Winterfinding by Daniel Casey Page B

composed. Umma stood in calm repose.
    “ We call it cyniss. It is
imbibed to seal agreements.”
    Soren’s voice was scratchy, “We apologize
for our reaction.” He coughed and shook his head. “We mean no
disrespect.”
    “ Poison would have been
sweeter.” Qala muttered.
    “ It usually is.” Rava
added smiling at her.
    “ Worry not, acting Prime
Alder,” Umma smiled, “It is a rancid drink and your reaction is
perhaps the most honest one I’ve ever seen.”
    Soren nodded slightly, his face still
twisted from the cyniss and his eyes watering ever so slightly.
Qala seemed to be attempting to wipe the taste off her tongue by
scraping it along the back of her hand.
    “ What exactly,” Soren
asked “is our agreement?”
    “ Our fleet will secure the
release of your people.” Umma said plainly. “Now I shall allow you
to return to your city.” The guards came forward to escort the two
out. Although both looked rather dissatisfied with Umma’s answer,
they put up on objections and departed.
    Rava stepped down from beside the throne to
come down to Umma. “The pestilence is upon them. I did not think it
would happen so soon.”
    Umma shook her head, “They’ve been refining
the bithumin to such a degree, dousing their lands with it. Putting
it in everything. They don’t just use it to grow their food. They
infuse it in their food, they use it in their clothes, in their
building, and I would bet it’s even in their water. Too
pervasive.”
    “ You’re saying the process
has been accelerated.”
    “ Simooms don’t just
happen. Their soil is bleaching. Their groundwater is receding, if
it’s not already contaminated.” Umma looked at Rava, “We need to
move quickly. If they discover what is really going on, this fleet
is worthless and we lose everything.”
    “ Now and into the future.”
Rava assented. “What would you have me do?”
    “ The spy. Let him
go.”
    “ With what he knows, isn’t
that the last thing we should do?” Rava was skeptical.
    “ He will lead you to his
paymaster. Then we will know who was behind the incursion of our
sovereignty”
    “ You would have me,” Rava
said with contempt, “shadow a weasel.”
    “ You are the only one
skilled enough to allow him believe he is free, see what he sees
and more, and then put an end to the spy and his
master.”
    Rava grinned, nodded, and left. Umma stood
in silence, and then abruptly threw both consoles down to the
ground. The crashing of the metal and shattering of glass made the
guards start for a moment. She strode out of the chamber and yelled
at the guards, “Clean it up and bring me our fastest courier.”

    Spires Army

    They had been riding for a day and a half,
nearly non-stop. There had been brief moments of pause but
otherwise the four of them hadn’t had much time to speak. Now
though the horses were exhausted. If they kept pushing them, they’d
certainly die.
    Kyrio Tobin had put them in the hands of
Kees and Arcite, two stoic soldiers. Tobin had given them a
parchment with details about how to reach a safe house once they
were in Sulecin and the means to contact his agents. It all still
seemed far too rushed for Fery’s liking.
    Declan and Arcite had been sent off to
gather water from a nearby creek. Goshen was working on creating a
fire as Kira minded the horses. Evening was coming on quickly; Fery
felt the chill in the air. Autumn was nearly done. It would be
proper winter soon. Fery stood unsure of what to do with herself.
She watched as Goshen’s fire came alight. Kira threw down the last
of their gear and then sat down next to the pile. She didn’t say
anything, just stared into the nascent fire.
    “ That one,” Kees the other
soldier that had been in Tobin’s employ came up next to Fery and
nodded toward Kira, “has been in a dark place for some time
now.”
    Fery was a bit startled, but she didn’t let
Kees see it. “What can I do?”
    Kees smiled, “Empty hands getting to
you?”
    “ My ass is