stimulating clee—pure water mixed with ground seeds from the worldtrees. She felt
awake, eager to read another hundred pages, but it was time to attend to her other duties.
As she climbed down to the juncture of the largest fronds, she met a tall middle-aged priest named Yarrod, the younger brother
of Mother Alexa. The many tattoos on his green face bore witness to the different subjects he had studied and abilities he
had acquired in the name of the worldforest. Though the green priests had a very loose and generous hierarchy, Yarrod was
one of the senior members, though his position had little to do with his relation to the leader. “Nira Khali, I have come
to escort you. Our council has met, and the trees have approved.”
“Approved?” Nira’s heart leaped. “Approved of what?” Possibilities ran through her mind, and she couldn’t decide which she
hoped for most.
Anchoring his feet against the branches, Yarrod removed a vial from the rope at his waist. “The priests offer you our congratulations.”
Smiling, he unstoppered the tiny vial and let a dark liquid drop onto his fingertip. “You have completed the training necessary
to receive your second reader’s mark.”
He extended his fingertip, and Nira felt a rush, pleased to have achieved a new rank so quickly. She already bore the mark
of an acolyte on her forehead, and two arcs at the corners of her mouth and eyes that showed she had observed the necessary
subjects to become a first-rank reader.
Yarrod’s fingertip paused, and then he laughed. “Nira, I cannot put the marks around your mouth if you are grinning so much.”
She tried to form her face into a stoic, calm expression. He deftly smeared dark juice in a perfect curve along each side
of her mouth, broader in radius than the first set of arcs. The juice stung as it soaked into her skin, where it would alter
the chemistry of her tissues, leaving a permanent mark. It would burn for a day before she was allowed to wash it off, but
the mark would be there for all to see that she had achieved another level.
“Thank you, Yarrod. I am pleased to serve the worldforest in any capacity. Such recognition encourages me to work harder for
the next level.”
Yarrod continued to smile. “I am not finished yet, Nira. That was merely an introduction.” Nira’s heart thumped again in her
chest.
“The priests have discussed the current acolytes and studied their dedication and drive.” He looked at her with bright eyes.
Nira held her breath, but he could see right through her thoughts. “We have decided that you have earned more than just another
tattoo of learning. Your acolyte service to the worldforest has been exemplary. It could only improve if you were to become
a full-fledged green priest.”
Nira felt the trees singing around her, laughing or congratulating her, she couldn’t tell which—but soon she would. She gripped
the electronic bookplaque in her hand so hard she was afraid it might slip from between her sweaty fingertips and tumble to
the distant forest floor. She dared not let that happen.
Nira raised her chin and blinked back the tears in her eyes, looking proudly at Yarrod. Her only regret was that she had been
unable to finish reading the tale of King Arthur and his knights. That would probably be for another acolyte to do.
16 RLINDA KETT
R linda Kett was delighted to be back aboard the
Voracious Curiosity
. Her merchant ship was fully repaired, cleaned, and even upgraded after having been used as bait against Rand Sorengaard’s
corsairs. Now she relaxed in her custom-widened captain’s chair as the ship approached Theroc.
She came at the surprising invitation of Sarein Theron herself, the third child of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa. The daughter
had more business sense than anyone in the family, as far as Rlinda was concerned. Sarein was only twenty-one, a beautiful
and savvy woman who had already made connections with the
awake, eager to read another hundred pages, but it was time to attend to her other duties.
As she climbed down to the juncture of the largest fronds, she met a tall middle-aged priest named Yarrod, the younger brother
of Mother Alexa. The many tattoos on his green face bore witness to the different subjects he had studied and abilities he
had acquired in the name of the worldforest. Though the green priests had a very loose and generous hierarchy, Yarrod was
one of the senior members, though his position had little to do with his relation to the leader. “Nira Khali, I have come
to escort you. Our council has met, and the trees have approved.”
“Approved?” Nira’s heart leaped. “Approved of what?” Possibilities ran through her mind, and she couldn’t decide which she
hoped for most.
Anchoring his feet against the branches, Yarrod removed a vial from the rope at his waist. “The priests offer you our congratulations.”
Smiling, he unstoppered the tiny vial and let a dark liquid drop onto his fingertip. “You have completed the training necessary
to receive your second reader’s mark.”
He extended his fingertip, and Nira felt a rush, pleased to have achieved a new rank so quickly. She already bore the mark
of an acolyte on her forehead, and two arcs at the corners of her mouth and eyes that showed she had observed the necessary
subjects to become a first-rank reader.
Yarrod’s fingertip paused, and then he laughed. “Nira, I cannot put the marks around your mouth if you are grinning so much.”
She tried to form her face into a stoic, calm expression. He deftly smeared dark juice in a perfect curve along each side
of her mouth, broader in radius than the first set of arcs. The juice stung as it soaked into her skin, where it would alter
the chemistry of her tissues, leaving a permanent mark. It would burn for a day before she was allowed to wash it off, but
the mark would be there for all to see that she had achieved another level.
“Thank you, Yarrod. I am pleased to serve the worldforest in any capacity. Such recognition encourages me to work harder for
the next level.”
Yarrod continued to smile. “I am not finished yet, Nira. That was merely an introduction.” Nira’s heart thumped again in her
chest.
“The priests have discussed the current acolytes and studied their dedication and drive.” He looked at her with bright eyes.
Nira held her breath, but he could see right through her thoughts. “We have decided that you have earned more than just another
tattoo of learning. Your acolyte service to the worldforest has been exemplary. It could only improve if you were to become
a full-fledged green priest.”
Nira felt the trees singing around her, laughing or congratulating her, she couldn’t tell which—but soon she would. She gripped
the electronic bookplaque in her hand so hard she was afraid it might slip from between her sweaty fingertips and tumble to
the distant forest floor. She dared not let that happen.
Nira raised her chin and blinked back the tears in her eyes, looking proudly at Yarrod. Her only regret was that she had been
unable to finish reading the tale of King Arthur and his knights. That would probably be for another acolyte to do.
16 RLINDA KETT
R linda Kett was delighted to be back aboard the
Voracious Curiosity
. Her merchant ship was fully repaired, cleaned, and even upgraded after having been used as bait against Rand Sorengaard’s
corsairs. Now she relaxed in her custom-widened captain’s chair as the ship approached Theroc.
She came at the surprising invitation of Sarein Theron herself, the third child of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa. The daughter
had more business sense than anyone in the family, as far as Rlinda was concerned. Sarein was only twenty-one, a beautiful
and savvy woman who had already made connections with the
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