Under a Starless Sky

“I’ve never seen a male baby that didn’t cry. Go get me that needle over there, I’ll fix this,” G’Ma said.

The look on the infants face caused laughter.

“No, mother,” Lanore said.

Lanore, Ceolla, Tell, and G’Ma looked down into the bassinet holding the twins. They were both relatively quiet. The girl had made a fuss when separated from his brother.

“That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen,” Tell said.

“You said it would look better in a day or so,” Ceolla said. “This is not better.”

“It reminds me of Eirwen,” Tell said.

“Are you sure you only slept with the Water People?” Tell asked.

“Yes,” Lanore said.

“I thought maybe this ghost woman you told me of was albino, but this is not that,” Tell said.

“Maybe the water people have this in them. Maybe the stories of being casted out on water in baskets are actually truth. Even they can’t stand this look,” Ceolla offered.

“We should kill it,” G’Ma said.

“We are not killing it,” Lanore said. “It suckles. It’s thriving.”

“You can’t leave it with your daughter like this,” G’Ma said.

“I don’t think this is catchy,” Lanore said.

“You must admit, this bond they have is strange,” Tell said. “They can’t stay together forever.”

“Maybe her soul divided into two babies,” Ceolla offered.

“Seriously?” Lanore asked her.

“This is your fault, Lanore,” G’Ma said. “You consult with ghosts, you get ghosts. I warned you about this Heart path. You have led us further from Sinter and now have brought evil into the world.”

“It is a baby, not evil,” Lanore said.

“It is a male. You don’t know what gifts it will bring!” G’Ma said.

“It’s so ugly, it’s not likely to have any opportunities to give gifts,” Ceolla said.

“That is certain,” Tell said. “I can’t see how allowing this to continue is kindness.”

G’Ma frowned, not wanting to agree with Tell. She left the room, angry.

“Worst case scenario, he offers nothing. He is a mouth to feed,” Ceolla said.

“In other words, just another man,” Lanore lamented.

“I could train it for the fights,” Tell said. “Hell, people would likely pay just to see him. And if he proves any good, well, people will want to fight the ghost.”

“I don’t like the games,” Lanore said.

“A man either brings gifts, or he fights,” Tell said. “There is no way this one will bring gifts. He will fight, or he will be a burden. If you get a reputation for being soft, you’ll have every beggar from Midelay inwards wanting to come here.”

Lanore picked up the girl. She could hold her. She could feed her. If she put her in her own basinet, she cried. She tried it again, just to prove a point. She put the daughter back in the basket with the boy.

“He has given me the gift of quiet,” Lanore said. “Surely that is something?”

“Do you think she’s protecting him?” Ceolla said.

“It’s a baby,” Tell said. “How much discernment do think it holds.”

“Don’t we all bring secrets into this world?” Ceolla said.

“We’ll stay the course,” Lanore said. “I have got enough milk for both.”

Tell laughed. “You got enough milk for half your village,” she said.

“We have honey,” Ceolla offered.

Tell was mad. “I was joking. She is not a goat,” she said.

“Goat milk is for goats. Human milk is for humans,” Ceolla said.

“You people are strange,” Tell said.

“And yet, you tarry,” Ceolla said.

“Well, now I’m guaranteed to be here at least three years,” Tell said.

“Why?” Lanore asked.

how this fiasco

निर्मित

good on

anything this comfortable could come from pineapple pulp,” Tell said,

younger sister letters. Candace marked on a slate

“What?” Candace asked.

you not to do that

is it for him to

stupid,” Lanore said, for a millionth

do lessons with me,” Candace said. “I mean, really, L’Ma, maybe if he is capable learning letters we could eventually have

desk, took Shen by the arm, and

don’t stop coming in here, I will bounce you to barrack early,”

“Maybe they’ll beat some words out of

Lanore snapped her finger

Ceolla entered. “L’Ma.”

looked to

disturb you, but they’re back,” Ceolla

“Who’s back?” Lanore

Ceolla said. “Three are in

to the circle without being seen?” Lanore

the Light. I am guessing

there directly,” Lanore

the image she had been trying to manifest. It looked like similar to a jelly, like a man of war. The pencil didn’t do it justice. Her vision had more depth, more colors. They were bright things in a dark place, as if only they

can’t see everything,

said. “But my whole

“Come. Let’s meet our guests,” Tell said, touching

and Tell out the study, out of the Lanore’s estate, across the courtyard, and out the main gates. Three women, holding bamboo staffs, and kneeling, heads bowed, per a custom as old as anyone could remember.

Master of this Light?”

this Light. I hold the sanctity of this circle,” Lanore said. “You honor the path, so I greet you in peace. My name is

the one in center spoke. “These two are my apprentices, Cari, and Foam. We come from

see no city

the horizon,” Neva said. “It may be visible in a week. Or perhaps a month. Unless the

beyond the horizon?” Lanore

find it and our supplies by the

have two apprentices

“Surely, there other Masters here from

Sister Tell, but she, too, has two

“I wish to learn the way of the Heart

“You’re a little old to be afraid of the dark,” Lanore said. “Besides, you said you are already raised a Master? You can’t spark a

even Masters can still learn. You said two Master live here?

It takes three to raise a Light. Only

“Is there any condition on which

breath would be a nice

further, and maybe in seven generations they will approach us in skill,”

“Impossible,” Sheen said.

in the back

and they’re babies do as well as ours. The adults, not so much.

a healer,

reveal

Cari tapped her bamboo staff. The crystal held at

her staff, and the wood itself illuminated. No

of the

into flames, and when she tossed it to the ground, it became a Fire Snake. The Snake reared its head, its body bright orange, revealing a shadowing bones inside. They were known to be able to spit a stream of fire. Lanore did not flinch. She didn’t even look at it. Tell broke protocol and entered the circle, catching the snake by the neck. She shook

“Sister. I hold

on Foam. She slowly backed out

all you have

air inside the circle spun the ends of their dresses and snow began to fall. The

I wish to learn the Heart Path. The only thing of value I have is my life. I will give this

you have a book?”

her staff on the ground. The snow ceased; the twirling breeze abated. She opened the flap of her pack and withdrew a book. She handed it to Lanore. Lanore examined the leather, which was strange. The water mark was also

hold this

Neva bowed.

stay as long as you wish. I will give you a decision before this time next year. Ceolla, chase the men out of the barracks and make

and headed back. Tell backed away, turned, and caught up to Lanore just as she stopped to address Shen. She popped him in the

your

the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia,” Shen said. “Genetic adaption of enlarged spleen likely accounts for their unusual aquatic

“What?” Lanore asked.

can

“It’s complete gibberish,” Lanore

understand us?” Tell

“Yes,” Shen said.

never spoken

not had anything nice to say,”

staff to Tell, then took Shen by the arm and walked him back to the house. She walked him faster than he could keep up without trotting. ‘Finally, someone’s going to beat that boy,’ G’Ma was saying as he was led past her. The entered Lanore’s home. He balked at going into the study, but Lanore was stronger. She practically tossed