Page 30 of Of Songs and Silence

Napo leaves my saddle to join Ari in his. His large, round eyes study the Commander’s face in concern, before he wraps himself around Ari’s wound, like a living bandage.

Within seconds, we’re gone, our fish taking off at a breakneck speed that throws me backward in my saddle. We don’t communicate for miles, but my thoughts haunt me nonetheless.

I know it was stupid to dive headfirst into a fight, to be another distraction for Ari. But there was something primal about it that I couldn’t resist. I wonder if he understands that. If he always fights the way he did today, or if he is helpless against an irrational need to keep me safe. Alive.

The same way that I am with him.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

MELODI

Hours pass before we stop for the night—hours where I am consumed by worry for Ari and thoughts of a dying Mayima warrior. A warrior I all but killed.

There was no satisfaction when the life left her eyes. Perhaps that’s enough to set me apart from my mother. I can’t dredge up any real remorse, either, though. Not when she was going to kill Ari.

Nor can I find moral superiority in standing by while someone kills in defense of me rather than entering the fray to return the favor. Still, I regret the necessity, the senseless violence that seems to permeate every last molecule of space in my life.

Despite my insistence that we break to tend to his wound, Ari pushes us until the waters are as dark as a starless night in the middle of the forest. I can’t see my hand in front of my face, let alone the man at my side. But I can sense his pain—his exhaustion. He’s struggling more than he normally does to keep his shields in place.

When my marlin slows, I hear voices in the distance. Not long after, I see the gentle glow of a pale blue light.Another village?The light grows brighter, revealing a settlement much larger than the other villages we’ve passed. More like a town. Glowing algae covers the buildings made of coral, the shell-lined streets and the abandoned ships that they’ve repurposed as shops and inns.

Once again, everyone greets Ari reverentially, calling him by his title, and when their eyes finally meet mine, I’m not surprised by the word that follows. Haunting me like my own shadow—Kala.

Even the innkeeper greets us with special attention once we dismount in front of his building. His eyes linger on us for too long, his head bowed in respect while he orders a young boy to tend to our mounts. He ushers us in quickly, showing us to our chamber and informing us that dinner will be brought up before we can even ask.

Ari wastes no time in bolting our door closed, further securing it with his trident. Then, with a groan, he sits down heavily on the bed’s edge and winces as he pulls Napo from his injury.

My hand reflexively goes to my side, pain still radiating from somewhere deep under my skin. In the exact same spot as the laceration that Ari is now inspecting.

His gaze flickers up to my hand, and he looks away with a grimace—but not a single trace of surprise. His mental shields harden even more, and the pain I’m feeling disappears. This can’t be normal. I certainly didn’t feel the injuries of the other Mayima.

“Don’t,” Ari says before I can form the question in my mind.

He’s tired and in pain from an injury he received protecting me today. Though I do want answers, I certainly don’t need them before we even treat his wound. So I nod, fixing my attention on the slice along his ribcage.

“What can I do?”

He looks like he wants to argue, but instead, gestures gruffly to the medical kit Napo has produced from our travel pack. The octopus withdraws several long pieces of glowing seaweed, and a few of those long, spiral shells. It takes me a moment to recall the name.Auger.

Ari points to one of the shells. “That one first.”

I take it, unsure what to do with it.

“There’s a stopper,” he explains.

Sure enough, I see it once I know what to look for.

Inside is a thick, sap-like mixture he instructs me to spread onto the cut. A hiss of pain lances through me once again, but Ari’s features reveal nothing, nor does he comment. Napo hands over a fuzzy plant that looks like algae, and it adheres itself to the wound.

Finally, I unstopper two more auger shells—one white and one pink. These contain brightly colored beads that he pours into his mouth. All the while, Ari watches me warily, as though he doesn’t quite believe that I will let my questions go.

And I won’t, forever. But I can certainly leave them for now.

* * *

It’s beenhours since we tucked into either side of the large bed. The sponge is comfortable and cool. It taunts me with the sleep I could be getting if I could shut my mind off, even if just for a moment.

And if I could make myself stop fidgeting.

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