It took less than an hour for Likh and Khalad to get ready, both in noticeably better spirits. It was a good decision to make our departure immediate; the Yadoshans, Drychta, and Odalians were uncomfortable around me now, and even Knox seemed a shade awed, though not fearful, like most. “It was a good fight,” the dark-skinned Yadoshan told us reverently. “I will remember it to the end of my days. I know I may not necessarily speak for my kinsmen, but should you ever find your way back to Yadosha, feel free to look me up. I owe you a tankard or two.”

The azi was also eager to be off, its wings braced for flight. Once we had loaded the rest of our belongings on its back, it was quick to take to the air, and I watched as Kance stared up after us, an indecipherable expression on his face until he disappeared in the distance.

• • •

“There’s something on your mind,” Kalen said once we had set up camp. After much discussion, we had decided that time away from the Odalian-Kion-Yadoshan continent was needed, and when Likh had proposed staying overnight by the Sea of Skulls while we planned our next moves, we found little to protest. Khalad and Likh had caught enough fish for dinner, but I spent most of the evening staring into the campfire, lost in thought.

“There’s something I’m missing,” I confessed. “It’s been nagging at me ever since we left.”

“You need to give your body time to heal, Tea,” Likh said with a smile, stirring a small pot.

I wrinkled my nose. “That doesn’t smell like soup.”

“It’s some herbs Althy gave me before we left. My supplies were running low, and she offered some of her share.” Likh blushed and lowered her voice. “She suggested that you take some. She mentioned that it was good for, ah…for preventing…when men and women have relations. It’s for the woman to not…”

I blushed in turn. “I have my own herbs for that. But I’m not sure how you would benefit from, um…”

Likh was bright red. “O-of course not! She says it’s also good for keeping up one’s strength, and I thought I could brew you some as well.”

“Thank you.” I accepted a cup, breathing in the slightly bitter aroma. Althy had always favored quality over taste. Wryly, I recalled the terrible-tasting concoctions she had administered to me over the years, though they did a good job of healing me quickly enough, whether it was coughs or—

I froze, staring down at the herbal drink. The steam rising from the brown liquid felt hot against my face. Fallowroot and winter ginger, I thought almost absently, mixed in with juniper berries and lacrow flowers…

“It’s not quite the cha-khana,” Likh sighed, raising her own brew to her lips. “But this is better than nothing.”