Sister of the Sun by Clare; Coleman

his weapon with him.  
    When she beckoned him again using the palm-down gesture, he gave several quick shakes of his head. Frowning, she ordered her paddlers to bring her closer. She wanted to see what he was doing, but Faka-ora had warned her not to touch the boat.  
    At first she thought that Kiore had thrust his hands through a square hole in the vessel's hull, but she realized that the hole was a storage place. He brought out a small wooden chest.  
    "This. Shore," he said. He opened the lid of the box briefly, showing her that it held his "puk" and the black dye that allowed him to make marks with pointed quills.  
    There was something else as well inside. She caught a glint of yellow, of hard edges and corners. "What else do you have there?" she asked as he shut the lid all too quickly.  
    He scowled defiantly, putting the box on a thwart. He tried to pretend that he did not understand her, but at last she prevailed on him to open the lid again. This time he pulled out what looked like a toy made of flat sticks. Two sticks were straight, meeting at a sharp angle. These ends were crossed by a third one that curved like the edge of a crescent moon.  
    Never had she seen edges that looked so hard and straight. The yellow sticks were fashioned of a material that did not seem to be wood or stone or shell. As she leaned closer she saw small, tiny marks spaced evenly along the edges.  
    A prickle of fear touched her nape. "What is it for?"
    He seemed at a loss for words. He held the contrivance to one eye, pointed from it to the eastern horizon and then higher up. "Watch...star. Find...home...land."  
    Tepua's brow wrinkled as she tried to make sense of his words. Of course seafarers needed stars as guides, but she had never heard of using sticks to follow them.  
    "And what is that other thing inside the box?" she demanded. Kiore hesitated, meeting her gaze. Then, with a sigh, he brought out the last of his precious belongings. This was a smaller box that held something shiny and round. Looking into it, Tepua saw a design that resembled the petals of flowers pointing neatly outward from the center of a circle. As she watched, her eyes widened, for the design began to move!  
    The pattern turned, but then swung back again. Kiore pointed to the tip of the "most prominent petal. "North," he said, using the word she had taught him as he gestured toward the horizon. He indicated the other markings around the pattern, calling out the directions of the winds.  
    "A wonder of the gods!" Tepua whispered. She felt dizzy and short of breath as she studied the strange object in his hands. She barely heard the sound of paddles stroking and quiet voices approaching. When she saw that Faka-ora had arrived, she almost cried out with relief.  
    Kiore glared suspiciously at the priest and seemed reluctant to display his treasures again. "I have heard of such a thing," said Faka-ora, when at last he saw the swinging petals. "The tales of winged boats mention this. But no one knows what lies behind it. Perhaps some sorcerous trick ..."  
    "Then it must not come ashore," said Tepua quietly.
    "Leave it here," agreed the priest. Tepua relayed the message to Kiore.
    The sailor reacted angrily, closing the things back inside the box and moving to the stern of his boat. Once more the warriors raised their spears, but Kiore held his ground.  
    Again she ordered him to leave his belongings and board the canoe. Again he refused, this time picking up his weapon.
    She glared at him, feeling the intensity of those blue-green eyes. Beside her, she heard Faka-ora mutter that there was a quick way to end this contest of wills. Perhaps, she thought, another ariki would already have done so.  
    Yet, as she watched Kiore defiantly holding the box under one arm and brandishing the spear with the other, her irritation gave way to a mixture of astonishment and then reluctant respect. Did these implements mean more to him