Catalyst

  “I think the island authorities are accustomed to dealing with stupid mainlanders. It’s impossible to get a permit to climb Pica Mahal without reserving a guide. We thought it was a scam to bring money into the island treasury, but after barely making our shelter before nightfall, we were ready to rain the blessings of Fahla upon our guide.”

  “Are you planning a repeat visit while we’re here?” Ekatya asked.

  Lanaril shook her head. “When I was twenty, I could climb a mountain on a whim. These days it would take a little more preparation time. Besides, we won’t be near Dahal Ridge.”

  “Right,” Lhyn said. “We’re going to the crooked finger.”

  “Lina Stille.” Ekatya held up her pad, where a map of the two islands glowed in full color. “Some of us did our homework.”

  “Some of us didn’t need to.”

  “Of course. Which is why you called it the crooked finger.”

  “Sometimes descriptive terms are more fun.”

  “Because fun is always more important than accuracy. Are you sure you’re a scientist?”

  “The best in my field.” Lhyn was suddenly drained of all happiness. “Or so I’ve been told.”

  Ekatya gave no outward sign of her own shift in emotion, but grief and regret snuffed out the sparkling light Lanaril had been enjoying. “By numerous people,” she said. “Including everyone at your institute, and their opinions should count for something.”

  “They do.” Lhyn could not hold Ekatya’s gaze.

  Lanaril looked back and forth between them and debated for a moment. “Does this conversation have anything to do with the story you didn’t tell me last night?”

  She listened to Lhyn’s indecision and Ekatya’s self-control, as the captain held back her own answer and waited.

  “Yes,” Lhyn said at last. “I’m sorry, Lanaril. I thought I could tell you a short version last night, just so you’d know, but that ceremony was so beautiful…and the eclipse, and the music, and everything else…” Her smile held too much knowledge. “I couldn’t do it. And I realized this morning that I can’t do it more than once. So I need to wait for a time when we’re all together. Probably when I’ve poured half a bottle of grain spirits down my throat.”

  Lanaril shifted to face her. “Will you be all right while you wait?”

  With a choked laugh, Lhyn said, “And this is why I love Alseans. Yes, I’m all right. I became much more all right the moment we arrived in orbit. Thank you for asking.”

  Lanaril held out a hand and smiled when Lhyn took it without hesitation. “I am very sorry for whatever happened to you,” she said, projecting her affection and sympathy. “Know that if you need to talk, or even just to be emotionally heard, I am here. And I seem to have very little on my schedule for the next two ninedays.”

  Lhyn blinked back tears. “Sometimes I really hate your cultural restriction on warmrons.”

  Lanaril offered her other hand. “Since we are family now,” she said quietly.

  Lhyn interlaced their fingers and held tight, and for the second time in three days, Lanaril wished she could flout a lifetime of training the way Andira did.

  The transport dropped altitude as it neared Lina Stille—or as Lanaril would always think of it now, the crooked finger of Mahaite. Wrinkles and shadows in the landscape became ridges and valleys, and then she could make out individual trees in the unending carpet of green. Here in the tropics, where the growing season lasted nearly the full cycle, some of the trees reached enormous proportions. She remembered climbing one on her last visit to the island—an endeavor made considerably easier by the ladder fastened permanently to its trunk—and thinking, as she looked down on the tops of the smaller surrounding trees, that it was like being on a ship sailing a verdant ocean.

  Their destination was the very tip of the finger. Soon the last trees flashed beneath them, revealing a grass landing pad which ended at the water. Though marked off for multiple transports, it was vacant now. The entire resort had been reserved for their group.

  A pedestrian bridge led from the landing pad to a small island in the protected bay, perhaps half a length offshore, where the resort was hidden in the trees. Lanaril had read up on it the moment her invitation was delivered, and approvingly noted that no transport traffic was allowed at the resort itself. In fact, the airspace over the bay was closed to all traffic except emergency transports, so their pilot had taken an indirect route along the water’s edge, turning north shortly before landing.

  In the bustle of both guests and Guards exiting the transport and collecting luggage, Lanaril moved off to one side and closed her eyes, simply breathing the air. Whitemoon had felt so different from Blacksun, with its warm, scented breezes at a time when Blacksun Basin was experiencing the crisp coolness of autumn. But Whitemoon was also a busy port, full of the noise and odors that came with its traffic. Here the air felt heavy with the fragrance of flowers and the decay of leaf litter in the forest behind her, and beneath it all ran the clean scent of seawater untouched by industry. The only sounds of civilization were those of her fellow passengers, as Guards called orders, luggage was shifted, and low voices commented on the beauty of the area. Beyond that she heard the slap of water against bridge pilings, the lower swoosh of wavelets upon the shore, the rustling of leaves and branches, and the cries of birds that never flew over Blacksun Basin.

  She opened her eyes and began making her way toward the bridge. Guests had the option of crossing on foot or taking the cable car, which was slung beneath the bridge deck. According to the resort’s information, the car had a transparent bottom and afforded perfect views of the local waterfowl, as well as an occasional glimpse of the giant wingfish that lived in the quiet bays around Mahaite. Lanaril thought she would try that later, but for her first approach, she wanted to walk over and enjoy the views of both their resort island and Pica Mahal.

  The other guests had the same idea, leaving a group of Guards free to load up the cable car with luggage and take it across ahead of them. Some of the remaining Guards made a second pile of luggage for the next trip, while the others stood in a ready posture, scanning the area for danger. It was difficult to imagine any threat in this paradise, but even with her unprecedented approval ratings, Andira still had enemies. And now, by virtue of their bonding, so did Salomen.

  Sensing Lhyn’s need to be alone with Ekatya, Lanaril angled her steps to intersect with those of Andira, who was walking onto the bridge next to Colonel Micah. Salomen was with her family on the landing pad, where a last-tick discussion of housing appeared to be taking place.

  “I’m still a little concerned about the attack you suffered on the transport,” Colonel Micah was saying. “Are you certain you don’t wish to file a report? Assaulting the Lancer is a serious offense.”

  “I’m not listening, Micah.”

  “On the other hand,” he said with vast enjoyment, “perhaps your reluctance to name the attacker indicates something else. Perhaps it was not an Alsean at all, but a treecat. One could have gotten aboard while the transport was parked in Whitemoon. I’ve heard they sometimes get confused and climb people just like trees, which could also explain the marks on your neck.”

  Lanaril covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

  Andira shot a glare at her Chief Guardian. “You never did learn to swim very well, did you? Something about being too dense to float. I wonder how deep the water is here.”

  “Happily, I’m also too dense for you to throw me over the rail.”

  “I could ask Gehrain to do it.”

  “Gehrain just zipped under our feet, along with half the luggage.”

  “Senshalon, then.”

  “He’s with Gehrain.”

  “How convenient that you sent my strongest Guards on luggage duty before harassing me.”

  “I’m wounded. I show concern for your well-being, and you call it harassme
nt.”

  Lanaril increased her speed, closing the gap between them. “I wonder, Colonel, why you seem so unconcerned about our Bondlancer? She may have escaped injury this time, but there’s no guarantee that the attacker won’t return.”

  Andira twisted around and frowned at her. “You’re supposed to defend me against him, not join ranks with him.”

  “I must admit some admiration for our mysterious assailant,” Lanaril continued without remorse. “Who appears to have easily overwhelmed the leader of the warrior caste.”

  “Not so easily,” Andira muttered. “She did have to work for it.”

  Lanaril and Micah burst into laughter, and Andira let go of the grin she had been holding back.

  “Truly, I’m happy for you,” Lanaril said. “Salomen is your equal in so many things, including passion. Fahla could not have sent you a better bondmate.”

  Andira looked back to where Salomen was now stepping onto the bridge, with Jaros at her side. “No, she could not.”

  The three of them chatted easily as they crossed the long span, occasionally stopping when local wildlife made itself known. A flock of pure white sailtails passed overhead, softly calling to each other, and a great school of fish appeared on the landward side of the bridge, their dorsal fins breaking the water’s surface in such numbers that it sounded like a rushing stream. Lanaril saw more waterfowl than she could identify, and at one point thought she glimpsed the shadow of a wingfish. Across the water, Pica Mahal watched over them, its top hidden in clouds.

  They had dawdled enough that when they reached the end of the bridge, Salomen and the Opahs had caught up. Ekatya and Lhyn were still out on the span, along with quite a few Guards.

  Somewhere on this island, Lanaril knew, there was a black sand beach perfect for relaxing and swimming, but on this side the land came to a sudden edge before dropping off into the water. A trail followed the rocky edge, encircling the entire island. Andira had already declared her intent to run it first thing tomorrow.

  A second trail led straight from the foot of the bridge into the giant trees, where it quickly vanished behind thick trunks. Brilliant flowers outlined it in the shaded dimness, too evenly spaced to be anything but carefully cultivated.

  They followed the trail into the forest, through two sharp curves and over a slight rise of ground before arriving in a clearing where a ring of nine cabins stood on stilts, each with two sides open to the warm breeze. In their center was a much larger cabin, built on the same design but with four solid walls and a broad wooden deck surrounding it on all sides. A wood-chip path encircled it and sent spokes out to each of the smaller cabins.

  Though Lanaril did not have a practiced eye, she noted several Guards already watching from various points around the clearing. They must have been in the forest as well, though she had neither seen nor sensed them.

  Two men were walking toward their group, the taller of whom wore his gray hair in a braid and moved with the upright posture of a retired warrior. He confirmed Lanaril’s guess when he stopped and thumped both fists to his chest in the warrior salute to a Lancer.

  “Lancer Tal, Bondlancer Opah, well met. You do us great honor with your visit.”

  The shorter man, whose thick torso and bulging arms bore testament to a lifetime of manual labor, held up his hand for a palm touch. “Well met indeed! This is my bondmate, Galon, and I’m Jarnell. We’re delighted to welcome you and your family to Stilletree Resort.”

  “Well met, Jarnell, Galon.” Andira touched their palms in turn, then smiled at Jarnell while Salomen greeted them. “Builder caste, yes? Is this your handiwork?” She gestured at the ring of cabins.

  He drew himself up proudly. “Designed and built. I may not have driven every nail, but they’re mine. I’m particularly proud of the Bondmate Bower.” He pointed across the clearing.

  Lanaril did not know how she hadn’t noticed it before. On the other side of the clearing stood an enormous delwyn tree, its massive trunk at least three body lengths in diameter. High off the ground, above the tops of the surrounding trees, the trunk divided itself into three lead branches, which grew horizontally before curving straight up again.

  Nestled into the space created by the three branches was an octagonal cabin with walls made mostly of glass. A cantilevered deck lined with colorful planters jutted out from the branches, seeming to hover in the air while providing space for a table and four chairs. Wooden stairs wound their way around the tree trunk, descending from the deck to the ground.

  “Holy Shippers,” Lhyn said. “That looks like something out of a storybook.”

  “It’s lovely.” Salomen smiled at their hosts. “I cannot wait to see it, and the views it must command.”

  Andira took her hand, silently adding her agreement, and Jarnell beamed. “The view is magnificent in every direction, and the glass is of course privacy screened. One of your Guards already took up your luggage, and we left you a welcoming tray of food and drink. Now then!” He took a reader card out of the pouch on his belt and unrolled it. “We assigned cabins to five of you and had the luggage delivered, but I understand there was some question about where Raiz Jaros would sleep.”

  “I get my own cabin,” Jaros said. “Father and Salomen agreed.”

  “Fortunate you are! In that case, your cabin is that one right there. You’ll be between your father and your brother. We put your bag into your father’s cabin for now, but it will be a matter of pipticks to move it.”

  Barely pausing for breath, he pointed out the cabins reserved for Shikal, Nikin, Ekatya and Lhyn, Lanaril, and Colonel Micah. Three cabins remained unoccupied.

  “But where are the Lead Guards sleeping?” Jaros asked. “Shouldn’t they be here?”

  Galon spoke for the first time since the initial greeting. “The Lead Guards and the Head Guardian are each in their own bondmate bowers, watching over their units. We have three other cabin rings in our resort.” He gave Andira a respectful nod and added, “It is truly a pleasure to have so many warriors staying with us, and of such a high caliber. If it’s not too much of an imposition, I wonder if I might be allowed to watch some of their training?”

  “I’m certain they’ll enjoy an audience,” Andira said. “You have the bearing of one with considerable training yourself. Alsean Defense Force?”

  “Mariner.”

  “Which is why he cannot bear to be out of sight of the water.” Jarnell nudged his bondmate. “And so I find myself retiring here and working harder than I did before I retired.”

  “Warriors never retire; did you not know that?” Andira put a hand on Colonel Micah’s shoulder. “Sometimes they make the attempt, but they never get very far.”

  “So I’ve noticed,” Jarnell said with a wink as he rolled up his reader card. “You must be anxious to settle in, so we’ll leave you to it and go take care of the rest of your Guards.”

  They took their leave and joined the crowd of Guards waiting at the edge of the clearing. With a quick exchange of words, the entire parade moved down the path and soon vanished into the forest, leaving their small group alone.

  Jaros tugged at Colonel Micah’s sleeve. “Why do Gehrain, Ronlin, and Vellmar get bondmate bowers while you only get a cabin?”

  “Because I’m part of Lancer Tal’s family,” he said. “Which means she treats me worse than her Guards.”

  Lancer Tal laughed. “Pay him no attention, Jaros. He just needs to go for a swim.”

  CHAPTER 5:

  Stories

  “Stars and Shippers, I didn’t expect this,” Ekatya said as she stood in the center of the room.

  “Neither did I. They look so plain from the outside, but…wow.” Lhyn stood next to her, gazing around their cabin.

  The worn wooden steps leading to the front porch had given Ekatya the impression of old, simple construction. Stepping across the threshold ended that supposition in a hu
rry.

  Their cabin was floored with hand-painted tiles polished to a shine, and the ceiling was made up of colored wood slats carefully arranged into geometric patterns. It took a moment for Ekatya to realize that the painted tiles represented a forest floor, and the ceiling represented the branches and leaves of trees. Each corner of the room was anchored by an unpeeled log—the trunks of the trees. Sconces on the two solid walls were housed in hand-blown glass shades of a rich rose-gold and would no doubt continue the theme with the soft glow of sunrise or sunset when they were lit.

  One of the solid walls held detailed wooden cabinetry for their clothes, decorated with the same patterns as the ceiling, and the all-important shannel dispenser. Based on the sheer quality of the rest of the cabin, Ekatya expected that shannel to be top-notch.

  Against the other solid wall was an enormous bed covered by a quilt in undulating shades of blue and silver. It had no headboard, but the wall itself was carved in ripples that were inlaid with matching colors of blue and silver, going all the way to the ceiling. Ekatya stared at it in puzzlement until Lhyn said, “Oh! It’s a waterfall. And the bed is the pool at the base of it.”

  “You’re quick. I wasn’t seeing that at all.” Ekatya trailed her fingers along the smooth quilt. “Sleeping in a pool; that will be a new one.”

  She walked through the door to the left of the bed and discovered a bathroom, which, while narrow from front to back, made up for it by utilizing the width of the cabin. Here the forest theme shifted to one of rocks and pools: the surface areas around the sink were made of flat stones, as was the flooring, and the shower at one end was elevated on what appeared to be a pile of darker stones with steps cut into them. Standing on the first step, Ekatya could see that the shower’s base had been laid with hundreds of tiny tiles in varying shades of blue and green. Windows at each end of the bathroom were opaque and faintly tinted in green, making the bright daylight appear as if it were being filtered through thick trees surrounding a hidden pool.