The Journing Plague by Shaune Lafferty Webb

Author:Shaune Lafferty Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hague Publishing
Published: 2023-10-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

After watching Ceilu distribute the food to the six Journers who arrived, Kai is surprised to see Jak Inopo step up and take his place in line. Each in their turn, from oldest to youngest, the kynes, too, are given a share. Ceilu even goes so far as to offer a portion to Kai, but he simply can’t bring himself to take it, not after seeing the gaunt and hollow faces of the wardlanders who passed through the door accept their share and then leave without thanks or comment, either heedless or uncaring of his presence. Instead, he picks up Inopo’s vacated seat and carries it back to the table. The young ones go their separate ways, finding their own space in the shadows to sit and eat, while Kai and the old pilot take up their former places at the table.

There are no martyrs here in the ward, Kai concludes as he watches the young ones eat. No heroes, either. Only survivors. He turns again to the old pilot who has been slow to answer his last question.

“It’s not me you were sent to find,” Inopo says between mouthfuls of purloined food. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

“But you must have some—” Kai doesn’t get to finish what he wants to say. Young Mig has crossed the room to stand in front of him.

“You don’t look like Asta,” she says matter-of-factly.

“No, I don’t,” Kai replies, hoping she’s said her piece and will quickly wander off again.

“Pilot Jak says I look like Henneh.” She cocks her head to one side. “Do I?”

Actually she does, at least how Henneh used to look, Kai realises, taking in all the subtle nuances of the little one’s features for the first time: hair red as sunset; eyes quick and liquid brown.

“Yes, you do,” Kai agrees, then turns again to Inopo. He barely gets his mouth open before Mig interrupts again.

“How?” she presses him. “I don’t remember her very well.”

Kai almost snaps at the young kyne to go away but reconsiders.

All right, so Jak Inopo can’t tell him who he’s supposed to contact in his home-ward, but maybe he can get some answers anyway. Answers to questions he didn’t even know he had until he came home.

Bending, he brings his head level with Mig’s.

“You lived with Ush and Asta Kaidador for quite a while, didn’t you?”

Mig nods.

“Were you living with them the day Ush disappeared?”

After a quick, uneasy glance at Jak Inopo, who simply shrugs a shoulder, Mig replies.

“I saw her disappear.”

The old pilot’s interest seems mildly piqued now. He turns in his seat to look directly at Mig.

“Ush told me to stay at home,” Mig explains, “but I didn’t. She didn’t know I was watching.”

“First I’ve heard of that,” Inopo says. “Asta told me she followed Ush, but she never said anything about Mig being there, too.”

“Asta didn’t know, either,” Mig admits. Her voice grows smaller and she backs up a pace. “She thought I’d done what I was told.”

No

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