A Future, Forged Read online

  ‘But what if they don’t?’ Her voice sounded small and uncertain. ‘What if they won’t…when you…we need them to?’ She crushed the quilt in her fists. ‘What if they stand by and watch?’

  Ah. Here was the ground to tread lightly over, then. Dallan sat on the bed’s edge. Teya held her knees tighter to her chest, wary.

  ‘Have you seen a jun do something unpleasant?’ He waited. There. The flicker of revulsion and horror told the story even as she shook her head. He didn’t press. Her reluctance to speak was understandable. After all, he claimed friendship with juns. He took another tack.

  ‘Would you like to see a world in which the juns couldn’t do such things to people you care about?’

  Her eyes, full of guarded hope, flew to his. Then wariness shuttered their luminosity and she shrugged her good shoulder. ‘That’s not going to happen, is it? Not while they control everything. Besides…’ Her face took on a cynicism far beyond her youth. ‘If it’s not the juns, it’s someone else.’ She studied him with dismaying frankness. ‘There’s always someone else to take their place.’

  Time to tiptoe around that subject, perhaps. Dallan patted her foot through the cover. ‘We need to concentrate on finding Perrin, eh?’

  Teya aimed a haunted look out the window. ‘Do you really think it’s possible?’ She plucked at the quilt. ‘The last few weeks the junren-guards have been taking people every day and they never come back.’ She swallowed. ‘What if Perrin’s already…’

  ‘He’ll be alright. I’ll be honest with you, because I know you’re tough and smart. The Jun First has required Jun Fourth Grey-Saud to lock Asalam under military control for her visit. She’s afraid and Han Grey-Saud is stoking her fear. He wants to suppress what he calls “rebel elements” and he thinks clearing out the Migong slums will do it.’

  ‘But Perrin’s just a little boy!’ she protested. ‘And the Migongs aren’t full of rebels, just people who are too poor to eat!’

  ‘You and I know that,’ Dallan said, ‘but the junren don’t. All they saw was a motley group attacking someone wealthy. That was enough.’

  The small muscles in her jaw worked. ‘What will they do to him?’

  ‘Truthfully,’ he said with a sigh, ‘they’ll either sell him to Melcor as a slave, or they’ll execute him if no adult steps forward to prove his innocence.’

  ‘Adult!’

  He nodded. ‘But don’t look at me. It has to be a relative who can prove Perrin has no ties to the rebels the Jun First fears.’

  ‘Couldn’t you pretend?’

  ‘Unfortunately, the Jun First and Jun Fourth both know me. I have a hunli ceremony partner. And together we have only one son—a little older than you—and no other living family. Not even any kin-children. I’m sorry.’

  She deflated and hid her face against her knees.

  ‘Don’t lose hope, Teya.’ The doorknob rattled. ‘Ah, that’ll be the healer. Enter!’

  #

  TEYA

  Twenty minutes later, Teya teetered on the edge of unconsciousness, pain and fear dragging her into the abyss. The wound in her shoulder had been re-stitched by a healer who grumbled to himself about the stupidity of young girls and the inconvenience of being called out after dark. He prodded at the old burn-scars on her back and asked who had botched the healing of them. She said nothing. He muttered a few choice oaths, but continued his stitchery with delicate care.

  Teya bore his ministrations with gritted teeth, accepting a painkiller in the poultice over the wound, but refusing a sedative—unwilling to be drugged. No matter how kind Dallan seemed, he had a jun for a friend.

  After the healer left, Dallan convinced her to eat some roast lu-deer a servant brought in. Hungry as she was, Teya waited until Dallan had sampled some, himself—which he did with irony. The meat was rich and flavoursome with herbs and salt. It had been years since she’d eaten meat so well-cooked and delicious.

  ‘Have more.’ He passed her the plate. ‘Have you been alone for long? You and Perrin, I mean?’

  ‘A while.’ It was none of his business. She prodded her shoulder and winced. ‘What was that thing the Migong hmar threw at me?’

  He screwed up his nose. ‘It’s called a kpinga. A multi-bladed throwing knife of sorts.’ He nibbled at another slice of meat. ‘The slavers of Melcor use those and the kusarigama—that spiked ball on a chain thing—to keep the slaves in line. Along with whips and an assortment of other niceties.’

  Teya shivered. ‘Whips.’ She gazed out the window toward the darkened city. Somewhere out there, Perrin was being held, waiting, scared. Was he hurt? He was so little. She looked back to find Dallan staring gravely at her.

  ‘We’ll do everything we can, Teya. I promise. You can trust me.’

  She shoved aside the food, suddenly ill and exhausted. Only Perrin could be trusted. Everyone else was out to get what they could from her. Dallan wanted something. That must be why he’d rescued her this morning.

  ‘Leave,’ she said. ‘And give me the key to the door.’

  ‘You’re in no danger here.’ He glanced at the door. ‘But before you fade away, I have one more surprise for you. Then you can have the key.’

  CHAPTER SIX

  TEYA

  She pushed upright, yawned and forced her eyes open. ‘What?’

  ‘A friend,’ he said. ‘At least, someone I hope you’ll come to see as a friend. Her name’s Ying Li and she’s close to your age. What are you, thirteen?’

  ‘Fifteen,’ Teya said. ‘I don’t need a friend. I need Perrin.’

  ‘Ying’s thirteen. And helping us get Perrin is why she’s coming. Plus she’ll stay tonight, so you feel safer.’

  She curled a lip. ‘Give me my dagger and I won’t need a companion. Besides, what good is a little girl?’

  ‘We’ll see.’

  A knock fell on the door. He opened it and beckoned. Curious in spite of herself, Teya waited. She’d left friendships behind five years ago when her mother vanished and left no-one else to care for Perrin. Staying in the village of her birth, north of Asalam had been impossible, so Teya had taken Perrin and hidden in a cart bound for Asalam. The first few days in the Migong slums had shown her the folly of expecting help or friendship. Everyone wanted something. Nothing was for free.

  She watched with suspicion as Dallan bowed to a plump girl carrying a leather satchel and wearing a plain yellow house-robe. Ying, her round face and deep brown eyes alight with excitement and curiosity, bowed in return. She nibbled on the end of a lock of long, black hair, then flushed and tucked the hair behind her ear as though remembering instructions.

  ‘Your hair is so pretty!’ Ying blurted. Her blush deepened. ‘I am sorry. Mistress Rua is forever telling me to hold my tongue.’

  Dallan chuckled and handed her the large, bronze door key. ‘I’ll leave you two ladies to get acquainted. See you in the morning. Ying?’ He tapped his temple and lifted his little finger.

  There followed a moment of silence then Ying nodded and smiled sunnily.

  ‘We’ll be fine, Shenshi Johnston. We’ll see you at breakfast. Goodnight.’ She closed and locked the door then giggled. ‘Now the olders are gone we can have some fun! I arrived from Madina two days ago for a…holiday.’ She looked away, her mouth drooping. Then her cheerfulness returned.

  ‘But Shunu Neri’s family are all on her country estate so I’ve been so bored! You have no idea how nice it is to be out of the House! And to meet someone new. There’s only thirty girls in the House and you get sick of seeing the same people every day. And I got in terrible trouble for telling on someone I thought had done something bad but she hadn’t, so I got sent away for a few weeks.’ She sighed. ‘But I’m determined to be ever so good and I’ll never doubt anyone from the House again. I mean, of course I should have known she wouldn’t do anything bad. Everything the House teaches us is all about doing the right thing and being compassionate and wise and everything.’ She skipped around the enormous bed and dropped the bulgi
ng satchel on the floor.

  Teya’s eyes were heavy. There were nine Trade Houses in the Jundom of Mamlakah. They took on young boys and girls and trained them to be artists, or merchants, or weishi-bodyguards, or healers and such. But Ying hadn’t mentioned which House she belonged to and Teya didn’t want to seem like a zift by asking when she was clearly supposed to know.

  Ying inspected the room. ‘What a lovely room. Look!’ She pointed at a tiny, polished-metal statue of the first colony ship, standing on the sandstone mantelpiece. ‘Steel! Goodness.’ She touched the object. ‘Shunu Neri must be richer than I realised. She has an estate south of here, you know. It’s quite small and plain. I lived there with my mother and went into the House in Madina when I was ten. I haven’t been here before, though. I can never remember where all the twenty-one jun family estates are, can you? I wonder why Neri’s in town when it’s almost winter? Maybe because the Jun First is visiting. She has three children, you know? Neri, I mean, not the Jun First. She’s only eighteen. But Neri’s hunli ceremony partner is dead.’

  Teya studied the younger girl in fascination as she chattered on about various jun families and their offspring and houses. Teya was so bemused, she didn’t object when Ying clambered into the bed. Then Ying mentioned a name that broke the spell and Teya shivered.

  ‘Han Grey-Saud,’ Teya murmured, clutching at the blankets and staring into the darkness beyond the flickering mel-oil lamp. She curled a lip at Ying. ‘You know him? You’ve met him?’

  Ying screwed up her nose. ‘Not exactly. I know of him and I’ve heard…things…about him.’ She chewed her lip. ‘We’re not supposed to speak ill of the juns, but about a year ago I overheard Mistress Rua talking about him.’ She gazed into the distance. ‘She said he was too ambitious and ruthless. She thinks that, now he has a kin-child and jun-heir at last, the other juns need to depose him before he threatens the Jun First’s throne.’

  Teya stilled. ‘He has a kin-child?’

  Ying nodded vigorously. ‘His hunlinna couldn’t have children so he found a well-born woman willing to bear him a kin-child, evidently. A boy about three years old, now.’

  ‘Willing…’ Teya ground her teeth. ‘And did anyone ask the woman if she was willing? Or did they turn a blind eye because he’s a jun and can do anything.’ Gray-Saud was the worst of them. The things he had done…Her back prickled with the ghost of old pain. She ruthlessly thrust aside memories as she had so often in the last five years.

  Ying flinched. ‘I…I…a jun wouldn’t…he has a Bonded Xintou, Shana. She wouldn’t allow him to…’ She trailed off as Teya continued to stare coldly at her. ‘I’m sorry. I talk too much. I didn’t mean to upset you.’ She touched Teya’s arm tentatively. ‘Forgive me.’

  In the face of the girl’s obvious distress, Teya melted. Exhaustion dragged her against the pillows.

  ‘No,’ she said, ‘I know you didn’t mean anything by it. It’s been a gouri awful day and I’m tired.’

  ‘Oh.’ Ying stroked Teya’s arm. ‘Shenshi Johnston told me about your brother. I’m sorry I was prattling on about stupid things when you must be worried sick. I can help, you know?’

  All her suspicions aroused again, Teya leaned away. ‘How?’

  Ying blinked innocently back. ‘I can help you control your gifts, of course. I’m a xintou, too.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  TEYA

  Teya threw aside the heavy covers, staggering as her feet hit the floor and exhaustion liquified her thighs. She rounded on the girl.

  ‘Get out,’ she said, low and hard. ‘Get out and tell Dallan I’m done. If this is his idea of how to get my brother, then it’s stupid and I’m not doing it.’

  Ying gaped so Teya spun away and paced the huge room, prowling first into the darkened area at the other end, then returning to the yellow pool of light around the bed. She sent the young xintou a swift, assessing look, then stalked to the darkness again.

  Flinging aside the curtain, she peered out the ground-floor window. She could climb out easily enough. Go find Perrin, herself.

  To the southeast spiked the twin towers and upswept, peaked red roofs of Chinshi the Zah-Hill family’s house. Next to it was the sharp black-tiled roofs of the Grey-Saud town residence. Where Han—when he visited Asalam—lived with his Bonded Xintou, Shana. She was like Ying and the other xintou girls who were trained to help and guide juns like Grey-Saud. Teya fought the urge to spit at both the jun’s houses and turned away.

  There had to be a way to get her brother and escape from Asalam. Away from xintou and jun, alike. Both were vile, vicious… she quashed the thoughts. Nothing could undo what had happened. Nothing could un-scar her back, erase the weeks of pain, or return her broken family to what it had been. Nothing would bring her mother home.

  All she had left was Perrin. She had to find him.

  Ying’s dark eyes drowned in tears that spilled onto pink-flushed ivory cheeks and dripped unheeded to stain her yellow robe.

  ‘Oh!’ Her lower lip quivered. ‘I’m so sorry. I had no idea.’ Then her jaw hardened. ‘No. I don’t believe Shana would do that! You must tell Mistress Rua. She’ll bring it to the Law Mistresses and they can find out the truth. It’s not for you or me to accuse a Bonded Xintou of such things.’

  Startled out of her anger, Teya paused. ‘What? What are you talking about?’

  Ying slithered from beneath the covers and hurried over. She stood before Teya, guileless and earnest.

  ‘You must believe me. Xintou are not like that.’ She held Teya’s hands. ‘They’re good. Xintou House teaches us clarity, stability, responsibility, and compassion above all.’ She crushed Teya’s fingers between hers and Teya flinched. ‘If Han Grey-Saud’s Xintou, Shana, didn’t stop Jun Gray-Saud from doing that to your poor mother—oh, and your house, and your poor back! Believe me, there’s some mistake. You must have misunderstood.’ She frowned. ‘But maybe Mistress Rua, the Xintou House leader in Madina, should be told. No. Not without proof. Do you have any proof?’

  Teya wrenched free and retreated. She clapped sweaty palms to her temples, staring at the smaller girl in horror.

  ‘Did you…did you read what I was thinking?’ Sickness dropped lead into her stomach and stones into her chest.

  Ying nodded. ‘Not on purpose. You don’t have any mental wards. I couldn’t read all of it, though. It’s very jumbled. But I couldn’t help it. You were thinking so loud and you hurt so much I couldn’t block it out. I’m sorry.’

  Teya quashed upwelling panic. It wouldn’t help. This xintou was just a little girl. Not that big a threat. Yet. And perhaps there was information to be gained from her.

  ‘Wards,’ she said. ‘Dallan could see me today when I faded myself, but his weishi couldn’t. Would that have anything to do with these ward things?’

  Ying nodded again, earnest. ‘All juns and their families are taught to shield their thoughts, so the xintou bonded to other juns can’t Read them. Shenshi Johnston grew up with Jun Neri’s hunlin, so he learned, too. My mother should really teach you, because she’s Jun Neri’s Xintou. But she’s at home on Jun Neri’s estate, too close to birthing my gene-sister to travel. I can teach you, if you like!’

  Teya cut her off with a chopping gesture of her good arm. ‘I want nothing from you.’ She turned to the window. ‘I want out of here.’

  To the east of the Chinshi, near the eastern city wall and barely visible even in the bright moonlight, stood the sandstone tower that housed the city junren and the small prison that served Asalam. Usually it housed fifty or a hundred prisoners. Teya ground her teeth. Last report said there were over three hundred crammed into its dank space. But if Dallan was right, maybe the rumours were wrong and the inmates were being shipped off to Melcor as fast as the junren reeled them in. Was Perrin there? Terrified, perhaps beaten and abused by guards or inmates.

  She had to find out. She couldn’t sleep in comfort in a jun’s house while he suffered.

  She whirled to Ying, pinning
the trembling girl with a sharp glare.

  ‘Give me the door key.’

  Ying hesitated then collected the key from a low table by the bed and passed it over. ‘You can’t go out. You’re injured! And Neri’s weishi and servants will see you. They’ll stop you. It’s too dangerous.’

  Teya curled a lip. ‘No, they won’t.’ The heavy key lay cold in her hand. ‘I have to know where my brother is. I have to find out if he’s alive.’ She touched the hot, lumpy scar on her shoulder. It hurt, but not as badly as her back had, five years ago. She could bear it.

  For Perrin she could bear anything.

  Ying touched her arm, tentative. ‘You’re not well.’ She rummaged through her bag, pulling out a cloak. ‘Let me come with you.’

  ‘No!’ Teya pushed her away. ‘No-one will care if something happens to me. But if you get hurt, I’ll be blamed because I’m older and you’re…important. You stay here.’ She couldn’t help the faint sneer. ‘Where it’s safe.’

  Her lower lip pouting, Ying shrank. ‘I’m xintou but I’m not a coward. I might not have seen as many horrible things as you, but that doesn’t make you better.’

  Teya sniffed. ‘But it does make me less likely to get caught. Stay here. And don’t tell. Promise?’

  When Ying hesitated, Teya took a step closer. ‘Promise or I’ll jiche-well tie you and gag you.’

  ‘You wouldn’t!’

  ‘Try me.’

  Ying folded in on herself. ‘Fine. But only if you promise to return—with or without Perrin.’

  Teya scanned the warm room; the soft bed. She set her jaw. This was a jun’s house. She couldn’t afford to get too comfortable.

  Ying straightened. ‘Dallan promised he would help you. He’s not a jun or a xintou. So you don’t have to trust us, but you can rely on him. Besides, if you can’t get Perrin by yourself, you’ll need his help.’

  ‘But what does he want? Nobody helps anyone for free.’