The Threshold Child (22 page)

“Like what?” Adesina asked casually.

“Like if this is going to be the start of a war.”

Rina wore an expression of confusion. “I thought we were already
at war.”

Deasa gave Rina a patronizing look. “The silent war does not
count. I mean actual fighting instead of political maneuvering.”

The room went silent. Adesina looked between the girls. “Why would
there be a war?”

Gainor was the one who answered. “Another magic user came to the
High City and went to speak with the Governors. He said that something must
have happened to the missing man and asked for assistance in finding him.”

Adesina frowned. “So?”

“Well, an argument broke out between the magic user and Governor
Wadell…”

The other girls piped in. “The magic user was angry that he did
not get the degree of cooperation that he demanded.”

“Apparently the missing man is one of their leaders.”

“The magic user left the High City and rode north at top speed.”

“The Governors are worried that he is going to come back with an
army!”

Ravi’s tail twitched slightly at this last statement. Adesina
looked over at him, but received no other sign that he was even paying
attention.

She turned back to her friends. “What will the High City do if he
does
come back with an army?”

All three girls looked nervous. Deasa shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
“Well…we do not have an army of our own, and the city guard would not be enough
to face them.”

Adesina waited for her to continue, but she fell silent. The young
Shimat knew her chances of getting information would be best if she aimed her
questions at Gainor. “What, then?”

The flippant girl tried to shrug it off as if it didn’t matter.
“We have allies with armies. I am sure they would come to our aid.”

Adesina couldn’t believe her ears. “Are you saying that the High
City has no means of protecting itself?”

“The High City has always been neutral. We believe that there are
better ways to resolve conflict than fighting,” Rina explained.

The young Shimat thought it best to let the subject drop. It was
obvious that her companions didn’t like talking about it and that they had very
little information of relevance.

It wasn’t hard to find something new to talk about. Rina’s parents
had decided that she had enough schooling, and it was time for her to settle
down and start her own family. They had already started their search for her
husband. Gainor was giddy with wedding ideas, and Deasa was doing her best to
shield Rina from the full force of Gainor’s schemes.

Adesina tried to not show the strength of her disapproval. “I
cannot believe that you have no say in the matter.”

She didn’t mention the fact that Rina was too young or that giving
up her education was ridiculous.

Rina gave a halfhearted smile. “I trust my parents. Father will
make sure that my husband will be able to support me, and Mother will see that
he is a good and honorable man.”

In Adesina’s opinion, it had nothing to do with trust. Rina was
used to being told what to do. “Are all marriages arranged in the High City?”

Deasa shrugged carelessly. “Not necessarily. My parents said I may
marry whomever I wish.”

Gainor’s expression was full of self-importance. “My mother says
that
my
marriage is too significant
to leave to chance. The Governor of the High City cannot be connected to just
anyone! She and father have been searching for a husband for my sister for
months and they still have not found anyone suitable.”

Deasa and Adesina exchanged exasperated glances and moved on. “Who
are the prospective grooms?”

Rina hesitated before answering. “I do not know. Father and Mother
will not tell me until the decision is final.”

Gainor forgot what she had been talking about before and leaned
forward, almost bouncing in
her seat. “I have
heard rumors of who some of them are!”

This was news to all of them. Deasa measured Rina’s expression
before asking, “Who are
they?”

“Sable, Rina’s father’s apprentice; Master Degan, assistant to
Master Ardley the tailor; and
Master Quinlan, the
blacksmith.”

Deasa nodded slowly. “A merchant, a tailor, and a blacksmith. All
honorable professions.”

Gainor wasn’t interested in Deasa’s opinion. “Which do
you
want
to marry, Rina?”

Rina looked as if she was afraid to answer. “Well, I do not know
Master Degan or Master
Quinlan very well. Sable is closest to my age…and he is very
handsome…”

Gainor immediately shook her head. “Oh, you do not want to marry
him
,
Rina! He is an
absolute beast!
Terrible
temper. He would only want to
marry you because it would guarantee him your father’s business when he retires.”

“Gainor,” Deasa reprimanded.

The damage was already done and Rina looked as if she was on the
verge of tears. “What if Father chooses someone who will not love me?”

Deasa put a comforting arm around her trembling shoulders. “Your
mother would not allow it. You said yourself that she would make sure your
husband is a good and honorable man. And any good man could not help but love
you.”

Rina didn’t look very convinced, but kept her worries to herself.
Jelana appeared at this point and insisted that Adrie needed her rest. The
girls filed out of the room, promising to come the following day.

As soon as she was left alone, Adesina turned to Ravi. “Is there
going to be a war?”

His eyes remained closed, but Adesina knew that he wasn’t asleep.
“Ravi?” she called in a more insistent tone.

He opened his eyes reluctantly. “Why would I know such a thing?”

Adesina arched an eyebrow. “You have visions of the future. Also,
you reacted when they mentioned an army from the north.”

Ravi closed his eyes again. “I do not know.”

She sighed irritably and laid back on her bed. Her relationship
with Ravi had occasionally been rocky in the past, but the last few days made
past troubles seem like the good old days. Most of the time he sat deep in
though, as if immersed in another world. He rarely spoke, and when he did, it
was in a short clipped voice. He didn’t act angry; instead it was more like he
had completely disassociated himself.

Adesina would never admit it, but she was suffering from the loss
of her only close friend. He seemed to instinctively understand her and know
what to do in any situation. He was the only person in the entire city for
which she didn’t have to play a part. She missed his wry comments, his cryptic
advice, and his soothing music. And for the first time since she was a child,
she felt truly lonely.

She thought that things would be easier once she was allowed out
of the house. Her alleged illness, in addition to the missing Outsider, made Jelana
extremely reluctant to let Adesina venture forth on her own. Fia wasn’t allowed
out of the house at all unless she had an adult with her. Hass walked them to
school every morning the following week. There were city guards that stood
outside the gate during their lunch break, and then Hass was there after school
was over to walk Fia home and Adesina to the shop.

Adesina found all of the extra precautions annoying. Everywhere
she turned there was somebody watching her, making sure that she was safe. Aleron
kept coming up with excuses to hang around her, which, in light of Ravi’s
revelation, made her uncomfortable. She avoided him whenever possible, and
sometimes spoke to him more sharply than what was merited.

Adesina felt a twinge of guilt when she saw that his feelings were
hurt, but not enough to change her treatment of him. As his friend, it was more
important to her to rid him of all false hopes than coddle his feelings.

Aleron wasn’t the only one anxious for Adesina’s safety. She also
noticed Horas hovering out of the corner of her eye, trying to be
inconspicuous. She was on the verge of confronting him about it when he
approached her during their school lunch break.

“Adrie? Could I talk to you for a moment?”

Gainor stared at him in astonishment. He had never had the nerve
to speak to Adesina in front of other people. She frowned up at him. “What do
you want?”

He shifted anxiously from foot to foot. “Could I speak to you alone,
Adrie?”

Adesina got to her feet and followed him over to a secluded
section of the schoolyard. His words rushed out in one great breath. “I made
something for you. I want you to be able to protect yourself.”

Horas reached in his schoolbag and pulled out a bundle of cloth.
He handed it to Adesina, not looking her in the eye. She weighed it in her hand
for a moment, debating whether or not to open it at all. Finally she pushed the
rough cloth aside with the twitch of her hand, revealing a beautifully made
dagger.

“See?” he said faintly, “I
can
make weapons.”

The handle was engraved to appear like overlapping leaves, and the
metal was overlaid with enamel made with the powder of finely ground emeralds.
It glimmered even in the shade where they stood. The sheath was silver, and
etched in the rough pattern of the bark of a tree. Adesina grasped it by the
handle to pull it out of the sheath and examine the blade, which was covered in
elaborate scrollwork. The dagger fit in her hand as if it had been made specifically
for her. As a warrior, Adesina could appreciate the sheer beauty of the weapon
she held.

“Where did you get it?” she asked, concealing the wonder she felt
looking at such a masterpiece.

“I told you, I made it for you.”

She re-sheathed the dagger and covered it with the cloth again.
“You did not make this dagger.”

Horas twitched guiltily. “What do you mean? Of course I did!”

“Horas, this is the best dagger I have ever seen. It was made by a
master smith—one who specializes in weapons, and has more years experience than
you have been alive. Where did you get it?”

Caught in his lie, Horas looked torn between answering her
insistent question and running away as fast as he could. “I…I found it…in an
alley…”

Before Adesina could question him further, he followed his second
inclination and darted
away. With a sigh and a shake of the head, she tucked the dagger
in the folds of her shawl and walked back over to where her friends were
sitting.

Gainor was ready to pounce as soon as Adesina sat down. “What did
he
want?”

The Shimat rolled her eyes dramatically. “Nothing of use. He was
worried for my safety.”

All three girls laughed. Deasa leaned forward, hugging her knees.
“What could he do about it? Everywhere we go there are city guards to make sure
that we are safe!”

“Besides” Gainor added, “there has been no sign of the Outsider
since he disappeared
weeks
ago!”

“It has barely been two weeks,” Rina amended gently.

Gainor tossed her hair. “Even so! Mark my words, the Governors
will call off all these extra precautions any day now!”

Adesina certainly hoped so. She was tired of all the extra
attention she was receiving, both from those worried for her and those who
suspected her involvement because she herself was an Outsider.

Over time, things slowly returned to normal in the High City.
However, Adesina found herself caught up in a new source of excitement. Rina’s
wedding preparations were going forward full force. At first Adesina immersed
herself in the event as an excuse to avoid spending any time with Aleron. Then
her interest became genuine as she watched with growing fascination.

She occasionally imagined herself in Rina’s place, and secretly
placed Kendan in the part of the groom. Such thoughts were fleeting, and
Adesina chided herself for letting her imagination run away with her.

Gainor updated them daily with the latest rumors of the identity
of the most likely groom. Sable’s name was frequently on their lips as his
prospects grew in certainty. Deasa tried to find every positive report of him
that she could, to help boost Rina’s spirits. While Gainor, insensitive as
ever, kept reminding them of his foul temper and ulterior motives.

Rina’s wedding dress was finished and all of her things prepared
for her new home before a groom had been decided. The anxiety of not knowing
was beginning to show on Rina’s youthful face. Her smiles hardly seemed sincere
anymore.

At the beginning of the fourth week after the disappearance of the
Outsider, Adesina sat in her room finishing up her homework. Ravi sat looking
out the window, but they were barely aware of each other’s presence. She saw
her friends rushing up the street and waited for them to knock hurriedly on the
door, run up the stairs, and burst into her room.

“Adrie! Rina’s father just told her his decision!”