“Do you mean usemyhead?”
“The head,” she whispers three more times in quick succession.
I let out a frustrated breath and climb to my feet. “What does that even mean?”
The Bone Reader tosses her hands into the air. “It’s so simple, achildcould lead you there.” She places a strange emphasis on the wordchildand gives me a pointed look. “Now go,Enebish.I have paying customers to attend to.”
CHAPTER TEN
MY LEAN-TO IS A TORNADO OF CRUMPLED PARCHMENT.
Charred pine ink stains my fingers and I’m fairly certain it’s also smeared across my cheeks from dragging my hands down my face. I’ve been attempting to write my report to Ghoa for over an hour, but I haven’t a clue what to say.
Tell her everything you’ve learned,Enebish the Warrior insists.It’s your duty, the only thing standing between you and the Kalima. Ghoa is counting on you.
But every time I dip my quill into the inkpot, I remember the refugees’ mud-spattered tents. I see a toddler sucking on an empty ration sack and sighing as if it were a honey cake. I hear the animals bleating miserably in the cold.
Temujin is helping them. He helpedme—twice now, between the zurig and the blanket. And I haven’t actually found him or his hideout yet. Just a symbol and nonsensical clues. It would be better to follow these leads, obtain the location of the Shoniin’s lair, andthentell Ghoa of the ram and military rations. No sense seizing the refugees’ food until the last moment possible. That will also give me time to learn the empire’s plans to aid the shepherds—and why nothing appears to be happening.
Decided, I finally compose my update:
Dearest Sister,
I have been hard at work, following potential leads throughout the grazing lands as well as in the marketplace at Diylar Square. While I haven’t found the rebels yet, I believe I’m on the right track. I’ll update you the moment I learn something useful. In the meantime, I’m most concerned for the shepherds. While I have no doubt you coordinated a relief effort, I fear your orders have been misunderstood. They are without the barest essentials. Would you like me to look into the disconnect? What have you arranged and who is to carry it out?
Also, please send word of Serik. I feel guilty, knowing he’s stuffed inside a prayer temple, while I’m out here.
Yours in obedience,
Enebish
I try to sleep, but the darkness has other plans for me. The threads wriggle like worms from the dilapidated boards and slither like vipers through the soggy leaves. More determined than ever to wake the monster. Daring me to take them in my fist and slam them to the ground. Pull a shade over this entire, miserable place.
I toss and turn, clenching my moonstone so tight that the edges of my skin bleed.
When I finally drift to sleep, the sky is already a smoky gray and my blanket rustles seemingly minutes later. Orbai screeches and nearly nibbles a hole in the wool by the time I sit up. “I trained you too well,” I groan as I grapple for the embossed parchment on her leg.
Dear Enebish,
I am pleased to hear you’re quickly closing in on Temujin. I had no doubt you would succeed. I am concerned, however, that your preoccupation with the shepherds is hindering your progress. I’m also hurt that you’d doubt my dedication to the people. Don’t I deserve the same level of trust and faith I have always offered you? I assure you once again—the refugees are not forgotten. I’m sending a member of the Kalima to deal with the miscommunication. Please focus on the task at hand. Everything depends on this.
Your loving sister,
Ghoa
Shame pelts me like hailstones and I toss the missive to the leaves, where I won’t have to look at it. I would never question Ghoa’s devotion to the people. That’s not what I meant. I only wanted to help. I thought—
You thought you could do better than Ghoa,my conscience scolds.Just like you did in the weeks leading up to Nariin.
No. It isn’t remotely the same.
The scars on my injured arm and leg seem to throb in disagreement, and I rub at them furiously.
No longer tired in the least, I pull on my cloak and boots and wrestle my hair into a braid. I will find Temujinnow.Today. To prove Ghoa did right by giving me this opportunity. To prove I never doubted her.
I scour the grazing lands again, keeping the Bone Reader’s clue in mind:Use the head, girl. That’s the way.Hoods and hats and headscarves seem like the most natural connection, so I study the clothing of each passerby, hoping for a glimpse of the ram. But I can’t find a single one. Even the girl who washed dishes with me has mysteriously vanished. And I’m so busy squinting at laundry lines instead of looking where I’m walking, I trip over group after group of muddy, barefoot children. Each time, my heart breaks a little more. It’s difficult to look at them, knowing I can’t help. Knowing I’ve offended Ghoa.
Needing to be free of these miserable fields, I tether Orbai to our tree so she can’t follow me into the city proper, and search the Grand Courtyard and neighborhoods surrounding the royal complex. It’s Ashkar’s head of state, which could be what the Bone Reader’s clue meant. But the austere government buildings don’t even have curtains hanging from the windows or flags flying from the rooftops, where the ram could be hidden. And the walls are free of dirt and graffiti.
