Naamah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey [143]
The day we reached the base of the Abode of the Gods, we made camp beneath their looming presence. In Alba, the foothills alone would have been reckoned formidable mountains. I gazed beyond the foothills at the narrow crease of the first great pass, ascending sharply into the unknown heights. The late-afternoon sun drenched the eastern half of the pass in golden light, plunging the western half in stark shadow.
“This is where you left Bao?” I asked Dash.
He nodded. “In the morning, he set out alone, and Grandfather and I turned back to cross the desert.” He paused. “How is Bao?”
Dash knew I had a sense of Bao’s presence. Over the course of the journey, there had been ample time for me to tell my half of our story, which the boy had been eager to hear. I consulted our diadh-anams. Mine burned strongly within me, a clean, blazing spark urging me into the dizzying heights.
Bao’s was motionless and unchanged.
It was as it had been from the moment Aleksei had unlocked my chains—dull, sullen, and guttering.
“The same,” I said soberly.
Young Dash knitted his brows. “That’s not good, is it? Moirin… let me come with you. I can help. I’m sure I can.”
His grandfather’s head jerked up in alarm.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I settled for bowing gravely to Dash in the Ch’in manner, hand clasped over fist. “Thank you, young hero. Your heart is wise and courageous beyond its years. But this task was set before me by the Maghuin Dhonn Herself, and I cannot allow you to risk yourself; nor can I risk depriving Grandfather Unegen of his pride and joy, the light of his heart.”
The elderly Tatar grunted, relaxing.
Dash flushed, his cheeks reddening. “But I want to help!”
“And so you have,” I said gently. “You are my piece of good luck, Dash. You found me when I did not think I wanted to be found, and because of you, I have reached the mountains safely, with good companions to continue the journey. I will carry the hope of that moment forward with me, always.”
He looked away. “It’s just…”
“I know.” I knelt and hugged him. “You will find your own story, young hero. This is only a piece of it.”
Dash returned my embrace, his wiry young arms flung tight around my shoulders, his face pressed against my neck. And there beneath the shadow of the Abode of the Gods, I could not help but think that Master Lo was right. All ways led to the Way. From one thing, all things arise.
Son, brother, lover, stranger… it was all part of the same river of life.
My heart ached.
“You will find Bao?” Dash’s dark eyes searched mine. “Find him and save him? He told me things and taught me—oh so many things! I know it was only a short time, but he became as a brother to me, an older brother. I always wanted one. Promise me, Moirin! You’ll save him, won’t you?”
I leaned my brow against his. “I will do my best, little brother. Nothing is certain. I can promise no more.”
Unegen coughed.
I kissed Dash on the cheek and stood. “Yes, Grandfather?”
“Eat and sleep,” he said with rough gentleness. “No time for stories tonight. You will need all your strength tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. You will not find it easy in the heights where the air is thin.”
I inclined my head toward him. “Thank you. I will heed your advice.”
The following day, I saddled my mare and loaded my pack-horse for the first time in weeks. The Tufani supervised the transfer of cargo to their own string of pack-horses. After all of us had checked our goods and supplies one last time, there was nothing left to do but say farewell.
Dash gave me one last hug, and so, to my surprise, did his grandfather. I was touched by the gesture, at least until the old fox reached around and gave my buttocks a firm squeeze, startling a squeak from me.
“Heh.” Unegen released me with a sly grin. “A