“


    “Of course,” Felit?a said. As Adranaska turned away, she sighed. “There’s got to be some way I can get in to see him.”


    Not that they’d accomplished much so far anyway. He had read through a lot of material, but none of it had turned out to be helpful. Despite the large selection of works, the amount of material they had found about Volgs was small and they had found nothing mentioning the Will-Breaker. Not only was the catalogue difficult to decipher—even Maneshka with her years of experience using it, had to consult copious notes to translate it—but the stacks were confusing as well. There was a pattern to the arrangement of books, but it was complex, based partially on author, partially on subject matter, partially on place of origin, and partially on something called religious significance, which just seemed to be an arbitrary value created by whoever designed the system—a value that could cause a work to be located in a completely different place than it would otherwise.


    It was Queen Annai calling out. She was striding down the path between the apartments towards the old man. The King hurried a short distance behind her, along with several Kingsguard, including Captain DeSelo?n—although Meleng was unsure if his rank was still captain.


    “Let’s go eavesdrop,” Felit?a said, and walked up towards her mother and the old man.


    Queen Annai didn’t wait for him to rise before spinning around and storming off back to her apartment.


    Cerus made his way over to Meleng and Felit?a. “This could be awkward. I was worried this would happen. To be honest, I was hoping the Ninifins would decide not to come.”


    Cerus nodded. “I must say, I find myself missing our conversations on the Silver Fish. Even if I didn’t always understand half of them, it felt a much simpler time. Well, keep me informed, both of you. I’d better go try to placate your mother, Felit?a. Wish me luck.”


    When he reached his apartment, he found Sinit?a waiting by the door, her face red from the sun and damp with sweat.


    “Oh come on, it’s still light. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. It’s not far away.” She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him along with her. He sighed and let her.


    “Oh no!” Sinit?a rushed forward. “No, no, shoo, shoo!” The goats stepped to the side to avoid her, but otherwise ignored her protests. Sinit?a grabbed the pail of brushes and hugged it against her chest. She began examining them. “Most of them are okay. They didn’t get very many.”


    Sinit?a glared at the goats for a moment, then turned back to Meleng. “Okay, you have to stand over here.” She led him over to a spot just outside the cave where one of the mushroom-shaped trees grew a short distance from the pool.


    “Not long,” Sinit?a said. “A few hours at most. Okay, stand there and don’t move.” She headed back over to her easel.


    Meleng glanced in the direction of the sun, which was getting low on the horizon. He did that several times, noting as the sun got lower and lower, and the light began to vanish from the sky. “Are you sure you’re going to have enough light for this?” he called to her.


    They were four young women with coppery skin similar to Quilla’s but covered in tattoos. They were also of lither build than Quilla and had more angular faces and heavier eyes. Each wore dark red leather jerkins, with short, black skirts, and sandals on their feet.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The one who had already spoken turned to Sinit?a. “What are you doing here?”


    “Painting,” Sinit?a stuttered.


    The woman stared at Sinit?a with wide eyes. “You’re on a dangerous island where Volgs roam free and you’re painting? Typical Folith.” She spat on the ground.


    “What...what are you doing here?” Sinit?a asked.


    The woman spun on her heels and stepped up close in front of Meleng, peering at him. She was young, seventeen or eighteen, nineteen at most. She had dark eyes that looked black in the dim light. Her hair was a glossy black, and cropped short. Each side of her face bore a stylised tattoo of a jaguar’s head done mostly in black, each a mirror of the other. The necks of the jaguars continued down her own neck, and her arms and legs bore tattoos of the jaguar’s legs, with the paws on the backs of her hands and tops of her feet. Meleng suspected the tattoos must cover most of her body. “I wasn’t speaking to you. Though I do admire your gall to speak without your liege’s leave. We could liberate you from her if you wish, give you sanctuary with our delegation.”


    She nodded. “Free you from slavery. The people of Elooria are enslaved by the Foliths, right?”


    “Hostage?” Sinit?a whimpered.


    “No, I told you. We’re looking for strategic places to take the Queen. She fears the Volgs might be treacherous. I agree with her, and her safety is paramount.” She turned to the other woman who had spoken. “I think they’re harmless, and we don’t need a hostage. You can both go.”


    “We can?” Sinit?a squealed. “Can I take my easel and paints?”


    Meleng helped Sinit?a gather and carry her things. The painting was about half done and was looking pretty good. He suggested to her that they could come back another time to finish it. Sinit?a was just eager to get away.


    “


    shrugged. She gave a quick wave to Felit?a and Quilla, who were seated at the table closest to the dais with Maneshka standing nearby, then walked over to the nearest painting—this one of an Isyar—and began to study it.


    spun around. “Oh, hi.”


    held out her hand, palm down, to Maneshka. “Sinit?a Alessia Deanna Folith.”


    stood there with her hand still out.


    flinched at her touch.


    shook her head. “No, it’s not you. My hand is really sunburnt.”


    lowered her head and nodded. “I was outside all day yesterday waiting for Meleng so I could paint him.”


    nodded her head rapidly. “You have some really good paintings here.”


    and Maneshka to talk about painting and went over to Felit?a and Quilla.


    , who were moving from one painting to another.


    called to him. “You should look at these! They’re really good!”


    again. She was engrossed in one of the paintings, her head tilted to the side and her body bent so that she was looking at it almost upside down. Was Quilla right? He was bad at recognising these kinds of things. When he looked back, Quilla was smiling broadly and Felit?a looked ready to laugh. He felt like withering away. He didn’t need this.


    .”


    “I suppose. She was both scary and nice. Which is weird.”  giggled. “She thought Meleng was my slave and was going to free him.”


    nodded.


    scrunched her nose and mouth in thought.


    said. “I’m good with names.”


    asked after a moment. “Why are you staring at me like that?”


    as staring through her. Meleng had seen her get like this before, just recently.


    , are you all right?” Quilla asked.


    said. She looked at Meleng. “Are jaguars cats?” Before he could respond, she looked back at Felit?a. “Because if they are, how did you know? Have you met her?”


    looked at Meleng for an explanation.


    .”


    said and turned to Meleng again. “What did I do?”


    . Quilla, you can come if you want. I’d appreciate the company, but no pressure.”


    asked together. Meleng was actually pretty certain he knew what she was talking about, but he preferred to play ignorant in case he was wrong. It also meant people were less likely to talk about these things around him in future.


    I think they’re cute.”