Page 63 of Children of Anguish and Anarchy

After hushed whispers, the girls lead me into warm waters. Their gentle hands move through the steam-filled space. The girls wash the dirt and sand from my skin. They run combs carved from coral through my white hair. They grab a ribbon of golden silk, tying my long white coils into a high braid.

When I am clean, the girls lead me to a room filled to the brim with burgundy pillows and deep green blankets. Heat rises through the ceramic floor. Nailah lies asleep in a bed of her own, no sign of the vines that kept her at bay. From the new sheen in her golden mane, I can tell someone’s tended to her as well.

Mae’e waits on the balcony, staring out at her city. After all the time spent seeing her in my mind, it’s strange to see her in real life. The flashes couldn’t capture the grace with which she stands. The way the winds seem to sing as they blow through her raven hair.

I dare to walk over to her, resting my arms along the balcony’s railing. The girls in pale green kaftans pass meters below, tending to the mountain’s countless gardens. Across the waterway, thousands of temples and woven huts shine in the distance like fireflies in the night. I inhale the sight.

“You look wonderful.” Mae’e smiles at the golden kaftan her maidens have dressed me in. “Like the yellow moon.”

It takes me a moment to realize I understand her words without the aid of the medallion.

“You speak my tongue?” I ask.

Mae’e nods. “All tongues stem from the same tree. To understand the Mother Tongue is to understand them all.”

“Where are we?”

“New Gaia.” Mae’e gestures to her lands. Pride radiates behind her dazzling smile. I take in the floating civilization once more. In the far distance, the sculpture of their goddess stands tall, its silhouette stark against the galaxy of stars. Behind it, I spot the imperial palace, where Tzain is supposed to be. I think of him trapped with Köa and the rest of the Lâminas. All the New Gaians who called for our heads.

“Will we be safe?” I ask.

“You are under Emperor Jörah’s protection. No one in this city will lay a hand on your head.”

“But what about my brother?” I push.

“My people need time to understand.” Mae’e touches my shoulder. “Every time outsiders have landed on our shores, they have only brought despair. And after what Yéva said, they are more than afraid. They worry you bring the enemy here.”

At the mention of the enemy, I see King Baldyr’s golden skull. The medallion pulses in my chest. I grit my teeth as new veins scratch themselves free from the tarnished metal, spreading across my skin. The toll of the day hits me like a crashing wave. I grab the railing of the balcony as my feet give way.

“Garotas!” Mae’e rushes to my aid. She shouts for the eight girls she calls the Green Maidens, but I shake my head. The fear I feel is not something they can heal.

Instead, Mae’e takes my hand and leads me to the bed of pillows. She strokes my hair with her delicate touch. Though we have just met, I melt into her arms.

She starts to hum an ancient song. Even the medallion doesn’t understand the words. The flickering candles pop around us. It’s like the flames cry out at her voice.

“Is Yéva ever wrong?” I whisper.

“Never,” Mae’e sighs. “She channels straight from the Great Mother herself.”

“Then why aren’t you scared?” I ask. I allow her to see the medallion embedded in my chest. “The man she speaks of isn’t just coming for your people. He’s coming for you.”

“You doubt our strength.” Mae’e returns to her balcony and gazes out at her lands. Something hard enters her diamond gaze. “By attacking New Gaia, those you call the Skulls have not chosen war. They have chosen annihilation.”

PART III

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

AMARI

WHATEVER SALVE THEGreen Maidens give me keeps me unconscious for the next half-moon. At times I think I’m back in Lagos, safe in the pampered comforts of my old quarters. In the brief moments I stir, Mae’e’s maidens surround me, feeding me spiced meats and freshly picked fruits. At times they draw me baths and rebraid my dark curls. If it weren’t for the flashes of the Skulls’ ship, I would think I’d passed into a new life.

By the time I pull myself from the sea of satin pillows and woven blankets, the crescent moon hangs in the starry sky. The ground beneath me quakes. The mountain rumbles with a sudden force before the tremble quietly fades away.

A bronze table to my right withstands the quake. Welded to the mosaic floor, it holds a full spread with jasmine tea. The candles that never seem to go out flicker against the vine-covered walls. A warm bath steams in the other room, calling to me with its floating lilies and bright sunflowers.

But as I sip the tea, my gaze shifts to the wooden entrance of my room. I set the ceramic saucer down. Soft pink silks glide across my skin as I slide the gilded doors apart.

A melodic voice echoes from down the hall. I follow the sound to find Mae’e kneeling before a magnificent portrait carved out of the entirestone wall. More candles dance across the intricate sculpture, bringing it to life. The work of art captures every detail of New Gaia, from the rice fields to the underground canals. Children gather in front of the floating schoolhouses. Chiseled villagers stand before the imperial palace, heads bowed for a coronation.

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