For a moment, Isaac was lost in memory.
“You know that letter I have?The one with the seal?”
“Aye,” Zaria said.
“It was written by him.Mostly, it’s just a reminder of mymission, a means of granting safe passage.But there’s this—” Isaac couldn’tget the words out.“He wrote a line, towards the end.‘Your father will beproud of you.’”
He had read that line many, many times.
“Isaac,” Zaria said, and there was something different inher voice.“I don’t mean this ...ungently, but I’ve seen that sort before.Pirates, mercenaries, soldiers—any band of rough men that’ll pick along kids asit roams through the land.It’s abuse.You smack the lad often, insult everyeffort he makes, but throw in a reward now and then, and he’ll love you.He’lltry desperately to win your approval.He’ll think all the horror you put himthrough is for a purpose, rather than just bein’ mean.”
“I don’t care for your opinion on my family,” Isaac said.“You asked, and I answered.That’s all.”
There was a silence.
“So be it.Your business, in the end.”He heard her start tochew on more meat.“If we’re changing the subject, then I feel obligated toinquire something.”
“Yes?”
“You ever laid with a woman before?”
Isaac turned onto his side, facing away.“I’m going to sleepnow.”
“Hold a moment.I’m getting the little itchy notion thatyou’ve not spoken the truth.”
“You think I’m lying?”
“No,” Zaria said.“I think someone’s lyin’ to you.”
He frowned.Slowly, he rolled back over.“How do you mean?”
She unfolded his map from a pocket and shifted over untilshe was sitting next to him.She held the map out, and Isaac noted,disdainfully, that it had acquired her musk.“You came up from the south,correct?This way here?”
He studied the map.“More or less.”
“You say that like it don’t mean nothing.”
“Should it?”
She snorted in disbelief.“Where do you hail from, Isaac?Bespecific.”
He looked up at her.The scar across her nose was the samedull pink as the sunset above, and her eyes were already reflecting the lightin the coming gloom.
“At this point,” she said, “do you think it’ll hurt totell?”
Isaac rolled his eyes.“The outskirts of Khador, close tothis river here.”
“That’s to the east.Quite far, actually.”
“I hope you’re getting to a point.”
“Isaac, why were you coming up from the south if your homelies to the east?”
“My uncle told me to venture around the eastern portion ofthe desert.He said there were vicious pirates around the alluvial washes.”Helooked at her.“Clearly, he was right.”
“You have no idea what lies to the south, do you?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
