The previous Host had lived to be almost a hundred years old, so Yuma was still unused to the new Host being a child.
“I must apologize for saddling you with an outsider,” she said.
“Anyone found on the steppe must be cared for. You did the right thing.”
His voice was young but he spoke like an ancient. This child, until last year, had been called Dalan, but he now harbored the soul of the Great Host that was as old as time. Yuma understood this in theory, but his outer appearance still took much adjusting to.
“Where is the man?” Yuma asked.
The Host pointed to the stairs on the left and said, “Resting on a bed upstairs. No need to worry, for now. He was only suffering from exhaustion and exposure. He is weak in body but strong against disease. And yet…”
“And yet?”
The Host frowned. “A very weak body indeed. As if he has never moved his arms and legs on his own. That scaffolding frame around him… You said he could move only with its help?”
Yuma nodded. “That seems to be the case.”
“Old Vella found a way to strip it off him, so he won’t be able to go far.”
“The man claimed to be an emissary of the Empire. I do not think immobilizing him is necessary.”
The Host didn’t answer as he stood up and opened the lid of the cauldron behind him. The steam rose like a cloud, and a scent like flowers in spring spread through the room. Yuma found herself breathing it in deeply.
From inside the cauldron, the Host picked up a steamed meat bun and tossed it to Yuma, who caught it neatly with both hands. It was hot. As the Host sat back down and took a bite of his own meat bun, Yuma did the same. The flower scent and meat flavor spread in her mouth. She hadn’t eaten all day.
“That frame around him isn’t something that moves on its own. There is magic flowing through it. Did you bring the iron lump he rode in on?”
“I’ve ordered herders to use oroxen to drag it here. It should arrive soon.”
“He won’t be able to walk, if he is away from that thing.”
So Lysandros had been borrowing strength from that machine. Yuma’s eyes widened in realization. It made sense—he had indeed collapsed as soon as he had ordered the iron giant to stop.
“When will he be awake?” She stared at the stairs and took another bite of her bun.
“Worried, are you? I suppose aside from being as thin as a blade of grass, he is a handsome young man.”
Something a child might tease her about, or perhaps it was more of an old man’s joke. Yuma swallowed and said, “I only have some questions.”
“Let him rest for now. Come back tomorrow morning. Can he speak our language?”
“Very little.”
“There is much time before the end of the herding; he’ll learn more.”
Surprised, Yuma stopped in mid-bite. “You want us to keep him with us until the end of the herding?”
The Host gave her a look as if to say she was a fool for even asking. “Are we not shorthanded and can’t afford to send our herders to Danras with him? Besides, if he is here as an emissary, he should understand how we live as a people.”
“But Host, this man…” She struggled to find the words. It was forbidden to mention the Grim King in front of the Host.
“I am aware. You want to say that he’s looking for this man, correct?”
Yuma nodded, slowly.
“He’ll come when he comes.”
This was said casually, but there was a bit of worry in the Host’s eyes. Yuma thought of Rizona’s death again.
