Page 35 of Potions & Pints
“Pili’s tribe found me, brought me back to his village,” Tan explained.
“Oh,” Vir said.
Vir nodded knowingly. Tan could tell he had connected the stars into a story. Tan smiled wistfully, remembering his childhood fascination with finding the shapes in the stars and the retelling of the ancient myths they symbolized.
Vir looked over at Pili who immediately stalked off.
“His brother,” Vir said quietly.
“I know,” said Tan. “Honestly, Vir, if I had known, had any inkling. I would have given my life for Idrulo’s. I just wish Pili could have seen how happy he was with Namys.”
“It’s not your fault,” Vir said.
Tan turned to Vir.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
Tan supposed it would have to be good enough. It actually made him very happy that Vir believed him. He didn’t think he could bear Vir looking at him with as much hatred as Pili did. Tan suspected the hatred was just a shield for the enormous sorrow Pili was carrying. Tan knew he was an easy target to deflect that blame. Still, he was very relieved Vir didn’t feel the same way.
“Not long now,” Tan said brightly.
Vir smiled and patted him on the back.
“There you go,” Vir said. “No point in thinking the worst will happen. It hasn’t happened yet. Things could be just fine, you never know.”
Tan agreed. He tried. He tried really hard. But as they inched closer to the dock the optimism faded. When Ogen tossed the hawser onto the dock it made a huge thud as it landed next to the bollard. Tan winced, but the sound was not just annoying. It was a punch to the gut, to his very soul.
He had barely made it out of here alive last time. He had sworn on everything that was holy to him—admittedly not much, but still—that he would never come back. When Sol fell and the first stars were seen, his most fervent wish was always that he never see Gamin Ait again. Given his choice, he’d have seen the words banished from the language.
Garu and Sori carefully set the gangplank in place, then bounded to the dock and began tying up the ship.
“They have no idea,” Tan said.
“What?” Vir said. “I should go help.”
Tan nodded and motioned that he should go. Everyone was always excited to make port, especially a new port. The problem is his friends had no clue what they were in for. If they did, they would be as reticent as Tan was to step off the ship.
He turned abruptly and went to the starboard side. He stared out at the sea. As far as the horizon it was calm. Tan knew what waited for them just out of view. Whoever coined the phrase ‘between a rock and a hard place’ may have very well be standing on a dock in Gamin Ait.
“Let’s go,” Vir said.
“Nah,” Tan replied.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll stay here, guard the ship.”
“Um, okay.”
Tan heard the distinctive sound of Vir clambering down the gangplank. He swore under his breath. He couldn’t let Vir and the others wander off. Who knows what trouble would find them? Still, he couldn’t get his feet to move.
“Tan.”
Tan turned. Pili had snuck up on him.
“We were all thinking that getting something to eat would be our first order of business. And since you know the market best…”
