Charcoal to paper, Kaye drew lines, gncing back and forth between the statue in front of her and the notebook on her hands. The figure’s hair was short for a girl’s, barely reaching to the height of her chin, the face framed by it entirely emotionless. Her only clothing was a dress robe which only left her hands and bare feet exposed. Ropes painted white hung to the statue, arranged to give the sembnce of a ribcage, the only color she was given.

  On top of the page, Kaye wrote. The statue of Irina, High Goddess of Death, at the temple of Neru-Aran. On the side page, she continued. Beggars, the needy and diseased are treated to by novices of the temple. The same novices keep the building and its surroundings clean, while the few Acolytes are called in for funerals around the city, only coming back to sleep in their quarters when there isn’t a deceased. They sleep on top of the caskets between the first and second night of a burial, to safely guide the souls to the Realm of Death during their sleep and keep them from falling into the Abyss.

  The Headhunters of Sarak are themselves a cult of Death—

  Kaye stopped moving the charcoal when Gima approached. She wore a gown simir to the statue’s, but shorter. Carrying moccasins on one hand, she was still barefoot while inside the temple, as a novice had to be.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting. It will happen again.”

  As they approached the temple’s exit, Gima stopped to put on her moccasins. “I didn’t take you for a schor.”

  “I’m not one, I just thought I should document what I see and do.”

  “And do you pn on doing much of that?” They resumed walking.

  “Yes.”

  “Where are you head—I forgot. You’re heading to Mor.”

  “We are, but only because it’s close. I’m not heading for anywhere in particur, I just pn to see everything I can. I’ve heard of Eruin and Geshin on both sides of the Rift, of the Spring Isles and Erash.”

  “And the others? Your uncle?”

  “Hogog will follow me anywhere I go, I think. It was always me who wanted to travel. Aien has been helping us, but I don’t know if him or Uruoro have any goal, any pce they want to be. We just happened to be at the wrong pce in the wrong time, and have been together since then.”

  “You can spend years in Mor and not see everything there is to see.”

  “Have you been there?” Kaye asked.

  “I have never left Neru-Aran. Some of the people in this city need me, and if I ever become an Acolyte, they will need me even more. I am happy enough to provide.”

  “How did you know this was about happiness?”

  Gima turned to her, but didn’t stop walking. “People don’t lead their lives the way they chose to for no reason. You said you don’t know if they have a goal. Perhaps you should ask.”

  Perhaps I should. Whether Kaye wanted to or not, she had the st say on matters as long as Loho was with them, and she still put Hogog and Aien in danger when freeing Loho and Uruoro, even if it worked out in their favor.

  “What if they don’t get to choose?” Kaye asked.

  “Then that is a failing of the world, and that is where people like me come into py. The needy we feed aren’t needy of their own choosing, and if any of them can’t find within themselves the strength to keep trudging on, once again, that is where people like me come into py.”

  Kaye nodded. She had been spending quite some time with Gima in the st few days. Helping in the temple lent her some coin, though it had taken an afternoon of arguing for them to convince Loho that he didn’t need to follow in Kaye’s every step. Since then, all they had were peaceful, restful days. Hogog and Uruoro had taken it upon themselves to make an inventory of everything they would need for the road, and though they were far from having it all, life in Neru-Aran was almost comfortable, save for the ever-present heat.

  The sun was settling when they reached the house. Loho was inside — he never took out his jade mask when accompanied, not even in his own house —, simply waiting, while Aien was in the back, sword in hand and practicing. Hogog and Uruoro were likely still out on the city.

  “The boy brought it over,” Loho said, pointing to a bundle on top of the table.

  Kaye knew what it was before she unpacked it. They had gone through several armories in their walks through the city, and in one of their visits Kaye had found a weapon that felt right in her hand, an advice both Aien and Loho gave her, much to Aien’s chagrin.

  The bde’s length was that of a long knife, the same as her forearm, but it was straight and double-edged, the handle and pommel were pin and undecorated — ornamentation would only make it more expensive —, and the guard was on the shorter end. Nothing special, but she liked that, and they had all agreed to be better armed for the future, even if it meant more time spent in Neru-Aran.

  Having nothing else to do for the day, Kaye went out the back to practice with Aien.

  Kaye had her new dagger; Hogog had one too, but he preferred a single-edged machete. Aien continued to practice every day with his curved sword, and Uruoro said he needed nothing more than two short spears. There were other things too, new clothing for everyone, arrows, whetstones, flint, pots, rope, extra waterskins, poultices and, of course, food. Hard biscuits and dried meat were staples on the road, though they would also hunt and forage.

  “That should be about everything,” Hogog said.

  Uruoro approached the table, his carrying bag in hand. As he stuffed his belongings inside, Kaye asked, “A map?”

  “Unnecessary,” Loho said, “I’ve been to every pce we will need to pass through.”

  The four of them were in Loho’s house, while Aien and Gima were out in the fair. A rotation of sorts had taken pce, with either of the two Neru-Aran residents accompanying whoever had business in the city while the others rested and took care of the house.

  Kaye looked out the window. It was deep into the afternoon.

  “Loho,” she called.

  “Yes?”

  “How long will it take for us to reach the border?”

  “One month and a half at a moderate walking pace, if there is no trouble on the road. I will leave you at Veren Hill. The morrish built a fort there, after we sent them back bleeding, now it has become a small town. Though, once again, I doubt the archers on the wall will allow me to step in its shadow. They will see the jade skull and panic.”

  The moment he said that, Kaye’s eyes locked on figures outside. Coming down the street, three Headhunters strolled side by side, all resting their hands on the hilt of a different weapon. The one in the middle’s on a sword, the other two in small daggers, though they carried rger weapons in their backs.

  One of them leaned to the others, said something. The one in the middle pointed.

  “Loho,” she called once again, “I think you have visitors.”

  He appeared by her side like a shadow. Had Kaye not been so close, she would have missed the moment his mouth hardened into a thin line.

  Loho’s steps were so loud that Hogog and Uruoro turned, puzzled looks on their faces.

  “I don’t know what it is,” Kaye said before they could ask, then followed Loho.

  She had to quicken her pace to catch up to him. Loho rested a hand on his sword’s pommel and his paces were hasty. The other three were approaching, and whatever little hope Kaye had of this being a greeting she didn’t understand faded the moment one of them locked eyes with her. Rage-filled eyes.

  “You are as dead as you are bold, Loho,” the one in the middle said, a tall man with bck hair tied in a short ponytail, a rge two-handed sword that almost raked the ground was tied to his hip.

  “I told you it was him,” said the one in the left. He looked younger, was shorter than his two companions and carried a spear on his back. His hair was a mess of bck dreadlocks.

  “You win the bet. I didn’t take the man for such a fool,” the st one answered.

  “And who is that?” the first Headhunter asked again, taking a step forward as he pointed towards Kaye, seemingly unbothered by being so close to Loho.

  “My name is Kaye Nanur.”

  “Careful where you step, Hisha,” Loho spoke at the same moment, “I have slippery fingers.”

  Behind her, Kaye heard as Hogog and Uruoro approached.

  “Hiding behind unmasked, are you?” Hisha asked, turning to face Loho again.

  “I am standing right in front of you.”

  This is bad, Kaye thought.

  “Who are they?”

  Loho gestured to the man in front of him, but never took the other hand away from the sword. “Hisha was my cn leader, before they tried to kill—”

  “Liar!” the second Headhunter shouted, the one with the spear, kicking dust as he dragged one foot forward.

  In response to the accusation, Loho smiled. “You can ask the heads. Dead men have a hard time lying, Udar; and you, Cozo,” Loho pointed to the third man, who carried two curved scimitars on his back, “Have you managed to stitch up their bodies? I remember leaving pieces behind.”

  “Will you allow me to kill him, Hisha?” Cozo asked, ignoring Loho’s question.

  Trying to sound demanding, Kaye raised her voice. “Loho, expin what is happening.”

  “It is as I have said. I was betrayed by my own cn. I killed the three who attacked me. Udar and Cozo tried to pursue, but we were in the middle of raiding, and they had enemies to fight. They were pushed one way and I the other—hurt, after the cowards tried to backstab me. That is how I ended up a sve.”

  Hisha, who had raised a hand to hold Udar back, chuckled.

  “Serves you well.”

  “Unarmed and unmasked?” Udar asked, joining in on the ughter. “Only to crawl your way back to your death?”

  “He is lying to you,” Cozo said, staring at Kaye. “What reason would we have?”

  “That is rather simple. I was a threat to Hisha’s command. Remind me once again, but did any of you ever collect more heads than me?”

  “Dargo did,” Udar said, his voice quieter, but still wavering. “You attacked him first. I saw it!”

  “Ha!” Loho let out a short-lived ugh. “Was I desperate to measure up to Dargo, I would have challenged him. We are done here.”

  Loho turned. He had taken two steps when Hisha spoke again.

  “Then that I shall do. I invoke the right of bloodshed.”

  The same instant Loho whirled around, Kaye took a step forward, hand reaching for her dagger. Behind her came the familiar sound of an arrow spping against a bow as it was loaded.

  “None of you are Headhunters,” Cozo said.

  Loho raised a hand towards Kaye and the others. “I happen to be repaying a debt. The girl saved, unshackled and armed me.”

  Udar spat on the ground.

  “And what debt is that?” Hisha asked.

  “Don’t tell him,” Hogog said.

  “He has to,” Uruoro expined.

  Damned Headhunter honor, Kaye thought.

  “I will guide them out of Sarak, that is all. Then I will come back, and we can settle the matter. Choose well who among you will fight. There won’t be a second chance.”

  “You’ll escape like you did st time,” Udar said.

  Hisha was the first to move a hand away from his weapon. He rested both hands on his belt. “That can be solved easy enough.”

  “Don’t,” Loho sounded completely different, mouthing the word in a deep-voiced threat.

  “What does he mean by that?” Kaye asked.

  Hisha spoke first, “Allow me to expin. A right of bloodshed cannot be refused, but if it has to be postponed, then something can to be taken to guarantee that the challenged won’t flee. Unless, of course,” Hisha opened his arms in a shrug, stepping back, “Loho happens to change his mind. Betrayal is a high sin, after all. As high as your debt.”

  With that, he turned. Cozo followed immediately; Udar just staring for just a moment longer.

  “What did he mean?” Kaye was getting tired of asking questions.

  It was Hogog who answered, “He meant Gima.”

  Loho stared at the backs of the three Headhunters as they moved away. Kaye did the same, making sure to remember them well. All three had the same brown eyes, and if it weren’t for the weapons — a two-handed curved sword for Hisha, a spear for Udar and two scimitars for Cozo — it would be hard to tell Hisha apart from Cozo. Udar was shorter, but the other two looked the same from the back, aside for their hair. Hisha wore his in a ponytail, while Cozo shaved his head bald.

  Only when they disappeared from where they came, Loho turned. He approached with quick steps.

  Once again, he sounded different from his usual, “Please, allow me to kill that man. I know Gima. Honor requires me to tell her, and she will willingly go to them. Please, Kaye.”

  For a long moment, Kaye simply held his gaze.

  It was too much. One thing after another. Every time she allowed herself to lower her guard, something happened to them.

  Why do I have to choose? Why are you Headhunters like this? Why do you hide behind those masks? You won’t even let Gima see your face.

  She wanted to scream at him, but the look in his eyes kept her from doing so. Though the mask hid most of his features, they were the eyes of someone deeply worried about another.

  “What happens if she goes with them?”

  Loho’s lips trembled for a moment. “They aren’t allowed to touch her, but what would you do, if you knew your uncle was with people who tried to kill you? You would think about him in every waking moment, wouldn’t you? And when it came time to kill the bastards, you would be tired and raging.”

  “Is there really no other way?”

  “There is not.”

  Kaye sighed. “Answer me this, then. What they said about you. Was that a lie?”

  “It was.”

  “If I say the question is part of your debt, would your answer be the same?”

  “It would.”

  Stupid, unwavering Headhunter. You two could just go somewhere, leave it all behind.

  “What happens if you lose?” Hogog asked. “No, I don’t care how many people you’ve beheaded before. Just answer the question.”

  “Nothing happens to you or Gima, except that her life is ruined, and they will make up for my unpaid debt with some coin, if you think that’s what it’s worth it.”

  “Fine,” Kaye interjected before it could go any further. “If it is as you say, then fine.”

  “I assume we should not tell her about this,” Uruoro spoke for the first time.

  “All we have to tell her,” Loho said, “Is that I accepted the challenge, even if they just haven’t heard my answer yet.”