As she went on, trying to explain that my father disciplined me because he loved me enough to want to save my soul, I thought that I too did not know what to do with myself.
III
SEDUCTRESS
25
NOW: PATROL
After the first few nights, we had a list of wagons signaling they needed the moss. We carefully noted all of the numbered wagons with a flower garland, both from walking around the campgrounds at night and from Tessa riding Zara along the caravan, always in search of a falsely claimed missing goat. I had protested that I could ride Zara along the caravan, but Ilsit rightfully pointed out that though Starling hated Tessa, he hated me more.
But two weeks into our journey, the garlands started to reappear. More women had learned of our service and were asking for the moss.
I laughed despite the stress this caused when, standing in line at the latrines, I overheard two men openly speculate as to why women, in groups of two or three, kept going flower picking when the caravan made camp at night.
We were flat out of moss and, despite asking anyone we spoke to, unsure of when we would find the river and thus god trees again.
When the public dust road finally led us back alongside the Oberlong, I breathed a sigh of relief. I had grown worried that Iwould have to take Zara several hours’ ride in the dead of night off the path to find it, collect it, and return to the caravan, which seemed not only dangerous as it would draw attention, but as I may fall far behind. Tessa and I had decided the best course was to hunt for the god trees in darkness as that would provide cover from any nearby Perpatanian soldiers seeing a woman disappear into thin air. The moss glowed, and that faint light often gave a soft sheen to the outer bark.
“Only take a little bit,” Tessa said to me as I laced up my boys’ breeches. “You could get caught. You need to be able to shed it quickly. They know what mother’s moss looks like.”
“No, take lots,” Ilsit objected. “They say we’ll be up against the Oberlong for a long time, but who knows how many trees you’ll find?”
“Yes, yes!” I hissed at them, as they had both already said their piece twice. “Have a care or you’ll wake Fox and Jade.”
“They’re halfway to dead from walking all day,” Ilsit grumbled from her bedroll. “I still say one of us should go with you.”
“Absolutely not,” Tessa disagreed. “Two will draw more eyes than one.”
“Yes, but two can fight off guards better than one can,” Ilsit sniped.
“I’m off,” I interrupted them. “Try not to tear off each other’s heads while I am gone. I should not be more than an hour or two.”
“Onehour,” they said in unison.
My hair was pulled back in a braid, and I wore a long, dark tunic of Avery’s over the breeches. At a glance in the night, I looked like a boy or man on his way to or from relieving himself. Most of the caravan was abed. I darted past clusters of Perpatanian soldiers who paid me no mind, most of them having a card game or standing in semicircles near dying fires.
Under the hum of their speech, I listened for the rush of the Oberlong. Keeping my head down, in shadows cast by the wagons, I wove amongst what seemed like hundreds of little camps both forpenitents and for soldiers. I was nearly at the edge of it all, the sounds of the river louder in my ears as I neared it, but I found myself interrupted by the one-eyed man.
“Where are you off to?” his voice carried to me on the night air.
I startled, head on a swivel. I knew who spoke, but I could not see him.
“Here,” he whispered.
Eyes roaming, I finally made out the long outline of him leaning against a large oak tree, which loomed over other smaller trees behind it leading into forested land that must have banked the river. I was frustrated. Beyond that outcropping of trees, I could hear the Oberlong. I was so near the god trees, I could practically see that faint blue glow.
I stepped nearer to the Vyggian man. “Evening, sir.”
“Evening, midwife. Where are you off to at this hour?”
“I need to leave camp for a bit.”
He made a noise with his tongue and his teeth, a scolding noise. “Now that will not work out for you. I am on guard tonight. And no one is to get in or get out until we ride again in the morning.”
“Why is that? I am a free woman. Can I not walk on this road and its surroundings? I believe this is a public road.” I could just make out his face beneath that ever-present hood of his.
“Not right now. Not when this whole continent is at war’s doorstep. It is unsafe. And your lord, his two sons, the army captain and your priest have ordered it so.”
