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ARIA STARED AT HIM. “How can that be Memfis? How can he know we’re here?” Then she blinked. “Oh. I am an idiot!”
“Why?” Aven whispered.
“He’s a Smoke Dancer!” She sounded almost giddy. “He saw us in the smoke!” She got to her feet before Aven could stop her. So he scrambled up and followed her out of the trees and back toward the road.
Up close, Memfis looked older than he seemed at a distance. He was, Aven thought, older than either of his parents. He looked startled when he saw them. No, when he saw Aria. As she drew closer, he smiled.
“You have his eyes,” he said. “You’re definitely his daughter.” He looked at Aven, and grinned. “Oh, and you’re Jehan all over again.”
“You’re Memfis?” Aven asked. “My parents said you would help us.”
“Your parents were right,” Memfis said. “Now, we need to get you to a safe place before anyone comes looking to see what the fire was last night. And I don’t want anyone knowing you’re here, so you two get into the back of the cart. We’ll make sure no one sees you, and we’ll take you someplace safe.”
“And,” the young man called out. “Since I’m apparently not worth a mention, hello there. Nice to meet you both. I’m Owyn.”
Aven couldn’t help it. He laughed. There was something about Owyn, something compelling. Aven could have sworn that he’d known the other man forever, for all that they hadn’t even been introduced properly yet. There was something in his smile, in his eyes....
“And that’s Owyn,” Memfis added, breaking into Aven’s reverie. “My apprentice. He’s an idiot, but only on special occasions.” His voice was very fond, and Owyn hooted with laughter. Memfis shook his head and looked at Aven. “Quickly now. The fire in the harbor. Something to do with you?
Aven nodded. “The ship they were using to bring Aria to Mannon was also carrying inferno oil. They were going to use it here.”
“What?” Owyn squawked. Memfis waved him silent.
“Some got into the timbers of the deck of the canoe,” Aven continued. “We didn’t have time to change them. We thought that we’d been fooling them, but they knew who we were, and they’d been luring us in.” Aven looked back out to the sea. “Fa used his healing to hurt Mannon. He forced him to let us out. Ama told me and Aria to get to Forge, and that they’d meet us here. But I don’t think they got off the ship. I don’t know where the fire came from.”
“I’ve not seen them in the smoke to say one way or the other,” Memfis murmured. “Looks like it’s just us now. Come on, now.” He led them around the back of the cart, flipping back the canvas cover and revealing a sunken bed lined with straw, and filled with bundles of straw. He took the bundles out and laid them on the road. “It’ll be a little bumpy, but it’ll get us past the gate guards.”
Aria went to get into the cart, but Aven stopped her. “How do we know you’re really Memfis?” he asked.
Memfis grinned. “We used to call Aleia the Little General, but Milon would call her Guppy. She purely hated that. But she loved him, so she let it pass. She was teaching him sword dancing, and he was teaching her to use the smoke blades.” He held up one of the curved staves he carried. This close, Aven could see that they were made from metal, not wood. “That help?”
Aven coughed. “Is that where Guppy came from?” he asked. “Fa calls her that.”
Memfis’ eyebrows rose. “She lets him?”
“He only does it when he thinks she’s doing something insane.” Aven looked at the cart. “To get her attention, he says. I think we’re going to have to trust you, aren’t we?”
“I think you’d better,” Memfis agreed. “It’s getting late. There will be people on the road if we stay much longer. Folks are curious about what happened in the harbor last night.” He shook his head. “You’ve got Jehan all over your face. Your mind is Aleia all through. Come on.”
Aven nodded, and turned to Aria. She smiled at him. “I could have told you we could trust them,” she said, and kissed his cheek. She climbed into the back, and he followed, stretching out in the straw next to her. Memfis looked around.
“It’ll be a little close in there, but it won’t be for long.” He tugged the canvas cover over them, and weight that must have been the bundles of straw resettled on their feet and legs.
“How did you know you could trust them?” Aven whispered. He could just barely see Aria in the light filtering through the canvas. The cart lurched, and bumped, and he winced.
“He’s mine,” she answered back. “Owyn. I knew him the way I knew you.”
“Was that what it was?” Aven murmured. Aria pressed her hand to her mouth to cover her giggles.
“You knew him?” she asked. She still sounded giddy. “I didn’t know you’d know him, too!”
“You two need to hush back there,” Memfis called. “We’ll be reaching the gates soon.”
The road changed, grew bumpier, and Aven winced again. He reached out and took Aria’s hand, and tried not to think. They’d found... well, been found by Memfis. That was as far as his plans had gone. Now what? He was suddenly deeply frightened, even more so than before. He had no idea how to live on land!
The cart swayed and slowed, and Aven heard voices.
“Out early, Fisher?”
“Saw the blaze last night, went to see if anything had washed ashore.” Aven recognized Memfis’ voice. “Too soon, I think.”
“Might take another storm to wash up any salvage,” the strange voice agreed. “Any idea what it was?
“Not a damned clue. I was going to ask the same of you.”
“And you’d have gotten the same answer. Now, I didn’t see you pass through.”
“On account of we went out the west gate. It’s closer to the shop.”
“Ah. All right, go on.”
The cart lurched and bumped as it started moving again, much slower than before. Aven could hear voices all around, more than he was used to hearing. More than he’d heard even when they’d gone to visit the family. He turned his head slightly and looked up at the canvas.
“Lots of people,” Aria whispered. “A big place.” She squeezed his hand. “Relax. We’re safe.”
He looked back at her. “Not yet, we’re not.”
By the time the cart stopped again, Aven felt as if his teeth had all been rattled right out of his head. He was also hungry and tired enough to feel his mind fogging. He wasn’t sure, but he thought Aria might have fallen asleep.
He heard heavy thumping, and the weight on his legs was slowly removed. Then the canvas flipped back, and Aven blinked in the dim light of a lantern held aloft by Owyn.
“We’re here,” the young man said softly. “Keep your voices down, and I’ll take you to the hole.”
“Hole?” Aven whispered, sitting up. He looked around, but couldn’t see much of the dark room. Owyn nodded.
“That’s what I call it. It’s a hidden room, under the forge. No one knows it’s there but Mem and me. It’s like a rabbit hole, you know?” He frowned. “No, you wouldn’t know. It’s safe, and there are beds there, and I’ll get you some food.”
“Where is Memfis?” Aria asked as she sat up.
Owyn nodded. “He’s in the forge. People here know him as Fisher. He’s a smith. Shoes horses, makes tools, that kind of thing. It’s past time we got the fires hot and he does it better than I do, so he’s off doing that while I see to you.” Owyn grinned. “Come on. I’ll show you where to sleep, and get you some food.” He led them out of the dark room and into a corridor. The stone floors were cold under Aven’s feet, but the lantern light wasn’t bright enough for him to see much outside the circle of light.
Owyn stopped and opened a door, stepping out of sight. Then he looked back at them. “Come on. Be careful, there are steps.”
It was a tiny room lined with shelves, and with one wall that opened and revealed steps leading down. At the bottom, there was another short corridor that opened into a larger room. Owyn lit a slip from his lantern, and used it to light several lamps that were scattered around the room. There were two narrow beds against the wall, a table and chairs, and another door.
“That’s the privy,” Owyn said, pointing at the door. “It’s not much, but it’s functional. I’ll bring wash water after I bring the food. Then I’ll have to go help Mem in the forge, so you’ll be able to sleep in peace for a bit.” He looked around, then smiled. “Look, this is going to sound really weird, but it’s good to have you here. He’s been fretting like mad about the visions. We’ll figure out the next step once you’re rested. Back in a few minutes with food.” He hurried back down the corridor, taking the lantern with him.
“Is your head spinning yet?” Aria asked. “Because mine is spinning. This is all happening so fast!”
“I’m not sure if it’s spinning because things are happening, or because I’m tired,” Aven answered. He went to the table and sat down, folding his hands and staring at them. “Aria, I dove deep. I couldn’t see. What happened up there?”
“To the canoe?” Aria asked. She pulled a chair around so that she could sit next to Aven. She leaned her cheek against his shoulder, and rested her hand on his folded ones. “I’m not sure. I was up high. I heard a lot of shouting once you went over the side. I couldn’t see what was happening, but I did see something bright fall. One of the lamps, I think. I think burning the canoe was an accident.” All at once, she went rigid. “Aven... the Diadem! The gems! They were on the canoe!” She sat up. “Can we go back? Can you dive that deep and find them?”
“I don’t have to,” Aven admitted. He touched the strap running across the chest. “I’ve had them. The whole time. Ama gave them to me before we left the island.”
Aria looked both stunned and hurt. “You never told me!”
“Ama was worried you’d trade them for our safety,” Aven said. Aria frowned.
“She... might have had a point,” she said softly. “I am not to say anything, then?”
“We’ll leave them where they are, and hidden. Until we know what our next step will be.” Aven looked up at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Owyn came back in, carrying a tray.
“Here we are. I wasn’t sure what you all would eat, and Mem is with a customer, so I brought a bit of everything we had in the kitchen.” He set the tray down with a heavy thump. “We’ve got bread, cheese, roasted eggs, fruit jam, cold roast rock hen, and berry tart. Water here, and there’s a pump in the privy for more.”
Aven blinked. “No fish?”
Owyn shook his head. “No. Sorry. Not many people fish around here. Try the roast, though. You might like that.” He pointed to red and yellow spheres in a bowl. “Those are apples. Ever seen one?”
“No,” Aven admitted. “There’s nothing I recognize here. But I’ll try it.”
“I can help him, Owyn,” Aria said. “Go help Memfis.”
Owyn smiled at her. “Thank you. I’ll come back later for the tray.” He hurried away once more. Aria rested her chin on her hand and smiled.
“He’s very different from you,” she said. “I’m not sure how to compare you.”
“Don’t?” Aven suggested. “He’s himself. I’m me. Help me choose what to try?”
“Try the roast, first,” she said, and started to make a plate for him.
Aven ate slowly, trying everything that Aria had set onto his plate. The rock hen was sweet and savory, and he enjoyed it, and the eggs. This bread was much better than what he’d had in the past, especially when spread with the fruit jam. Aria ate her cheese with relish, telling Aven that it was very good. He had nothing to compare it to, so he decided to take her word for it. He also decided that it was something that he wasn’t sure he’d eat again — it was rich, and coated his mouth in a way that he didn’t think he liked. He ate another piece of roast to try and get the taste of the cheese out of his mouth, and drank from the jug of sweet water that Owyn had brought.
“Do you want to try and plan, or try and sleep?” Aria asked as they finished.
“Sleep,” Aven answered. “We don’t know enough to plan.”
Aria turned and looked at the beds. “They’re not big enough to share. Do you mind if we don’t?”
“I don’t mind,” Aven said. He grimaced slightly — his stomach felt strange. “Go get some sleep.”
Aria smiled and kissed him, then rose and went to one of the two beds. She lay down, her back to him. Aven sat at the table and sipped his water, trying to think. His brains felt like muddy water — he couldn’t think. Sleep. He needed to sleep. He got up, feeling dizzy and slightly nauseous. Was he getting sick? If he was sick, Fa would put it right...
No. No, Fa wouldn’t be putting anything right. Not now. Maybe not ever. Aven lay down on the bed, buried his face in the pillow, and cried for what felt like hours. It left him feeling drained and even more ill. He tried to settle to sleep, but the bed wasn’t right. It was too soft, and it made his body ache when he lay still for too long. He finally took the blankets and put them on the floor, then lay on them, shivering and sick, until he finally fell asleep.
He wasn’t sure how long he slept before he heard the clatter, and Owyn’s cheerful, “Good morning!” The young man came in and stood by the table. “Well, not really morning. It’s nearing dusk, if you want the truth. But you’re only just getting up, so good morning!” Aven blinked blearily up at him and sat up. When he did, Owyn’s eyes widened. “You don’t look so good.”
“What?” Aria mumbled. She pushed herself up on the bed and looked around. “Aven, why are you on the floor?”
Aven shook his head; the movement made the room spin around him, and he groaned and lay back down. Owyn stared, then turned and shouted, “Shit. Mem! Mem, come down here!” He ran back up the corridor, still shouting. Aven ignored him, closing his eyes. He felt a cool hand on his forehead, and heard Aria’s voice.
“Aven? What’s wrong?”
He swallowed and opened his eyes. “Not sure. Sick—”
“Oh, no,” Aria murmured. She stroked his hair. “It’s all right. We’ll be all right. Memfis will make it right.”
A few minutes later, Memfis came rushing in, followed by Owyn. The big man dropped to his knees next to Aven, pressing one hand to Aven’s forehead. “Fever,” he said. “Owyn, get some water.”
“Right.” Owyn started toward the privy door.
“Where are you going?” Memfis asked, turning slightly. His jaw dropped. “You gave them both fresh water?”
Owyn stopped and turned to look at Memfis. “Of course I— oh. Oh, shit. Salt water. You told me he had to have salt water.”
“And what did you give him to eat?” Memfis asked. Owyn went pale. He swallowed, and seemed to hunch over on himself.
“Cheese. I gave him cheese. You told me... and I fucked it up.”
“It’s not broken, Owyn. We can mend it. He’ll be fine. Go get the salt water,” Memfis said. His voice was surprisingly gentle. “The bone broth, and add two extra measures of salt to it when you heat it. And tea.”
“Right. Salt water. Broth with two extra measures of salt. Tea.” Owyn repeated it over and over as he left the room.
“What is happening?” Aria demanded.
“Owyn got excited, and he forgot what I told him about the care and feeding of Waterborn,” Memfis said. “Luckily, it was only the one meal. We’ll get some proper salt into you, Aven, and you’ll start feeling better.” He sat down, took Aven’s hand, and gently pinched a fold of skin on the back of his arm. “You’re not too dehydrated yet. But it probably feels awful.”
“Yes, sir,” Aven said.
“Your mother never told you not to eat cheese, hm?” Memfis asked. “I can’t imagine why she didn’t. There’s not a one of you Waterborn that can handle cheese or milk of any kind. You can’t digest it.”
“I’ve never seen it before,” Aven said. “Hard to eat something you don’t have.”
Memfis snorted. “There is that. Smooth your feathers, Aria. He’ll be fine. It was a mistake.” He looked back. “Don’t hold it against Owyn. He’s got a good heart, and he’s brilliant in the forge. It’s just that when he gets excited, he forgets.”
“Is he your son?” Aria asked.
“In everything but blood, yes.” Memfis sighed. “And his story isn’t mine to tell. He’ll tell you, if he wants.” He looked up. “That was fast.”
“Figured we could start with the salt water, and by the time I get back, the broth and tea will be hot.” Owyn came in with a jug and a cup. He set them on the floor next to Memfis. “Mem, can I help?”
“You are helping,” Memfis said. “And yes, help me sit Aven up. And pour some of the water for him.”
They both had to steady Aven to sit up, and Owyn handed him a cup. “Small sips,” he warned. “It won’t do you any good on the floor.”
Aven grinned. “Sound like my mother.” He sipped the water, the cool saltiness washing over his tongue. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Owyn asked, sounding like he was going to cry. “For almost killing you?”
Aven turned. Owyn was close enough that their noses were almost touching, that Aven could see the deep gold flecks in his brown eyes. “For trying to take care of me. You made a mistake with the salt. Now you know better. We both know better.” He smiled, looked down at his cup. “This isn’t sea water, is it?”
“Sea salt, in water from the pump,” Owyn said. “Is there not enough salt?”
“No, it’s fine. It’s good. It just tastes different.” Aven drank more, feeling it rush all through him. “We had to keep a cask of sweet water for my father. And for Aria. I didn’t even think about it when you served us sweet water last night.”
“Mem told me you couldn’t drink it, but I was so glad you were here—” Owyn broke off and got back to his feet. “I’m sorry. I’ll go check the broth.”
He left before Aven could say anything else. Memfis shook his head. “Tell me what happened?”
Aria came to sit down next to Aven. “Are you feeling better?” she asked.
Aven grimaced. “Not really.” He drained the cup and went to refill it — Aria took it from him, filled it, and handed it back to him.
“You’ll be better once you get some broth into you,” Memfis said. “Tell me everything.”
Aria nodded. “In a moment. Aven, lie down.” She moved in close to him and peered into his face. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”
“Not well,” Aven admitted. “The bed didn’t feel right.”
“How do you usually sleep?” It was Owyn, coming back in with a tray. He set it on the table, and brought two mugs to Aven. “Left is tea, right is broth. My left, I mean.”
“Thank you, Owyn. And how do I sleep ? Underwater, usually.” Aven sipped the hot broth, sighing as the salty warmth chased itself down his throat. “Oh, that’s good.”
“Can’t do anything about sleeping underwater,” Owyn muttered. “How else?”
“When we were out in the deep, I’d sleep on the canoe—”
Owyn frowned, looking fierce and distant. Aven glanced at Memfis, who smiled.
“What’s your thinking, Fire Mouse?” he called. Owyn nodded slowly.
“Underwater, he’s not going to weigh anything. Can’t do anything about that. It moves, don’t it? The water? On the canoe, it’s still going to move— I’ll be back.” He wheeled and ran out of the room.
“What’s he doing?” Aven asked, sipping the broth, then the tea. He offered the tea to Aria, who took a sip, then made a face.
“He put salt in the tea!”
“Good. He thought of that on his own. That means he’s paying attention. And as to what he’s doing? He’s creating,” Memfis answered. “I told you. He’s brilliant. But he doesn’t think the way most people do. Most people, they think in lines, one thought following another. For Owyn, those lines are broken. Sometimes they overlap, and occasionally his corners have curves.”
“Aven, finish those and lie down.” Aria fussed at Aven until he’d drained both mugs and lay down, his head pillowed on her thigh. She started to idly stroke his hair as she told Memfis about her visions, about going to the Temple with her mother and being captured. About waking on the island with Jehan, Aleia and Aven, and knowing Aven as her own.
“We came to you, because Aleia and Jehan thought you would help us,” Aria finished. “Aleia thought we could make it past all the ships if they thought it was just her and Aven. Jehan and I hid in the nets under the canoe until we were past.” She paused. “Aven, how did they know?”
“Birds,” Aven answered. “Mannon said there were messenger birds.” He swallowed and sat up, taking another drink of broth. “Memfis, do you think they’re dead? My parents?”
“No,” Memfis answered. “No, because they’re valuable. Mannon knows that. They’re the coin he’ll hold close to get what he wants.” He met Aven’s eyes. “Were the Diadem and the gems on the canoe?”
“No,” Aven answered. “But Mannon doesn’t know that. Aria didn’t know that until I told her, after. I have them.”
There was a metallic clatter, and Owyn reappeared, his arms loaded with a collection of things that made no sense to Aven’s eyes. Memfis got to his feet.
“What do you have, Fire Mouse?”
“Need your help,” Owyn answered by not answering. “I can’t reach the rafters. You’re tall enough.”
“Reach the...” Memfis started. He stopped, then looked up. “Tell me what you need for me to do, Mouse.”
Owyn handed Memfis a length of chain, then pointed. “This needs to go over that rafter.”
Aven and Aria moved to sit on Aria’s bed while Owyn bossed Memfis around, telling him what to do. Before too long, Aven knew what Owyn had brought.
“A hammock?” he laughed. “Owyn, that’s perfect!”
“You’ve used one?” Owyn asked. He looked pleased at the praise, but also a little disappointed.
“Once or twice, when we visited the family canoes,” Aven answered. “There wasn’t a good place to put one on our island, and we only had one mast on our canoe.”
Owyn nodded, looked at the half-finished work, then at Aven. “Can you sleep in one? Because I can’t make you float, but I can help with the room not moving.”
Aven smiled. “Yes, I’ll be able to sleep in one. Thank you, Owyn.”