Under a Starless Sky

Chapter 7

Neva refusing the barracks brought Lanore and Tell back out.

“What’s wrong with the barracks?” Lanore asked.

“Besides the fact it smells like men? Nothing,” Neva said. “It doesn’t fit us.”

“You need more space?” Lanore asked.

“No, not a bigger house,” Neva said. She brought her hands together, prayerful. “I am not refusing your hospitality. You have been extremely generous entertaining my request, allowing us to stay. I wish to tarry under your Light, but not in rock, and not within the walls. With your permission, we will sleep on the beach. I will police our campsite, and keep it small. If you agree that I may stay and learn from you, I will ask permission to establish a home on the water.”

“A boat?”

“No, a home, above the water, on sticks and beams,” Neva said. “If you are even remotely considering letting me try to teach breath holding, we’re going to have to live on the water. You can’t learn this skill on the land.”

Lanore frowned. Tell was there. She gave the slightest hint that this seemed reasonable. Lanore felt a tinge of anger. She turned to see Shen was in earshot.

“Do boys learn this skill?” Lanore asked.

“If you live on the water, everyone learns to swim, or you drown, that’s it,” Neva said.

“Consider the beach your domain,” Neva said. “Build your water home. If you’re still within my Light a year from now, you will have my answer.”

Neva bowed. She turned to say something to Foam but Lanore interrupted her.

“Teach the ghost to swim, or drown him trying,” Lanore said. She called Shen and directed him to go with Neva. He hesitated, considering his sun exposure would likely result in sunburns. “Barracks or beach?”

Shen frowned. He approached the water gypsies and stood in their mist.

“Come on, then,” Neva said. “Foam, go fetch our kayak and supplies.”

As Neva, Cari and Shen headed for the beach, a group of children followed. A seven year old taking the lead. The girls traveled in threes, but the boys were scattered.

“So, can you swim?” Neva asked Shen.

“No,” the Seven said. “He can’t swim, he can’t kill a rabbit, and he’s a coward.”

“A coward?” Neva repeated.

“He won’t fight. He will fall to the ground and allow himself to be pummeled,” Tora said. “And when we go to the beach, he will go sit in the shade. He’s very lazy. Even L’Ma’s own mother hates him.”

“L’Ma hates him?” Neva asked.

“Obviously, or she wouldn’t tolerate his behavior,” Tora said. “He can’t even speak to save his life. Probably because he has no life force. He has no soul.”

Neva didn’t understand. “How so?”

“If he had soul, he’d have color, and voice,” Tora said. “Everyone knows this.”

Neva decided not to correct the child. Cari made a face, suggesting concerned, tempered with amusement. Before swimming, Neva wanted to create a fire pit. She asked Shen to gather wood and kindling.”

“Boys aren’t allowed to touch sticks,” Tora said. “Don’t you know anything?”

“Can they can gather rocks?” Shen asked.

“Sure,” Tora said. “If the stone is precious, they get rewarded.”

“Rewarded?” Neva asked.

“There is only one reward boys like,” Tora said.

to redirect the conversation from where she thought it was going.

be careful not to let

will go gather kindling. Boys, you know the kind

boys his age, learned vicariously. The older boys held far enough back not to be drafted into work, but close enough they could observe. When the camp fire was ready to go but the fire, Neva and Cari undressed.

Tora laughed. “Also, he is incredibly shy

clothes than they did, clearly the boys ran around half naked. If they wore anything, they wore an oversized

let’s go

blush,” Cari said. “Never seen

he must have a soul,” Neva said. “Can you change your skin

her angry look, pulled off his shirt,

clearly understands,”

wanting to be the

the beach, but went straight to the edge and dived. Neva cursed and ran

weird,” Tora

courage,”

said. “If he doesn’t break his head open, he’ll drown

down to the sand where Shen was sitting. He had clearly emptied his lungs completely, or he would have been rising. His arms were crossed. He was staring out into the dark as if deliberating. She got in his line of sight, angling down. She locked eyes with his and extended a hand. She didn’t touch him. She waited. She emphasized her hand. He slowly unwound his arms, gave enough of a flap to rise, kicked the sand and shot up. Neva followed.

up,”

let his feet sink and he righted

“You can swim,” Neva

today, no one has heard me speak,”

“Are you a

face

you being abused?” Neva

ready to unload. He corrected himself. “I am treated like everyone

that,” Neva said.

shrugged and disappeared beneath the surface. Neva followed for a moment, then headed for shore. She remained under until she could walk. She came to the campsite, dried with her dress and put it on. She then joined Lanore and Tell at the

him that?” Lanore

has better skills than these kids and a confidence equal to

“How?” Lanore said.

“You tell

me. He’s the gift of your water men,”

Neva laughed. Lanore gave her a cross look. Neva pointed to a girl about four. “That child, she might be a gift of a water man,

“Have you met white

said. “My ship has traded well with

Lanore prompted her to

out dragons, sometimes beating the water, heralded by

your cities were unsinkable,” Tell

everything,” Neva said. “If it wishes to own you, it will

“Come with me,”

Tell walking beside her. She sought information from Tell, but Tell didn’t speak, merely shrugged. They came to her home. Lanore motioned for a man to bring water and he knelt and washed the sand from Neva’s feet, one at a time, then

you,” Neva

do that,” Lanore said.

your men slaves?”

Lanore said.

to trade for gifts,

“You don’t just steal them?” Tell

At best, someone who willingly joins our clan settles for a place in between, in stick homes along the shore, as I

for a particular book, and flipped through to a picture

“My book?”

their eyes could discern, it could have been the exact same boat, fighting the same damn storm. Lanore went and sat down on a floor cushion near the hearth. It was not lit, but she stared into it anyway, as if there might be something in the ashes. There was a gas lamp burning by the door, on both sides. Neva wanted to

am sorry,” Lanore said. “You are both Masters, and I shouldn’t beckon

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