Cursed: Traitor's Trail

Chapter 12 Part 1

The smell of roasted cricket filled the air surrounding the cooking fires. Gray smoke billowed from the bundles of bound grasses and scavenged twigs and rose straight into the afternoon sky, belying the heavy stillness of the air. Woven grass mats lined along the large space between the practice field and the outer village buildings, providing access to platters filled with flat breads and young dandelion shoots. Leaves and flower petals were placed alongside. Men, women and children alike moved around, filling their bone bowls and passing food in communal cooperation. Conversation flowed among the people; gentle questions and polite interest in answers, but a lingering tension remained in the air. The darker events of the last days had not been forgotten; the awareness that a traitor lurked behind one of the friendly, lying faces.

Jaob frowned at the reminder. The day had filled with long repairs, correcting small issues, and planning the next trading trip to the nearby village of Thian, not to mention aiding with the reconstruction of the healing tent. No time remained to seek the traitor, nor would he know how to go about it. How did one find someone with the ability to do such things in apparently very little time? The damaged areas were not isolated or unattended; he didn't understand how someone sabotaged them without being noticed.

A stirring among the Magi distracted him from his untouched plate—he found himself strangely lacking an appetite of late. Aya frowned furiously and gestured, wildly flinging her arm. It was difficult to tell, but Jaob assumed she might be directing her comments toward Kierra. The healer turned away from the woman, a scowl upon her features.

Did Aya remember his suggestion about training with Kierra? She would hardly be amenable if Aya was busy agitating her further.

Aya threw down her hands and stormed off toward the unmarried women's tent.

He prodded the piece of roast cricket on his plate thoughtfully. Should he intervene? After their initial meeting he hadn't spent much time with Aya, satisfied only that she made no move to leave. Other things, understandably, occupied his mind since then. He did want Aya to stay in the village, he could speak with Kierra, intercede on Aya's behalf. Would she heed him though? A muscle in his lip twitched. Unlikely, besides, he hesitated to interfere with an argument between two women.

Kierra worked around the cooking fire, her movements fast and agitated. She managed to pull a small clay pot from the coals, wrapping the front of her robes around her hands for protection from the heat. Gently she poured some steaming liquid in a fat round mug.

More healing tea? No, she said she used the last batch on him.

She waved her hand impatiently and a figure detached from the edge of the clearing, plodding toward the healer; the girl they so recently rescued.

Jaob studied her curiously. He'd hardly glimpsed her since the first collapse of the healing tent.

She no longer possessed the deep circles beneath her eyes or the tightened skin from dehydration and starvation. But there remained a listless weakness to her, her slender limbs dangled, as though she didn't have the strength to keep them up. Kierra grabbed her bandaged wrists and placed her hands around the mug of liquid. The girl accepted passively and sat on a rug laid out for her.