Page 94 of The Gilded Ones

She nods at the novice. Gazal still hasn’t moved, although her hands twitch in her lap when her name is mentioned. She looks eerie, sitting there so silently.

“She hasn’t spoken since she brought Britta,” Asha whispers. “She just insisted that Britta get a healer, and then she became like that. I lied to the emperor and told him she was battle shocked, which is why she wasn’t moving.”

Adwapa turns to me. “What in Oyomo’s name did you do to her?”

I don’t know, I want to tell her, but that would be a lie. I do know. I pushed all my power, all my will, into Gazal. That’s what made her this way.

“Gazal?” I call.

When she hears my voice, she slowly looks up. Her eyes are glazed, distant. “Yes?” she replies.

“Are you awake?” I ask. When she doesn’t answer, a small thread of panic slithers through me. “Wake up, Gazal,” I urge.

The glazed look in Gazal’s eyes fades. She glances around, confused. “Where am I? What happened?” she asks.

“I think—” I begin, but Belcalis pushes past me.

“You’re in one of the emperor’s tents,” she says. “You brought Britta back, but something must have hit your head.”

Gazal nods, holds her head as if searching for a lump. “Have I reported back?” she asks.

“I don’t think so,” I say. “But the mission was a success. You did well.”

Gazal nods. “That’s good,” she says absently, walking out. That perplexed expression is still on her face.

“What was that?” Asha asks, frowning. “What happened to her?”

“It was Deka’s voice,” Belcalis explains. “It’s growing more powerful, and the way she looks now when she uses it…” She looks at me, a worried look on her face. “What are you, Deka?” she whispers. “What are you?”

It’s late in the evening by the time Asha leaves, off to tell our uruni what is happening. Once she does, Belcalis and Adwapa push their pallets beside Britta’s. I’m relieved they’ve stayed behind. Images from this afternoon have begun flashing through my mind, confounding and frightening me all at once.

“Belcalis, Adwapa…” I whisper. “Can I speak to you?”

“Yes?” Both of them rise, walk over.

“I remember what happened now,” I say as they sit beside me.

“I wasn’t aware that you forgot,” Adwapa snorts.

“There is one thing I did…” I begin. I turn to them, hesitant. “If I tell you two something, can you confine it to us? Can you promise never to tell anyone else – not even the other bloodsisters?”

“Of course.” Adwapa nods.

Belcalis nods. “I would never betray your confidence, Deka. You know this.”

“I know,” I say, looking down. “But this…this might be dangerous,” I add, giving her the same warning Keita once gave me. “It might get you – it might get us…”

“Killed?” Adwapa laughs. “We were dead the minute our blood ran gold, I’ve always known that. I thought you did too.”

“We who are dead salute you,” I agree, nodding.

“Isn’t that the truth.” Adwapa shrugs. “Now what did you want to tell us?”

I glance up at her. “What if…what if I heard the deathshrieks speak?”

Both still.

“You don’t mean all the clicking and rumbling, do you?” Belcalis asks quietly.

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