“Who travels far in storm season, even on a warhorse?” She leapt down in front of him. “Everyone will be late, even those who live close.” She searched Djola’s face. “You didn’t show Nuar your map, did you?” Samina knew Djola better than anyone.

“We talked a little about it.”

She balled her fists and pounded his chest. “You smell of bats and sea urchins.”

He held up the spiky purple shell and grinned at the delight in her eyes. “Yours.”

She cupped it gently. “How do you find these?” She pressed her body to his and kissed him, a slow dance of tongues and lips. “We should take a ride on the waves.”

“On that flimsy raft? When I come back.” He displayed three flat star discs. “For Tessa, Bal, and Quint.”

“Not a crack or blemish, three perfect shells.” Samina shook her head. “Master of Poisons? Why aren’t you Master of Weeds and Wild Things?”

“Azizi invited me to the stone-wood table and named me Master of Poisons.”

Samina set the shells in a window. “You can’t name yourself? Use your true name?”

“Who masters the wild?”

“Exactly!” An old argument flared out of nowhere, like a poison storm bursting from static and shimmer. Why blame him for the weather? Why fight over the price of tree oil and mangos? Over too many fruit trees going to flower but not to fruit? Over the taste of sand on every breath? Djola agreed, something must be done, that’s why he headed to Council.

“I don’t want you to go,” Samina declared. “We could take the children to Eidhou Mountain, visit my sister. She sent a bushel of mangos.”

“Your sister will be at Council.”

“Sister Kyrie can take care of herself.”

“So can I.”

“On Mount Eidhou, the air is sweet, the rain reasonable.”

“For now. We’ll go when I come back. You’ll be fine here while I’m gone.”

Samina poked him. “The gods of the crossroads are tricksters.”

“Only Nuar and my guard know this place and the guards get lost. Inland villagers think we’re pirates.”

“I am a pirate. We used to raid this coast.” Samina sucked back tears. “Twenty new funeral mounds in the village—a ghost village soon. Let us come with you.”

“When Council sits, rebels rile the people up and priests snatch children to bleed for conjure spells. The capital is no place for you all.”

She took a battle stance. “No one tells me my place.”

Djola raised his hands high. “True. But we agreed to make this our home. You feared Kyrie would turn our children into rebels.”

“I don’t know anymore. Would that be so bad?”

“Rebels chase a hopeless cause. They’re in disarray, a mob.”

“You twist my words against me!” Samina paced around him, a captain on a floundering ship. “Just because you argue well doesn’t mean you’re right.”