“It’s nice to meet you too, Tikanna. You know, my grandmother always used to say, you may have to age, but you are in no way required to grow old. It seems to me you exemplify that saying.”
“Maria, eh?” she said with a chuckle, turning to her friend. “I like this one. She’ll fit right in.”
“I agree. A third human come to our village? If I was a superstitious woman, I would think the universe is trying to tell us something.”
“Yes, that we are very good at taking in strays,” her friend cracked back, eliciting laughs from both of them.
Maria grinned. These two were adorable. “And I really, really want to thank you for taking in one more. When Zeph saved me and said he was taking me to his village, I didn’t know what to expect. But now that I’m here, I can easily see why.”
“Saved?” Rohanna asked, her head cocked slightly like a puzzled dog. “You say you weresaved?”
“Yes.”
“By our Zepharos?”
“Uh-huh. Broke me out and got me free. I owe him everything.”
“You’re sure it was Zepharos who did this?” Rohanna asked half-kidding.
“Of course.”
The woman glanced over at the man. “Why, Zepharos, are you blushing?”
“No, Rohanna. Merely flush from the journey.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, clearly not buying it. She turned her attention back to the newcomer. “So, you say he saved you? And has he treated you properly?”
“He has been an absolute gentleman,” Maria replied.Exceptwhen I want him not to be,she thought to herself, flashing a quick glance his way.
Rohanna nodded slowly. “Interesting. You see, Tikanna? I told you he was finally growing up.”
“Maria was captured by the Raxxians, like the others,” the poor man cut in, desperate to avoid any further embarrassment. “I found her at the Husken Games, a prisoner sold off to one of the elite families to fill the vacancies in the players’ ranks.”
“And you thought it wise to free her?”
“I did. She clearly did not belong there. We know humans are recent arrivals to our world, as well as Dotharian laws. She will need to see the Skrizzit immediately.”
The two women looked over the newly arrived human and shared a curious glance. “Why?” Tikanna asked. “She has the runes.”
He shook his head. “Yes and no.”
“Yes and no? Explain.”
“Someone did the unthinkable, putting her very life at risk.”
“How so?” the old woman persisted.
“They gave her runes so she could compete, seemingly in compliance with Dotharian law. But what they gave her, while seemingly correct, are actually incomplete. Her Infala lacks several vital connecting lines. And it was done intentionally. If she fell into Dotharian hands, she would be executed.”
The women gasped at the revelation, utterly shocked that anyone, even one of the elites of those dreaded games, would do such a thing. Rohanna snapped her fingers and waved over her aide who had been standing silently nearby. She looked at Maria with sympathetic eyes.
“You poor dear. We will have your Infala repaired at once.” She turned to her aide. “Go fetch the Skrizzit immediately and have him prepare the finest pigments. Inform him he will be righting a grievous wrong committed against our guest.”
“Immediately, Rohanna,” the aide said, hurrying out.
Rohanna shook her head slowly as she processed what had been done to Maria. “Barbaric, truly. The Skrizzit will be arranged for you. But we will talk more later. For the moment, I know there are two people who very much wish to meet you.” She waved over another aide. “Take her to the gathering circle.”
“At once, Rohanna. Please, Maria, follow me.”
