loose tie and looked away with crimson coloring his cheeks.

"Natsuo?" asked Brazio with the sharp voice of command.

The business manager spoke quietly without looking up. "I will swear to Daraja."

"Then we are in agreement. Gather the clan, I will speak to them. We must make this decision quickly. I want to make the journey across the Undercity before the Crows realize that we've left Big Dave's Town."

As everyone left, Brazio said, "Little Bear. Please stay. Have a seat."

Kuma took a spot across from his uncle. He could hardly meet his gaze, because he felt the weight of the conversation that he knew they would have. It was the one he'd been avoiding in his head.

"You've done very well. Your father would be proud. You gave us a chance of survival."

"The shadows do not hide," he said, repeating the clan motto.

"The Drops' motto would be appropriate too now. The clan is all."

"Is this the right way?" he asked his uncle. "I feel like we're betraying everyone that came before."

"In a scrap, do you try to kick when your opponent's move only offers a punch? I see your pain, Little Bear. For you, this decision is more than loyalty."

"There's no way to get him back?" asked Kuma as he stared into his lap.

"If there was, we'd be doing it." Brazio leaned back in his chair, appraising Kuma. "Is there anything you need?"

"No. Why?"

"You're like a bowstring held taut."

Kuma tried to speak but the words wouldn't come. He shook his head while gripping the edge of the table.

"When do I grieve? If he's still alive? I just want to know. He spent his whole life in service to the clan. He deserved better. Not this."

"We are at the mercy of the lives we've chosen to lead. The Undercity is an unforgiving place. His fate is no different than the Blue Daggers you killed to claim the Eclipse."

"Why would you say that?" asked Kuma angrily.

"Because you're still young. You still believe in the immortality of youth, while I'm a grizzled old warrior who's seen far too many of his friends and family die by the blade, or claw, or to the shadows themselves." Brazio ran his hand across the table. "Death waits for all of us. We do our best to keep it at bay, but it's patient. Not even the mages above can avoid it forever. It's not the manner of our deaths that others remember, but the lives we led before that ignoble end. Remember him as the leader of Razor clan. As your father, who loved you so much. As husband to Himari. Remember him as a warrior. But remember him."