The Memory Thief by Sarina Dorie

Author:Sarina Dorie [Dorie, Sarina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction romance, steampunk romance, japanese fantasy, ainu science fiction, victorian alternate history fiction
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The guidebook never said anything about the planet being filthy, about the mortality rate of women in childbirth, the lack of technology after they’d come all this way with their great spaceships, and how every day the work would be grueling in order to survive.

—Faith Earnshaw’s private diaries

During our tour of the carved cliff palace the following afternoon, our party viewed various homes and the uses of different rooms. People stopped weaving, tanning hides, or preserving food to bow to us. In some rooms all I could smell was the overpowering stench of fish. Meriwether held a handkerchief over his mouth and nose. Children followed us, peeking around corners and watching.

“I will now take you to my greatest treasure,” Nipa said.

Captain Ford elbowed Meriwether. I, too, wondered if Nipa was about to show us a mountain of red diamonds. The only gaijin who had known where to find them had been my father, and he had taken that secret to the grave.

We entered a partially sheltered courtyard with a pool of bubbling water. Steam rose from the ground and the temperature became more comfortably warm. Although we were outside, there was no snow. Jungle plants grew in the garden. A bench overlooked a large basin of sand with intricate patterns drawn within. On the dark gray rock of the wall were painted white spirals and designs.

Nipa nodded to the art. “Faith-san painted this.”

Why did her very name fill my heart with sorrow? Was it the idea she might not want to see me? When I tried to slip into my memories, or reflections that were left, I only knew there was dread associated with my sister.

Moss grew on the walls and up the sides of a stone bench. I sat, admiring the serene beauty. “I wouldn’t mind coming to this place more.” How I wished time would slow and I could stay here forever. I held my hand to my fur tunic, pressing the tick-tick-ticking of the watch into my belly where it reminded me that time never stopped for me, nor anyone else.

Meriwether studied a tree heavy with winter berries, humming to himself. The song was vaguely familiar, maybe something my mother had once sung.

Nipa passed a stunted tree barren of leaves. A little stream from the bubbling pool meandered past the tree and shrine, disappearing into a hole under the mossy wall. Nestled in a shrine stood a giant raccoon dog statue carved from wood. The animal’s tongue lolled out of his mouth and his stomach was so round, he appeared to be pregnant. It was simultaneously cute and frightening.

“This is a symbol of my province and clan. He represents virility and strength. This is a sacred place and a treasure to my people,” Nipa said. I translated.

Charbonneau huffed in obvious disappointment.

“Why does his tail drag on the ground like that?” Meriwether asked.

The captain smacked him on the back. “That’s no tail, lad.”

I immediately turned away to study the ripening berries on a branch of bush, pretending I hadn’t heard to lessen the sting of his embarrassment.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.