Second Guard (21 page)

“A long journey should always end with tea,” Saavedra said, handing out the mugs and a plate of fried crisps dolloped with chopped mango and fresh herbs.

Tali nodded and smiled her thanks. “I have—
we
have much to tell you about the last two days. Do you have time to listen?”

“Of course,” Saavedra said, patting Tali on her knee as he sank down into his chair next to her. “Why don’t you start with the salt mines themselves?”

Saavedra was enthralled by their description of the mines, the Diosa, the packhounds, and Ory. No matter what his young guests chose to describe or tell him about, the old man seemed captivated.
Tali described the Night of Lanterns to him as well, and he asked several questions about her father’s tradeboat.

“And now you must tell me what has caused the worry lines etched across your young face,” Saavedra said to Tali.

Tali took a deep breath, then began to repeat all she had learned from her sister: the salt bags with the Queen’s mark delivered to a strange warehouse in Porto Sol, the guards overseeing
their delivery, and even the suspicious appearance of Jaden in all of it. Saavedra nodded often and squinted his eyes, as if—it seemed to Tali—he was putting pieces together in his
mind. While he coaxed a great deal of information from his young guests, the secrets did not flow both ways. He seemed to understand more than they did, though he listened more than he spoke. Tali
let her words tumble forth, relieved to share the burden with someone who might make sense of it all.

“What do you think, Saavedra? What should we do?” Tali asked, after she had spent her words.

“What I want all three of you to do is focus on your training for now. I will make some discreet inquiries into all you have told me today.”

“So we should assume our duties as if nothing has changed?” Zarif asked, setting his cup onto the low table.

“Exactly so,” Saavedra answered. “Continue to listen, observe, and watch for clues, but do not put yourselves in danger, nor bring any suspicion upon yourselves.”

Chey gave Tali a meaningful look. “Did you hear that, Sun Girl? You are to keep your head down and be cautious.”

Tali sighed, then made the sign of a promise with her fingers, as if she were talking to Nel.
Old habits die slowly.
She smiled ruefully at her sweet, overprotective friend, and then at
Zarif, who glanced anxiously at the door. Why is he so distracted? she wondered. It wasn’t like the Moon Guilder to let himself drift away from a conversation. Of course, she suddenly
realized. He watches for Brindl.

Saavedra’s apprentice had not shown her face during the entire visit, which was unusual. Often she would come and go, tending to the pigeons or delivering messages, but she would always
pop in for at least a few minutes during their evening time together. Tali thought back to Ory, and the funny stories he’d told about “Brindly Brin” with great affection.

“Where is your apprentice this evening?” Tali asked.

“Ah! Our Brindl seems to have grown quite fond of your Boulder,” Saavedra laughed. “She left some time ago to walk and feed him. No doubt she is still with him.”

“It was very kind of her to take care of him while we were away,” Chey answered.

“I wish we’d thought to bring her something from Zipa,” Zarif said. “A reminder of home would please her, I think.”

“I have just the thing,” said Tali, tucking a hand in her pocket. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go see her at the stables,” she added, determined to make
peace with Brindl.

“Should we come along?” Zarif asked.

“No,” Tali said, a bit too quickly. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go alone.”

“Please stay for another pot of tea, if you would,” Saavedra said to Zarif and Chey. “Good night, young Tali,” he said, lifting up her hand to kiss the back of it. Tali
loved this Far World gesture, which Zarif had told her was usually reserved for queens and great ladies. Saavedra always made her feel like she was important. He makes all of us feel that way, she
realized, including Brindl.

Tali picked her way down the path, which now grew dark, rethinking everything Ory had said of Brindl, or “Brin” as he had called her. How easy it is to misjudge
people, Tali thought, to assume you know everything about them because you’ve seen one part.

As she passed a group of pledges, all of whom were laughing loudly, Tali waved a fond greeting. One of the rowdy pack was Rona, the Earth Guilder whose knock on the head had led to their
friendship with Saavedra. Rona and Tali acknowledged each other as they passed with a nod and a smile. How relaxed, how festive people seemed with just a few days’ rest. Even tough Rona
looked different, the warrior’s intensity wiped clean from her face, and the girl visible once again.

Tali found Brindl and Boulder playing fetch by the water’s edge. It was his favorite game, of course, and Tali stood for a moment, watching him leap into the sky to catch an airborne
stick. As soon as Boulder caught sight of Tali he rushed up to her and licked the side of her face with an excited, slobbery welcome home kiss. Brindl laughed.

“I believe he’s in love,” Brindl said to Tali, her eyes bright with mischief.

“Saavedra said you were the one in love with this wild beast,” Tali said, grabbing a stick and pitching it out into the lake. Boulder shot off toward the water in a wide leap, then
swam determinedly, his nose pointed toward the first stars peeping out of the sky.

“He is a devilishly handsome brute,” Brindl admitted.

A quiet fell between them then, but Tali was determined not to lose the good start.

“Zipa is a lovely place,” Tali said.

“Even after the festival? In the harsh light of morning?” Brindl asked, a bit of challenge to her tone.

“Yes, even then. And the tunnels are a wonder!”

Boulder returned dripping and eager once more. He dropped the stick at Brindl’s feet.

“Last one, Boulder,” she warned, before flinging it back into the water.

This time Boulder waited until a wave caught the stick and carried it farther out before he began to chase it.

“I do believe he’s trying to make the game last,” Tali said.

“Oh, these dogs love to play as hard as they work,” Brindl said, smiling at Tali.

“The packhounds in the salt mines are amazing,” Tali agreed. “I had no idea they could carry such heavy loads, and so quickly!”

“I remember when I was quite young, just shy of three years,” Brindl said, clapping her hands to get Boulder’s attention. He had abandoned the stick on the shore to follow the
scent of something in the tree line. “I asked my father if he could make a saddle for our hound, Sandy, to carry me to town.”

Tali laughed. “What did he say?”

“He joked of it often, but come my next Earth Day, he had one made.”

“And did it work? Did you ride Sandy?” Tali asked, truly curious about growing up in such a different place.

“For a little while, yes, but then Sandy got too old. Our other packhounds were never patient enough to allow a rider on their backs.”

Tali nodded, watching Boulder prance around the shore, trying to imagine how anybody could hang on tightly enough to ride him. Brindl gave a sharp whistle and Boulder trotted over obediently and
followed them back to the stables.

“Ory gave this to me,” Tali said, pulling a small chunk of salt out of her pocket that had been carved into the shape of a packhound. “But I think you should have it. He misses
you.” Tali placed the carving into Brindl’s hand.

Brindl squeezed her fist around it. “I miss Ory,” she said, her voice catching. “I miss all the young ones. They’ll be full grown by the time I return.”

Tali pulled open the door to Boulder’s stable, but the packhound hesitated. Tali nudged him from behind as Brindl coaxed him through the door. Once inside, he shook himself fiercely,
soaking the girls with a giant spray of water, letting them know exactly how he felt about being pushed around. The girls laughed as they dried him and brushed his fur until it gleamed sleek as a
river otter’s. Boulder lapped up the extra attention and a large bowl of dry feed besides. After they settled him down into a fresh bed of straw, they both said good night to their prince of
a dog.

As Tali latched the stall door behind her, three shadows suddenly appeared in the lantern light.

“If it isn’t fearsome Tali and the ghostly pigeon dirt,” one of the figures slurred. “How ’bout a kiss, girls, to celebrate the holiday?”

As the figures stepped forward, Tali recognized the speaker as Drayvon, followed by two of his Sun Guild friends. She instinctively moved in front of Brindl, as if to shield her from the
boy’s nasty streak. One of Drayvon’s companions clapped him on the shoulder, to either egg him on or keep him upright, Tali was uncertain which. Obviously, they had drunk their way
through the festival days. Tali glared at them while Brindl, who had been kneeling to tie her laces, looked up at them in alarm.

“Or are you two having your way with the animals?” Drayvon sneered.

“I’d rather kiss a dog than a pig like you,” Tali challenged, her fists clenched, itching to swing them at the idiot in front of her.

“You little dirt-loving wench,” Drayvon said, his face suddenly hot with anger. He and his companions stumbled forward, a wall of trouble, blocking the only exit. Tali’s
stomach clenched and she heard Brindl gasp. Behind them, Boulder let out a low growl, as if telling them what to do next. Tali took a step backward, and just as Drayvon lunged for her, Brindl
unlatched the dog’s stall.

Boulder bounded out in a fury, knocking all three boys to the ground. Quickly, Tali grabbed a nearby pitchfork and aimed it at the other two boys, while the great packhound stepped on
Drayvon’s chest, baring his teeth at the boy’s face.

“Now get out—” Tali began to yell, but Drayvon pulled a knife from his belt and swiped it at Boulder. The dog twisted away to avoid it, but the knife sliced a clean line down
his shoulder. Boulder snarled and whirled around, clamping his teeth down on Drayvon’s forearm. The Sun Guilder howled, dropping the knife to the dusty floor. Brindl snatched the knife and
placed her other hand on Boulder’s head to calm him.

“I said, get out!” Tali yelled, waving the pitchfork at all three of them.

The three pledges stumbled to their feet in the flickering light, their faces far more serious and sober now than just moments before.

“You’ll regret this,” one of them muttered as they backed toward the door. Tali’s legs quivered in relief as the boys retreated. Beside her Brindl looked fierce and
terrified at once, while Boulder growled at the boys’ backs, seemingly oblivious to the long gash in his shoulder.

“Shh, Boulder, they’re almost gone, and then we’ll tend to that cut,” whispered Brindl, stroking his ears with one hand, though she still held the knife in the other.

Tali sighed as the drunken boys tripped up the path, holding on to one another for support. Stupid boys, she thought. At least it’s over.

As if he’d heard her thoughts, Drayvon turned around then, clasping his bloody arm with his free hand. “When the commander hears of this, you wenches will be thrown out in
disgrace,” he yelled, his voice choking in pain and rage, “while the rest of us eat roast dog for supper!”

T
he next morning Tali struggled to keep up with Zarif and Chey on their endurance course around the island. Her troubled mind seemed to make her
feet drag as well as her spirit. The boys, mindful of her distress, slowed to keep pace, often jogging in place to wait for her to catch up. Despite her efforts, the events of the previous night
replayed in Tali’s mind over and again. Her sleep had been fitful and restless, plagued by nightmares where she and Boulder hung from a gallows in front of everyone she loved.