Beasts of War by Ayana Gray

Author:Ayana Gray [Gray, Ayana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2024-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

Part Three

A Dove of the Heavens Belongs Not with Sparrows of the Earth.

Impundulus

Akande

Year 893

The moon lights our path as we make our way through the riverbank’s underbrush.

With every passing second, I feel it, a growing anticipation. This far into the dry season, the air is crisp, slightly charred from the smell of burnt harvest leaves. The night is quiet and serene. When I pull back the reeds and bramble of the bank and find our raft is where I left it, I grin.

“See?” I whisper. “Told you no one would move it.”

Behind me, Izachar is making his way down the bank. Every so often, he glances over his shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah,” he says under his breath. “So the raft’s there. We still have to get it downriver—without being caught.”

“Relax, we’re not going to get caught, everyone’s asleep.” I stoop low and push more of the grass aside, trying to get the raft out of its hiding place. “Now, if you don’t mind, I could use some help.”

Izachar kneels beside me, and together we push until the raft is close enough to the river for the waves to pick it up. I place one of my feet on it and gesture.

“And now, my friend, adventure awaits.”

Izachar awkwardly hops on to the raft, trips, then nearly plummets right into the river headfirst. I barely suppress a chuckle as he regains his balance, then settles at its center.

“Ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Izachar eyes the water warily. “Let’s go.”

I push the raft off from the bank, letting it catch in the river’s current. In seconds, we’re gliding west at a pleasant pace.

“This had better be worth it, Kan,” Izachar grumbles as we float. “My apprenticeship starts tomorrow morning and I’ve got to be up at dawn.”

“It will be worth it!” I say. “Impundulus only come through the south once a year.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Izachar tries but fails to maintain his guise of disinterest as he looks around. The lights of Kugawanya are already fading, turning to small pinprick dots in the night. On either side, the riverbank grows darker and wilder. “You’re sure you know where we’re going?”

“Definitely.” I nod, looking ahead. “I’ve taken this trip every year since I was little. Babu and I—” Unexpectedly, something catches in my throat, choking off the rest of the words. An old but familiar pain presses down on my chest and makes it hard to breathe for a few seconds. He tries to hide it, but I see Izachar’s worried look.

“Sorry, Akande,” he says softly. “I know it’s still hard.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I make myself shrug and look ahead. “It’s okay.”

He doesn’t say anything else, which makes the moment worse. In the silence, there’s nothing to stop the wave of sadness that washes over me without warning.

I knew my babu was dying. I’d had plenty of time to prepare for it. That didn’t make it any easier when he actually did. I’d expected grief to come in one wave, to pass over me once. But that’s the thing about grief; it’s illogical, a many-headed monster.

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