Are you hurt?I asked.
Only Hasho,replied Kiki for the cranes. She darted to my youngest brother, who showed me the underside of his wing.
It was just a graze, but the sight still made me flinch. I crouched to press snow to the wound, but Hasho shook me away, letting it shudder off his feathers. He was squawking furiously, and I turned to Kiki.
He says no need to coddle him,translated the paper bird.He’s more concerned about you….Your brothers heard that an assassin was caught in Castle Bushian.
I’m all right.I didn’t want to talk about Chiruan’s arrest.The net is finished. Tell them I’m ready to leave.
While Kiki spoke, Benkai’s round eyes observed me. He made a low murmur.
He says you don’t look ready,responded Kiki for my second brother.Seryu told them you were taken into Castle Bushian by none other than your betrothed.The paper bird cocked her head.He asks if this is true.
It’s true.
Benkai’s beak parted, as if to say,Ah, that explains much.
I didn’t know why my face burned. Or why I thought it necessary to say to Kiki,I thought they wouldn’t be here until tomorrow.
They’re early. They have news for you.An excited whoop trumpeted out of Andahai’s beak, and Kiki flapped her wings for him to quiet down.They’ve discovered Raikama’s true name.
I held my breath.What is it?
They were looking in all the wrong places,Kiki went on as Wandei, my quietest brother, puffed up a little with pride.A’landi, Samaran. Then Wandei remembered that your father went to the Tambu Isles fifteen years ago. He’d asked him to bring back some teakwood—it doesn’t rot like birch and willow do, and it’s strongest for building—
Reiji cut in with an impatient cry, and Kiki shot up.I’m just doing my job! I can’t help it if he’s digressing.
Sending my brothers a glare, Kiki sat on Yotan’s shoulder and relayed the rest of the story:Emperor Hanriyu had been invited to go to Tambu, along with all the kings and emperors and princes of Lor’yan. Your brothers found records in a monastery in the South. They broke in so many times that the monks were readying a pot for bird stew.
Kiki shuddered.Bird stew? Now I’m extra glad to be made of paper.She wrinkled her beak before continuing:There was a girl in Tambu, said to be the most beautiful in the world, and your father was to judge the contest for her hand. In the end, she chose none of the suitors and instead came with your father to Kiata. Her name was Vanna.
Vanna.I turned it over in my mind.
In Tambun, it means “golden.”Kiki sniffed.A bit on the nose, isn’t it? Why not call her Snake Eyes, if they were going to be so obvious?
Hush, Kiki.The tale fit. The name, too—though perhaps a bit too well, like Your Radiance.
It was the last piece of the puzzle. Once we confronted Raikama, we would be free. And yet my stomach twisted with dread. As if we were about to do something terribly, terribly wrong.
Hasho nipped at my skirts, his crane eyes remarkably clear.
He wants to know what’s wrong,said Kiki.
I didn’t respond.
They thought the news would make you happy. They know you’re afraid of what’s to come, but breaking the curse is the only way we can help your father regain control of Kiata. Even if it means one of them dying, it is a price they have all promised to pay.
It isn’t only that,I confessed slowly.I’m…I’m beginning to have doubts about Raikama. Why did she go through all this trouble to curse us if she wanted us dead? With her power, she could have easily killed us.
Andahai huffed at me.Now is not the time for philosophizing,his look read.We have her name; we have the net. Soon we’ll be free of her, and Father will know her for the monster she really is.
That was what we’d all wanted from the start, so why was I uncertain?
Do you remember when she first came?I asked.She loved us like her own. Remember how she convinced Father to get you that horse you wanted, Andahai? And, Wandei, how she helped us build our best kite? We loved her.
My brothers shifted uneasily, but Reiji kicked at the snow. His beak was the sharpest of all the cranes’, and it twitched now with anger. I hardly needed Kiki’s help to grasp what he was saying:
Of course we loved her—she put a spell on us. After all this time, you want to start believing that our stepmother is good? Kiata is falling apart, and I would bet my wings that Raikama has something to do with it.
