They had arrived before the last Wet, fleeing the Pechaqueh advance that had swallowed their lands and their people in the conquest four sun-years before. They joined the few hundred other Xentib who already lived here, the lucky escapees from slavery. Together, they’d taken over the duskside lower quadrant of the city, now known as Xentibec.

Ilandeh and Dakto were the last to make it so far north; they’d kept to themselves in the jungles, living hand-to-mouth, until the Empire’s push towards Yalotlan forced them to beg for refuge in the Sky City and there discover the last free remnants of their people.

But in the months since the Yaloh refugees had begun arriving, tensions had risen in the city. The two tribes had shared a border and there were generations of bad blood between them, and despite the fact they were all refugees together, and guests in Tokoban, insults and brawls had been becoming more common before Tayan had left to try to weave an alliance with the Zellih.

Tayan cared for none of it as he pushed his way around the edges of the busy market and up the wide avenue leading to the healing cave before darting in through the wide mouth gaping from the hillside. ‘Eja Xessa,’ he barked and an apprentice pointed the way.

Three days ago. Three days without me. Beztil was a talented shaman, but when it came to healing and medicine for his loved ones, Tayan wouldn’t let anyone else touch them. ‘I heard what happened. Are you all right?’ Tayan demanded as he burst through the curtain into Xessa’s room, and then signed the question after he’d touched her arm. Sometimes she would feel the change in the air when someone entered her presence. The scent of rain, or just the awareness of another person nearby would alert her, even if Ossa didn’t. This time she hadn’t noticed him pushing into the tiny underground cell.

The curtain moved again and Lilla and then the two Xentib crowded around her low cot. Tayan spared an instant to glare at Lilla before fixing his gaze back on the eja and sitting carefully next to her. He stared into her face, sickly grey with venom even now. The smile she managed was alarming rather than reassuring, and by her side Ossa lay in twitching, whimpering misery. Her gaze roamed over the three behind Tayan and she managed a grin and a raise of the eyebrows towards Lilla. The warrior nodded that he was healthy, which Tayan had at least managed to ascertain for himself that morning, and then flickered over the Xentib. She smiled again, but looked quickly away. Neither had learnt more than a few signs for the most basic communication, and Tayan knew their incomprehension made Xessa uncomfortable. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.