Page 195 of Salt in the Seas
The memories she pushed at him were messy. She recalled them out of order and knew they held more impressions than actual moments. But she felt his arm relax under hers as she continued feeding him shared experiences of her caring for him, training him, and laughing with him. Times where they cooked together, played together, and fought together. Moments where he defended her and where she defended him. It was difficult magic she wasn’t yet used to, and as her starlock heated, she sensed the power draining too quickly.
So she pulled back, hoping he’d seen enough. The glazed look in his eyes cleared, and his jaw slackened, revealing the dozens of teeth she’d feared moments before.
“Not friends,” he said, eyes misty. “Family.”
She nodded. “Gaeren could show you more. His skill is far greater than mine.” Felk glanced at Gaeren, then took in the sight of his clan still in their defensive positions. He stood to his full height and held his palms up before jerking them down in some sort of motion that signaled for his clan to stand down.
They skulked away, the disappointment evident as they glared at the people they’d been prepared to attack.
“How did you even find me?” Aeliana asked Felk as Gaeren approached. She rose and dusted off her ruined skirts, passing the letter Gaeren’s way.
Felk pulled another wad from his loincloth, making Aeliana grimace.
“Your smell.” He held the dingy blue cloth to his nose and inhaled.
Aeliana recognized it as a scrap from what had once been her skirt, one she’d left behind after replacing it with the traveling leathers she’d since grown to appreciate.
“Orra gave it to you?”
He shrugged. “It was in my nest. The letter too.”
“That’s still such a long way, with such a small scent,” Aeliana mused, but then she let the mystery go and smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here. It’s so good to see you.”
“Not good.” Felk glanced back toward the busier parts of the city.
“Why not?” Aeliana asked.
“Oh, no,” Gaeren murmured, passing the parchment back to Aeliana, except this time he showed her the back side, where the scribbles held little organization. A comment was left here or there, some upside down or facing left or right. Phrases like “Cycle two, day fifteen” or “Cycle one, day twenty-eight” labeled each comment, forcing Aeliana to spin the parchment around to try to piece the notes together in order.
But four words that she couldn’t ignore stood out.
Mayvus sails to Elanesse.
“No,” Aeliana murmured, turning the parchment faster and trying to make sense of the other phrases.
Count ships
IIIII IIIII IIIII II
Follow ships
Protect MyndrenProtect Elanesse
Mayvus bad
Aeliana good - Sylmar? Emeris?
Blue cloth - Aeliana
Mayvus sails west - not Myndren
Protect Elanesse
ProtectAeliana
“She didn’t even go after Myndren,” Aeliana murmured. “My mother could have stayed.”
Felk leaned over her shoulder and pointed at a phrase. “Yesterday. In swamps.” Then he pointed northwest of Elanesse, beyond the city’s harbor. Aeliana looked back at the phrase, and her starlock grew cold against her chest.
