White Road

his and rubbed his hands together happily. “It’s going to be very nice, going back in there like this, instead of bound. And not half killed with their stinking slaver magic, either.”
    Alec grinned back, dreams discarded and the old spark of excitement in his belly. “Yes, it will.”
    They lingered there as the crew began to appear, and it wasn’t long before the smell of porridge and salt fish drifted out from the galley. Micum and Rieser came up to join them and they ate on the deck, watching the mist swirl away with the morning breeze.
    At last there was nothing left to do but say farewell.
    Rhal clasped hands with all of them, even a startled Rieser, as they stood at the head of the ladder and the sailors lowered their gear to the longboat below. “Good luck to you. The striped sails should keep us safe enough if anyone happens by.”
    “Just show them the guest cabin,” Seregil said with a grin. “Only a Plenimaran would decorate like that.”
    “Micum, are you sure you can walk all the way to Riga?” Seregil asked as they were being rowed ashore, noticing how Micum was absently rubbing his thigh.
    “I may have to rest a bit now and then, but I’ll make it. Sebrahn did a pretty good job on my leg.”
    “We’ll buy horses as soon as we find some.”
    “Buy?” Micum raised an eyebrow at that. “You?”
    Seregil grinned. “We have plenty of money, and it will attract less attention. I didn’t come all this way to be hanged for a horse thief.”
    Rhal’s coffers had provided them with as much gold and silver as a successful trader was likely to get caught with, all in Plenimaran coin. Each of them had a money purse hidden away in his pack.
    They reached shore safely and pulled the boat up onto the rocky shingle to unload their meager belongings, then shook hands with the boatman and waved him off.
    “Well, it’s time to complete our disguise.” Seregil took thelinen veils from his pocket and showed Rieser how to tie his over his face, just under his eyes.
    “I feel ridiculous,” the Hâzad muttered. “And what about him?” he asked, looking at Alec. “Even with his hair dark, it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that he’s a ya’shel.”
    “Slavers aren’t that particular,” Alec said. “Ya’shel are common, though they’re not as valuable. Yhakobin didn’t own any, except for me, and that was just for my blood.”
    “If anyone asks about you, I’ll just tell them I got you cheap,” said Micum with a wink.
    Seregil chuckled. “See, Alec? I told you he was going to enjoy this. Come on, let’s go.”
    “Wait.” Alec dug in his pack for a moment, at last producing the little pouch with his flint and steel, and a handful of striped owl feathers. “I brought them from the mountains. I think we can use all the luck we can get.”
    Turning his back to the breeze, he kindled a little fire with twigs and dry bits of driftwood. When the flames licked up strongly enough, he carefully laid the feathers on. Smoke rose at once, and each of them quickly bathed his hands and face in it.
    “Aura Elustri málreil,”
Rieser said, solemnly invoking the Lightbringer’s protection for them all.
    “Even me, Hâzad?” Micum asked dryly, recognizing the prayer.
    “I assume you have some Immortal of your own to look after you,” Rieser replied, and walked away.
    Micum laughed, refusing to be insulted. “Come on, you lazy lot. We’re wasting daylight.”
    They shouldered packs and started up the rocky beach.
    Rieser scanned the empty countryside ahead. “I still think it was a mistake to come unarmed.”
    “All we have to do is play our parts and stay out of trouble,” said Seregil.
    “That’s right,” said Micum, carrying Alec’s bow in his free hand. “So behave while we find some horses. I got my fill of being chased by your lot, Rieser. I say we try for a nice, easy journey this time.”
    They walked to the head of the beach and headed inlanduntil they struck a forked road: the left fork was a rutted dirt track that led down to the water; the right, a proper highroad heading north toward Riga. One lonely cottage stood on the seaward side, but it looked deserted.
    With nothing to hide, they took the highroad. Spring was more advanced here and the day soon grew too warm for cloaks, but they kept them ready in case they met anyone on the road.
    “This is a dry land,” Rieser observed. Dust rose around their shoes with every step.
    “It’s said it was forested here before