Child of the Kaites by Beth Wangler

Author:Beth Wangler [Wangler, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-07-27T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

The closer we get to the cry, the thicker the reeds grow.

“Don’t step on the shore,” Forziel cautions. “If we leave footprints or scent, it’ll undo all the extra work of leaving a decoy trail.”

A reed catches my sandal underwater. I wiggle free, only to stumble face-first into another stalk. I shove the reed aside and push forward.

The baby’s cry sputters. We surge upstream with renewed vigor. It’s anyone’s guess how long the infant has been out here. We need to find it.

By now, the sun has sunk without fanfare. The sky dims with every step we take. Shadows lengthen and deepen among the reeds.

The baby’s cries quiet.

One by one, we freeze in our search. I swallow to clear my ears.

The stream gurgles where it runs over rocks. The reeds rustle, soft and gentle, even when no breeze blows on them. Nearby, a nighthawk’s pneet stands out against the repetitive calls of the spotted crakes pecking for supper. Away in the distance, a jackal barks.

None of these sounds give the slightest clue about where we’ll find the baby.

“Aia, lead us to the child,” I whisper to the sky.

“Yes, do,” Nhardah agrees.

I start forward again, this time with more care. We all move slower, parting the reeds, peering into every dark shadow.

Saviayr’s quick intake of breath draws our attention. He blinks through parted reeds, then dives between them. By the time we follow, he’s cradling the tiniest baby I’ve ever seen. The child is utterly still.

I rest a hand on Saviayr’s shoulder and peer at the bundle. “Is it…” A lump in my throat chokes the rest of the words before I can speak them.

Savi brushes a finger over the baby’s cheek and rests it on the child’s chest. He must feel the lungs expanding in breaths, because the shoulder under my hand relaxes. “It’s alive.”

We collectively sigh in relief.

Yori breathes, “It’s so tiny.”

Nhardah comes up on Saviayr’s other side. His anxious eyes fix on the baby with affection and concern. “We need to get her home,” he says, “or she won’t be alive for long.” He brushes a hand over the child’s bald head.

“Her?” Savi asks.

Nhardah raises an eyebrow. “Spend enough centuries around babies and maybe you’ll be able to guess their gender, too. But if you want to check, go ahead.”

Savi swallows. He opens his mouth, but Nihae plucks the baby from his arms. “Poor dear,” she croons. “You probably need a changing, anyways. Anyone have something we can use for a diaper?”

Relieved that she’s taken interest in this, I grab the frayed edge of my ruined chemise skirt and rip. “Will this do?”

It takes longer than it should to clean the baby—indeed a girl—since we have to manage it in the middle of a stream. I hover at Nihae’s elbow and help when she gives directions.

Unwrapping the child—the first step—makes my breakfast sit uneasy in my stomach. Her skin clings to her ribs and arms. Nadina’s chubby baby brother comes to mind. Babies should look plump like him, not like their skin barely covers their protruding bones.

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