In the Dancer's Shade by Mira Kanehl

Author:Mira Kanehl
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783947722044
Publisher: Mira Kanehl

The natives arrived in the late evening next day. Mayme leaned on the bumpy bark of the tree she and Ikaika hid behind and whispered, “poor stable boy, see how he’s shaking.”

Ikaika put his finger over her lips. The men, wearing only their belts adorned with several pouches and tools, arrived at the gate of Alani’s grounds frowning, wrists on hips.

“They sense something,” Ikaika whispered.

The stable boy helped the men place the packages over their shoulders, took the money and leaned in to let their foreheads touch in farewell. The two natives strode into the forest near where Mayme and Ikaika hid behind the tree. Ikaika held his finger to his lips with a warning expression, took Mayme’s hand and beckoned her.

With every step, hope filled her heart. Her muscles relaxed as she copied Ikaika. Lucky for us the grasshoppers are so loud … Then she noticed the little timber residents didn’t stop chirping as she and Ikaika drew close like they normally do when people come near them. Ikaika’s magic was subtle, but evidently, it worked. This thrilled her.

The natives hurried but stopped occasionally to listen and mumble to each other.

“We still going near road.” Ikaika traipsed. “I wonder why they going close to it.”

Where were they? Somewhere between Waikiki and Honolulu …

“The Catholic missionaries stay someplace here. One of them was taken.” The spongy crunch of twigs and leaves breaking under her feet and the alternation of cool grass and still warm sand was unpredictable like the future the forest held.

“Mh …” Ikaika said.

His hair loosened from its bun and dangled on his shoulders like ant antennae feeling their surroundings.

“Do you suppose they came here to get foreigners?” Mayme said.

“Anyone who breaks taboo is suitable for sacrifice. Newcomers don’t know taboos.”

She bumped into him.

“Where second man?” He took her arm, pulled her to the nearest tree and gestured her to stay there. Then he grabbed his wooden dagger and moved ahead.

Mayme looked behind, but as there was no one, she turned to Ikaika. She couldn’t find him.

Her chest rose and fell faster as she grasped her own toothed knife, squinting to better see through the darkness. A twig broke behind her. She spun her head and saw a figure making its way towards her. The other man. The natives knew someone was following them.

She gripped her toothed knife and forced a slower breathing. Any movement might expose her. It wasn’t working. Her breath raced against her heartbeat, and sweat trickled down her temples.

The man moved in her direction. If he passes my tree, he’ll see me. She pressed her back against the rough wood. The man looked about, then continued straight towards her. Another twig cracked under his foot and he stopped.

The hairs on Mayme’s arms rose. She was sweating cold. Could he hear her breathe?

This was not a local bandit. He was a wild man, and she’d never met one before. She had only heard of their magic, never witnessed it. Could he see in the dark? Her breath burst in and out.

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