Tyen jumped down, grabbed the newcomer’s arm and pushed out of the world. He sent them skimming across the city at dizzying speed, and as he sensed a shadow following he felt a surge of triumph. She’d taken the bait.
The canals flashed beneath them. They passed through countless walls. Suddenly nothing lay before them but water occasionally punctuated by the old spire of an abandoned building, sunk below the sea long ago. Inekera was gaining on them. He sped up. She continued closing the gap so he moved faster and faster, delaying the point at which she caught up. Then, before he and the newcomer ran out of breath, he stopped and moved back into the world on a tiny crescent of glittering sand. The woman flashed past them.
Anticipating that the need to breathe would be strong, both he and the newcomer hauled in air as soon as it surrounded them. By the time the woman stopped and returned they were breathing deeply, but no longer gasping. She laughed as she appeared, exhilarated by the chase, but her smile froze and died as she looked from the newcomer to Tyen. One mind she could read, the other not.
Yet, to her relief, the stronger one did not attack. She wasn’t going to hang about to find out why. She narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin in defiance. Then she fled into the place between.
Alone, Tyen gave chase. The newcomer didn’t follow, smart enough to realise that if Tyen hadn’t taken him he didn’t need him. Inekera fled deep into the place between. He followed her past the midway point to the next world, then retreated. As he returned to the islet, the young man sighed with relief.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted me to do. Did she leave?”
Tyen nodded. “She slipped out of this world before I could catch up, and I don’t have time to chase her across other worlds.”
The man nodded. “And she has the advantage, in the place between, since she doesn’t need to breathe. She might lead you straight to the Raen or other allies, too.” He looked around. “I suppose you’ll have to abandon this world now. She’ll spread the word that you’ve got a base here, so you’ll have to move fast before the Raen or more allies arrive.”
Tyen nodded, impressed. The young man had worked out the consequences of the ally’s appearance quickly, and remained calm despite having confronted one of the Raen’s allies within the first few hours of joining the rebels.
But this also means I can’t send him to join any of the rebel groups. Tyen cursed silently. Well, he may as well know what he’ll be facing in the next few hours or days.
“The allies already know we’re here,” Tyen told him. “One of our hiding places was attacked earlier today. We’re organising a distraction so we can get all the rebels out.” Tyen held out his hand.
“All?” The man frowned and ignored Tyen’s hand. “You don’t mean… all of the rebels are on this world?”
“Yes.”
“But… if you’re discovered you’ll be trapped here. Wait… That’s what has happened, isn’t it?” He read the answer from Tyen’s expression. “Why didn’t you spread yourselves across many worlds?”
“Because communicating between worlds is too dangerous.” Tyen began to revise his opinion of the man. To his amusement, the man was doing the same of Tyen.
What a disorganised bunch of fools!
Tyen let out a humourless laugh. “You should have seen what they were like when I first joined them. Believe me, this is an improvement.”
The man looked Tyen up and down. He laughs. How can he laugh? People under his charge died today. And the Travellers’ livelihood, if not their lives, will be in danger once the Raen realises one of them has joined the rebellion.
“Traveller?” Tyen repeated. “You’re a Traveller?” This man’s people were the source of the language and measurement of time that linked all the worlds? Nothing about the man stood out in any way. Neither tall nor short, mid-brown skin, a pleasant but unexceptional face. But then, it made a strange kind of sense for a race that interacted with all worlds to appear ordinary and unthreatening.
“Yes?” the man answered. “Why?”
Tyen shook his head and offered his hand again. “I’ve not met one of your people before. What did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t.” The man grasped Tyen’s hand. “My name is Baluka.”
CHAPTER 12
“A Traveller?” Volk said. Tyen could hear the frown in his voice. “Your people are allies of the Raen.”
“Not allies,” Baluka corrected. “We’ve had an understanding with the Raen for several hundred cycles. He allows us to trade between worlds so long as we do not teach others how to do so, or work against him. That is not the same as serving him.”
“What does he get in exchange?” Tyen asked.
Baluka paused. “What do you mean?”
“The Raen takes exception to anyone working against him or teaching world travelling. It’s hardly a requirement particular to your people. Why does he make an exception for the Travellers?”