"That's a lie. We're monsters, Kaneko. Don't you see that? Only a beast would spill the blood of its own family. We were betrayed, Kaneko. Mother Sigunta is using us as instruments for her vile ideas, whatever they are. Mother Sigunta lied to you, and still you're choosing to work with her. You're no better than she is."
Kaneko pressed her lips together tightly. "Hadjia, I'll ask you one last time. Come back with me."
Hadjia's mouth open and closed. She didn’t say anything, and the silence that hung in the air was damning silence.
"Hadjia, you can't prove it’s the truth. That’s why it's best to just come home."
"No. I'll never return."
Kaneko sighed, her shoulders slumping. "So, you leave me no choice."
"I know."
Kaneko attacked first, lunging across the room and landing the heel of her foot in Hadjia's ribs. There was the sound of a crack as Hadjia flew back into the wall, her head slamming into the wood.
She twisted her body away with a grunt and darted across the room. Kaneko advanced on her again but Hadjia ducked; Kaneko's knife missed its mark. Hadjia ran a few feet forward, grabbed up the blanket from the floor, and threw it at Kaneko's face. She had to bat it away, and her knife was momentarily entangled in the fabric. It was enough to buy Hadjia another chance.
Hadjia ran to the wall where her knife lay, embedded in the wood. Kaneko followed, kicking a knee out from under her. Hadjia dropped, ducked, and rolled away.
Then Hadjia leapt toward her like a tiger towards its prey. Kaneko ducked, kicked out a leg, and swept it in an upward arc. It caught Hadjia in the knee, knocking her onto her back. Hadjia sprang back into the air with a nimble leap just as Kaneko slammed a fist into her face.
White spots broke out across Hadjia's vision. There was a jarring sensation that rang through her head like a bell. Hadjia fell to the floor.
"Hadjia," Kaneko panted. "You've betrayed me." Kaneko pulled back her arm, ready to strike a death blow.
With lightning speed, Hadjia jumped up, grabbed onto Kaneko's wrist, and wrenched it to one side. Kaneko screamed and dropped her knife. Hadjia kicked Kaneko in the ribs just before Kaneko reared back and tackled Hadjia to the floor.
A bright white broke out across Hadjia's eyes when her head slammed into the ground. Kaneko's fist slammed with full force into Hadjia's face.
The edges of Hadjia's vision blurred. She reached up blindly with her legs to wrap Kaneko in a lock, but Kaneko dodged her weak attempt, slamming her fist into her face again.
Darkness descended once again; the pain slicing through Hadjia's bones rendered her almost paralyzed.
Kaneko knelt on one of her arms. The pressure nearly cracked her elbow.
Kaneko stood, giving Hadjia a moment of relief. She pressed a foot to Hadjia's neck with a snarl. Her chest heaved up and down in a pant. "You really . . . disappointed me, Hadjia."
A glint of light on the floor next to Kaneko's boot caught Hadjia's eye. The kunjar.
With the last of her strength, Hadjia reached her free arm out, grabbed the knife, and slashed it across Kaneko's leg. Kaneko fell to her knees with a scream.
Hadjia slashed her again across her face. Kaneko shrieked, putting one hand over her eye. Blood oozed out from between her fingers.
Hadjia threw herself on top of Kaneko with a growl.
"Do it," Kaneko hissed, blood flowing from her shredded lip as Hadjia pressed her forearm into Kaneko's neck. "Kill me like you killed them. Spilling my blood is no different than that spilling that of your family's, is it?"
Fire streaked through Hadjia's veins, igniting every instinct Mother Sigunta had trained into her. Yet Kaneko's eyes, half-pleading, half-ordering, brought Hadjia back to reality.
She released Kaneko’s neck. "No." Hadjia stood up.
"You're no assassin, Hadjia,” she hissed.
Hadjia glanced down at her dismissively. "I know."
She stepped away and rushed to the window, throwing it open. After one last glance over her shoulder, she dropped Kaneko's kunjar on the floor. She drew in another breath and dropped out into the night.
Leaves and trees dotted her path as she sped along, but this time the leaves seemed to be hurrying her along, as if whispering to her, “Run, run, run to your only chance at freedom!”
A full moon – crimson, the color of blood – guided Hadjia as she ran away from the swamp. Behind her, a scream of rage and warning tore through the air.
"Hadjia," Kaneko cried. "I will find you!"
Isao
In the early morning light, a gentle fog hung throughout the Okuna Glade.
Wisps of fog snaked through the trees and undergrowth, causing dew to cling to the strands of grass. A soft pink glow started in the sky as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the world.
Isao sat on the wet ground, his face contorted in concentration as he held Khalem's sharp knife in one hand, a blunted, thick stick in the other.. He would finish. He had to. He didn't know why, but it was important that he give Celty something before the group split up upon departing the campsite.
With enough carving and careful work, he'd managed to create a sort of heavy cudgel that she could carry. Ragged cuts in the end would at least bruise – or, with any luck, maim —any poor creature or soul that attempted to attack someone like her.
His lips twitched in hidden amusement.
Perhaps Ranbelt was right. Maybe Celty was a tiger girl.
At any rate, she could use it to protect herself on her journey to Mahel Island. It was better than having no weapon, and he felt better picturing her with it. The idea of her venturing into the great unknown alone, unprotected – without him, really – made his skin crawl.
But she was no slave. He could and would not make decisions for her. At least he felt some modicum of comfort in knowing that she was free from slavery now.
He turned all his attention back to the task at hand, hoping it would take all his attention so he didn’t focus on the fears and worries filling his mind. Then, in what felt like seconds later but might have been a long stretch of time, Celty returned from filling their pouches at the stream.
She stood at the edge of their little camp, her hair fluttering in the breeze. Dirt was smudged on her face and chin. She looked like a wild thing: unkempt, and unapologetic despite being so.
Isao noticed she'd taken some of long, slender leaves and folded them into a small kind of envelope. A dark juice leaked out from the bottom of this pouch. No doubt, berries were outside.
Isao frowned and gestured to the pouch. "How did you know how to do that?"
"I've lived outdoors on my own before. Remember? The farmers found me. Slaves rarely get quarters, Isao, so I know how to live off the land."
When her gaze dropped to the weapon in his hand, Isao's face blossomed with heat. He stood up, setting Khalem's knife aside, and held the cudgel out for her. "For you."
Her eyes widened. "Me?"
"Yes. You'll need something to protect you while you travel."
She blinked, then swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, I suppose I will."
"And here is some food," Ranbelt said, approaching. He extended the leather bag that Rhaeneis had given the group, a crooked smile on his face. Celty opened her mouth to refuse, but he shoved it into her hands. "I know that you can and will hunt, but this will get you through until then. It’s just to get your journey started on a successful note, tiger girl. You have plenty of time to prove yourself along the way, don't worry."
Celty managed a weak smile and finally slung the bag over her right shoulder, along with her water pouch.
Khalem stepped up from behind her. He held out a clenched fist in front of him, then motioned to it with a tilt of his head. "It’s a wish for good luck. A sort of token from the warrior's code. Warriors don't say farewell. That’s bad luck."
Celty smiled then, holding up her own fist. Both of their arms fell back to their sides as she turned to face Isao again.