Heiress: Birthstone Series Book Two (22 page)

“Is there a reason why Faema’s dress is so much nicer than
mine?” Haji asked. She frowned at the worn, peasant skirt hanging limply around
her legs. We’d managed to stay hidden in the forest and sometimes, the ocean,
for two days while we’d waited for Nil to return with our supplies. Once he’d
arrived, we’d been thrilled to receive four new supply packs with a few food
items each, bedrolls, an assortment of clothing and shoes, and a small amount
of Miranaschian coinage. However, we’d immediately noticed several items had
seemed shabbier than others. Mostly everyone’s except Faema’s.

“For only one Sea Gem, you really shouldn’t complain. I did
the best I could considering how much you needed.” Nil held out a bit of bread
in front of Solo, where he sat perched on his owner’s shoulder. The bird
snapped it up, swallowed, and let out a satisfied caw.

I adjusted my worn woolen pants and vest and tried to ignore
Nil’s smug tone. I was still surprised he had agreed to trade with us for a
single gem but his interest in Faema had begun to irritate me. True, it had
likely been what motivated him to scale back his greed a little and help us
out, but now, as we examined our supplies and tried to decide our next move,
Nil showed no interest in moving on.

As though reading my thoughts, Lirig said, “So, Nilym, I
suppose you have more trading to do?”

I chuckled as I strapped my sword’s holster to my side and
fastened my arrows to my back. Leave it to Lirig to get right to the point.

Nil yawned and winked at Faema who was leaning against the
tree opposite his. “Actually, since I gave you all such an amazing bargain, I
thought I’d throw one more stipulation into the trade.”

“Too late. The exchange is done,” Haji said.

“It’s not a big deal. I just want to travel with you for a
while. I could be a guide in unfamiliar territory. I’ll help you find what
you’re looking for.”

Faema scrutinized him, her lips puckered in thought. “Why
would you want to do that?”

Nil stared back at her for several moments. “I’m feeling
motivated to make new friends,” he finally said.

“How do we know you don’t have designs to report us or
deliver us to those who work for the king?” Lirig asked. He didn’t attempt to
soften the hostility in his tone.

I cast a significant glance at Faema and said, “He won’t. He
only seeks after his best interests and right now, his interests are centered
on us.”

When Nil snorted, I added, “One of us, at least.” Faema rolled
her eyes and Haji stifled a laugh.

“You seem fairly worried about having your presence known.
What is it about you that would make you worthy of the king’s attention?” Nil
asked.

Haji shook her head. “Why should we trust you with that
information?”

Nil dug at the dirt in his fingernails with a small knife.
“I’m only asking so I can help. If you think you’re fine on your own in a
foreign land, I’ll leave you be.”

“We’re not foreign,” Lirig said. “We were just displaced for
a time.”

“Displaced? Is that your word for exiled?” Nil flicked a
piece of grime from off his blade and pretended to focus more deeply on his
self-grooming. “I’ve heard rumors of Sea Dwellers who were banished long ago.
It could be very valuable to the king if some of them found their way back to
Miranasch.”

My sword was out faster than Nil could blink. I pointed it
at the bobbing lump in his throat, the only sign that he was more nervous than
he let on.

“You think this is a joke?” I hissed through my teeth.

“Relax,” Nil said. “I was only seeking to confirm my
suspicions. I have no interest in handing you over to his Majesty.”

“Somehow I think you’d change your mind if the right offer
came along,” Lirig said. He trained a spear on Nil as well.

Nil laughed uneasily. “Listen, I’m not a friend of royalty
any more than you are. I wasn’t threatening you. I’m giving you a reason to
trust me.”

“Then you must be a really horrible communicator,” Haji
said.

Faema sighed. “Oh, all of you stop getting so worked up. And
Sai, put your weapon away.”

Lirig gaped at her. “Are you taking his side?”

“I don’t take anyone’s side.” Faema glanced toward Nil who beamed
at her. She ignored him. “His comment was a warning. If someone else figured
out who we are with all our bumbling around this new land, we’d be easily
gathered up and arrested. Nil’s just explaining why we need him around.”

I lowered my sword as I considered her words. “Needing him
is one thing. Trusting him is another.”

Nil rolled his eyes and grunted. “I could have sent soldiers
to round you up during the time I was getting your supplies. Doesn’t the fact
that you’re standing here with new clothes and food make me somewhat
trustworthy?”

When we didn’t answer, he took a few steps closer toward me.
“Why are you in Miranasch anyway? What makes you too good to trust anyone and
so afraid someone is going to notice you?”

I glared at him, unwilling to respond. Once again, Faema
broke in. “We’re looking for someone. She was supposed to have arrived weeks
ago. She’s an enemy to your king.”

Nil turned to face her, his interest piqued. “How did she
become an enemy to the king if she’s just arrived?” he asked. “And what do you
want with her?”

Lirig relaxed his hand holding the spear. “How is that
information relevant to you?”

Nil shrugged. “I might be able to help.”

I glanced toward Lirig, and then Haji, wishing I could read
their thoughts. After a few moments of silence, Haji raised her eyebrows and
nodded at me. Hesitating, I turned back toward Nil.

“She’s got the bloodline to every gem. Your people call her
the Gem Heiress.”

Nil blinked at me for several seconds, his face void of
emotion. Finally, he threw his head back and guffawed loudly.

“You came all the way out here because you think there’s a
Gem Heiress?” he asked.

I shook my head, exasperated. “I
know
there’s a Gem
Heiress and I need to find her.”

Nil laughed harder. “You sound like all the other crazies
filling our streets lately. ‘The Gem Heiress is going to save us!’ ‘The Gem
Heiress is finally here to free our kingdom from the monarchy!’” He made a retching
sound and went back to picking his fingernails with his knife. “I haven’t seen
any sign of one. It’s just a rumor to get more people willing to join the rebel
armies if you ask me.”

“The rebel armies!” I exclaimed. “Do you know where to find
them? They might be able to take me to Aylen!”

Nil squinted at me. “I can find anything. But if you join a
rebel group, you’re in for life and required to fight for them. It’s a death
sentence. If the battles and missions they send you on don’t kill you, being convicted
for treason by the king will.”

I chewed on my lip in thought while Haji and Lirig looked at
me, waiting for my decision.

“When it comes to Aylen, I’m already in for life. This might
be the best way to find her.”

“I came here to fight,” Lirig said. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” Haji agreed. “I’m no coward.”

When I turned to Faema, she surprised me. “I’ll think about
it.” It was more than I expected.

“So, you believe this Aylen person is the Gem Heiress?” Nil
asked.

I ignored his question. “If you want to travel with us,
you’ll help us find the rebel armies.”

Nil glanced at Faema again, his eyebrows raised in question.
She blushed slightly. “Oh, for the love of Vairda, just help them find the
stupid rebels,” she said.

He nodded. “If that’s what you all want.” He tucked his
knife away in his pocket and reached for his pack nearby. “But while we travel,
you do everything I tell you. You’re about to step into an entirely different
world. And I’m betting the rules are nothing like where you’re from.”

With those words, we finished packing our new supplies in
preparation for the next leg of our journey. While I sorted and gathered my
things in strained silence, I had plenty of time to wonder if, by trusting Nil,
I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.

Mossy trees with leaves larger than a grown man towered over
us. The vegetation was so thick I thought I could hear the plant roots around
me stretching deeper into the soil. While we walked and stared in wonder at the
strange forest surrounding us, Nil explained our new identities.

“I doubt any of you are talented enough to be performers, so
you’re refugees,” he said. He paused to caw once, listened for his bird to
respond, and kept going. “Lirig, Sai, and Haji are siblings who came from one
of the far northern territories. Your parents were killed by the rebel
movement. You’re seeking a more peaceful existence closer to the capitol.”

“Do the king’s dissenters really kill innocent people?” Haji
asked.

Nil shrugged. “I doubt it. Otherwise they wouldn’t gain so
many followers. They’ve led a few uprisings in the past and they usually target
the king and his strongholds. But if we run into any of the royal soldiers, it
would be best to have a story that makes you seem loyal to the crown.”

Lirig cast Nil a doubtful look. “Do we look like we’re from
the northern territories?”

“There’s a good mix of people up there but you might stand
out somewhat.” He stopped walking for a moment to dig through his pack. When
his hand emerged from its depths, he held two tiny clear bottles filled with
brown liquid. “These will darken your hair. We’ll put them to use before we
leave the forest.” He passed them to Haji and kept going.

“So, what’s Faema’s story?” I asked as we walked.

Nil smiled. “She’s my new assistant. She ran away from her
home on the southern coast to explore the world. When we met, we decided a
partnership in business would be financially beneficial to us both and allow
her the freedom to travel to new places.”

“That’s not too far from the truth,” I muttered.

We hiked in silence for a time, listening to the calls of
strange birds and the creak and groan of ancient trees as they shifted in the
breeze.

The colors in the forest surprised me. At times, out of the
corners of my eyes, the leaves seemed to hint at odd shades and tones. I saw
purples hiding in shadow, blue fringing the edges, gold and crimson glimmering
in streaks of sunlight. But whenever I turned to get a better look, the foliage
had changed back to green.

It wasn’t until much later, as the light began to shift,
that I noticed the iridescent nature of many of the tree trunks. The bark often
looked as though someone had smeared a rainbow across the rough surfaces. I
began to understand the leaves had that same film over them but only certain
colors showed up depending on the changing light.

I wasn’t the only one examining the forest. Haji stared in
awe at the giant crimson and white striped flowers growing out of the moss on
trees. She had a hungry look on her face and I wondered what uses she was
imagining for some of the enormous petals.

Eventually, Nil halted beneath a thick canopy of trees. With
a grunt, he dropped his pack and plopped on the ground. “We’ll camp here. We’re
right on the borders of one of the villages and you need to fix your hair
before we enter in the morning.”

Exhausted, we dropped our gear and set to work building a
fire and preparing a comfortable place to spend the night. We’d had plenty of
practice and it wasn’t long before Lirig was roasting several small birds over
the hot coals.

While we waited for our meal, Haji took out the bottles Nil
had given her. “So how does this stuff work?” she asked him.

“It’s oil from the Soola plant out east. It spreads easily
and doesn’t stick to skin. Put some in your palm and smear it through your
hair. It will absorb the color.”

Haji uncorked the bottle and allowed half the contents to
drizzle into her hand. Once she’d set the bottle aside, she began to work the
oil into her hair. The rest of us watched in fascination as the strands
deepened into a rich brown. When she was done, she used a finger to swipe a
little more liquid from the bottle and daubed some of it onto her eyebrows and
eyelashes.

“Well?” she asked when she was done. “How does it look?”

I laughed. “That’s amazing! No one would know your were a
foreigner.”

Haji beamed. Turning to Nil, she asked, “How long does this
last?”

“A couple of weeks usually. It’s easy enough to come by so
we can find more if we need to.”

Haji passed me the rest of her bottle and tossed Faema the
second one. Each of us took turns working the oil through our hair and
examining the results in Haji’s looking glass. We all ended up with different
shades of greasy brown, Faema the lightest of us all. Despite some of our similar
Vairdan facial features, we looked like we could pass for dirty, traveling
mainlanders.

After we’d eaten our fill and the fire had died to nothing
more than a few glowing embers, we retired to the bedrolls Nil had brought us.
It wasn’t long before I heard the soft snores of the others fall into rhythm
with the croaking frogs and haunted hoots of night fowl.

Unable to sleep, I listened to the strange mix of familiar
and unfamiliar sounds and wondered where Aylen was at that moment. Was she
comfortable? Did she still think of me? I let thoughts and memories of her
drift through my mind until my muscles relaxed and I felt myself drift off.
Just as I began to sink into unconsciousness, Nil shifted and sighed a few feet
away. My eyes flew open. I turned my head and saw him staring at me from his
bedroll.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice groggy.

His tone carried a note of scorn. “You don’t really think
this girl is the Gem Heiress, do you?”

I wanted to roll over and ignore his question but I heard
myself asking, “Why does it matter?”