“That’s not possible.” Yawa jerked her chin upward, a classical Maia no, or, wait, Baru remembered now, it was not no but refusal of an inferior’s request: a very succinct get out of here. “I know she went into the jungle, but what drove Tain Shir mad wasn’t any cancer.”

“She calls you Auntie,” Baru said, unthinkingly: her mind was on that dim gallery under Moem, where Tain Shir had promised to follow her forever, and ever, and ever. Oh gods. What if Shir was actually immortal? What if she had what Hesychast sought?

Yawa recoiled. Too late Baru realized what she’d implied.

“Little girl,” Yawa purred, “I’ve had enough of your threats. First my brother, now my niece?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Isn’t it? Didn’t you just imply that my niece could be taken to Falcrest as proof of the Cancrioth? Didn’t you suggest that I might be tarred by that association?”

“I didn’t mean to imply that—”

“How cruel of you, Baru. Do you think this is what Tain Hu wanted of you?”

“You don’t know a damn thing about what she wanted—”

“I didn’t know her? My dear, I half raised her!”

“That didn’t stop you from betraying her to Falcrest—”

“Nor you.”

“At least I tried to save her!”

“Very successfully, I see.”

“Fuck you. She came back for me.”

“And my brother followed her!”

In the sudden silence beneath the wind-whipped canvas, Baru realized that of course Yawa was right. Baru had ensnared them both for Falcrest.

“I think we should be plain with each other,” Yawa said. Baru could see her vicious smile only in the tightness around her eyes. “I know you’re working to steal Aurdwynn from me. I know you’re the one who killed the Priestess in the Lamplight, so you could secure her ledger of secrets. Now you’ve sent your agents to pry the North away from Heingyl Ri. You want the trade money, yes? Or is it the Stakhi you’re after? Is that it? You think you can conspire with their King? Is that your dream, little Baru, to be the next Shiqu Si?”

Baru’s suspicions clicked together like teeth.

“You stole the Priestess’s ledger! Not Iraji, you did it, you—you common cutpurse! Give it back, or I’ll—”

But she could not make herself threaten Yawa’s brother again.

“This is the last time I’ll warn you.” Yawa summoned the ice and finality of the Judge passing her verdict. “Stay away from Aurdwynn. I spent my whole life gaining power over my home. I will not now surrender it to an islander whelp with delusions of empire.”

A Story About Ash 3

A STORY ABOUT ASH 3

FEDERATION YEAR 911:
24 YEARS EARLIER

SOMETHING had to be done about the tumor growing in Tau-indi’s soul. Something had to kill the botfly-friendship curled up in their heart.