Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore

Author:Moira J. Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2008-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

We did leave early the next morning, even though Panol was in no shape to be traveling. He was stretched out in the back of the wagon, as Taro had been when his sunburn was at its worst. The curse meant that we had to move on, no matter how ill anyone was. No exceptions for anyone, not even Atara’s own son.

On the contrary, Panol’s injury was declared to be a punishment for lingering too long, even though we hadn’t been there for a full three days.

We walked all day with no incident, to settle down in the middle of nowhere when dusk fell. I went to practice with no prodding required from Kahlia. She had me well trained, she did. Karish met me on my way back to the tent, telling me Atara had summoned him.

“Oh,” I said.

“So let’s go.”

“She didn’t ask for me. Did she?”

“No, but when did that ever matter?”

Almost never. Karish did seem to enjoy dragging me into his private affairs. “I need to wash up. I’ve been dancing.”

“She lives with a troupe in what must be the hottest part of the world. She’s used to sweat.”

“Says the man who won’t be seen by anyone unless his hair is perfect.”

“I left that man in High Scape. Let’s go see what she wants.”

He took my hand and pulled me along, and I let him because I was curious. Atara rarely showed herself. She was always at the front of the troupe when we traveled, and she seemed to sequester herself while we were stopped. She never came to any of my performances. I imagined Kahlia told her anything she needed telling, and we delivered money on a regular basis so she had to know we were doing well. But I would have thought she’d be a little curious and want to see at least part of the act herself.

“Do you have any idea what this is about?” I asked.

“None.”

His tone was curt. And I didn’t blame him. It was never a good thing to be summoned by authority figures. Good news was allowed to trickle down; bad news was delivered directly.

I was gripped with sudden panic. “You don’t think she’s going to dismiss us, do you?” She couldn’t do that, could she? Leave us out there in the middle of nowhere? She had no reason to dismiss us. I’d been getting along with everyone fairly well, hadn’t I?

She couldn’t cut us off. We would be helpless without her. We didn’t know how to get anywhere. Why the hell didn’t we know how to get anywhere? Why hadn’t I gotten a better map? Why had I just handed our lives over to these complete strangers and just trusted them to take care of us? Stupid. Careless. Irresponsible. Damn it. I was such a moron.

Karish looked back at me and frowned. I realized I was squeezing his hand. I loosened my grip.

Unlike the first time we were in Atara’s tent, it was evening and all the flaps were tied up, letting in what breeze there was.

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