Kaylin shrugged.
“Why do you think it exists?”
“Until yesterday or the day before, I didn’t think about the border zone much. It’s not supposed to be safe.”
“The fiefs weren’t safe, given Ferals. And the buildings seem to be relatively solid.”
“We didn’t spend a lot of time playing in the border zone. People were rumored to have entered it and never escaped.”
“Or entered it and crossed into a different fief?”
“If they never returned, no one could question them.” She exhaled. “The border zone wasn’t solid. It’s not like you could find a place to live—an empty place—and cross back into the fiefs. If it worked that way, the border zone would be occupied. It wouldn’t be empty. The Ferals didn’t cross those borders; they came fromRavellonand returned toRavellon.”
“And you know this how?”
Kaylin shrugged again. Trying not to sound as defensive as she felt, she said, “We were kids. We were trying our best to survive. People we mostly trusted gave us advice; we followed it. Why didn’t matter. Keep your eyes open; we’re looking for a cross street that doesn’t run to the fief on either side.”
“What did the Arkon have to say about the border zone?”
Kaylin almost shrieked. “Nothing useful at all. But to be fair, we were asking about Killian. Mostly. Bellusdeo thinks he was hiding something.”
“She didn’t ask?”
“If it’s something complicated, he generally says I’d die of old age before he adequately explained it.”
“That’s possibly true. I’d bet you pass away from aggravated boredom first, though.”
“Very funny, Teela.”
“Thank you.”
“If you two could stop bickering,” Annarion said, “I think we might have found something.”
“How? You can’t even see.”
“Teela can. Jog to the right at the corner. I think that’s like your signposts.”
“They’re not my signposts, and what do you mean?”
“There’s a pole in the ground with a small sign sticking out of it. Well, two small signs. It looks similar to the ones you have all over the city.”
Kaylin had reached the signpost that Annarion had seen; she nearly missed it because it was obscured by what appeared to be trees.
Trees in the border zone.
Even the backyards of the buildings here had been flat and gray; they implied either dead grass or dirt. But here, on this street, there were trees. Gray trees, for the most part; the leaves had a bit of color, but color in the border zone was tricky.
She reached the signpost. It was at the corner of two intersecting streets. The two signs on the post were white lettering on gray—but it was lettering that Kaylin had difficulty reading.
“You would,” Teela said softly.
Kaylin didn’t bridle. “What’s the language?”
“It’s Barrani—but the letter forms are not modern. I was taught this in my childhood; it is not used much now.” She turned to Annarion. “Can you read it?”
He nodded.
“The modern forms were simplified,” Teela continued. “And the road I think we want to follow is the one that continues farther down. At least this time we won’t be crawling through backyards with lamentably poor fences.”
