trees by the path.
Paloma called out, “Good morning,” from behind us. We stopped and turned. Kayleen and Paloma jogged to catch us. Paloma was dressed in neatly pressed official green hemp work clothes. Kayleen grinned at me, dressed in green work pants and a hand-embroidered white blouse with blue flowers that matched her eyes. She’d tamed her unruly hair in three wooden clips. “The dragonbirds were wonderful. I heard the East Band caught a whole herd of djuri. Mom said I can help her with the colony trading. Didn’t Liam look good?”
Joseph laughed. “Chelo thinks so.” I aimed a playful swat at his head as payment for the jibe. Truthfully, I was so pleased he feltwell enough to tease me that I didn’t mind, even though my face grew hot at the mention of Liam’s name.
Kayleen kept right on talking. “He’s beautiful. He grew a lot this year, and Akashi certainly favors him.”
I laughed. She was like the early-morning greeting-birds that chirped outside my window each dawn, except she talked all day. She balanced my tendency to be quiet. “That’s a good thing, Kayleen.”
Paloma broke in, sounding worried. “I overheard someone from the East Band saying Liam shouldn’t be given so much privilege.”
“Well, he’s earned it,” Kayleen said.
Paloma nodded in agreement. “That’s true, but it may still cause him troubles.”
Joseph scowled, his earlier happiness vanishing. He sounded almost petulant. “I hate it that they treat Alicia so badly. There’s nothing wrong with her.”
“Of course there isn’t.” Paloma brushed a stray wisp of long blond hair from her freckled face. “But Ruth lost her husband and brother in the war, and her pain and anger colors how the East Band treats Alicia. They see their leader keep a close eye on her, and they treat her the same way. Akashi genuinely likes Liam, and values his skills. Leadership makes a difference.”
Well, I thought, sure it does. Therese and Steven accepted us, and that mattered.
Kayleen looked disgusted. “Alicia didn’t start the war. And neither did we. Some people seem to know that, and they treat us all right. But then there’s Nava and Lucius and Jack and Ruth…”
Paloma interrupted her. “For some, it’s about the war. For others, it’s about the ways you are different. We’ve had this conversation. The only way for you to change people’s minds is to be as useful to the colony as you can. It’s worked here; Artistos treats you well.”
Joseph’s mouth set in a sharp scowl. “Some people treat us well.”
Kayleen frowned, then said, “Well, Liam earned Akashi’s trust.He’s so competent. I bet no one else could have found the dragonbirds.” Before I had to hear too much about how beautiful Liam was, we reached the edge of the park. Kayleen and Paloma headed off to the main tables where the official trading of common goods would take all morning. Joseph and I paused to look around, to see where to start.
The wagons were pulled into two loose circles, one for each band. Paintings or carved wood decorated each one. The long, thin wagons were designed to be drawn by two hebras each. Today, most had tables set in front with whatever goods were available for personal trade.
Half the town appeared to have beaten us here. Children raced, laughing, while their parents and older siblings examined goods and caught up on news. Dogs barked. Joseph and I walked slowly through the park, looking for Mayah and Akashi’s distinctive wagon.
We found it at the far edge of the West Band’s circle. The base color was bright yellow. Almost all of the wagons were personalized, but I loved this one most of all. It had a large picture of the spaceship Traveler painted on one side and a picture of Fremont on the other. Akashi had altered the real layout of the world so the two continents were visible against the large bright blue ocean. Jini was a yellow and green disk, a topographic display showing the mountains rising right
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