Free Tears of War by A. D. Trosper Page B

pass through it; you have touched it. You have a connection to it.” Her eyes went to Nydara. “Old things come again,” she looked back at Maleena, “and new things surface.”
    Puzzled, Maleena asked, “What do you mean new things? How did you know I have passed through Maiadar?”
    “I am a Shama. It is part of my magic. I have heard of those who passed through Maiadar, but I have never heard of one who touched it. You touched it—connected to it—before you ever passed through it.”
    Memories of the battle by the lake filled Maleena. In her mind, she saw the massive silver ghost of Emallya’s dragon, Rylin, hanging above the lake, water streaming off her gleaming scales in the morning light. “Yes, once. I pulled the spirit of Nydara’s mother from Spirit Lake.”
    Angeni’s eyes went wide. “New things surface. Spirits are supposed to remain in Maiadar. That is their world when they leave this one. There is not supposed to be a path back for them. Yet you were able to connect with a spirit there. You can still connect with them; I can feel it in you. Some of the spirit’s energy and power clings to your aura. Is there anything in your human histories that say something like this has happened before?”
    Maleena shook her head. “No, even when the Ka’ti was searched, there was no reference to it.”
    “You see,” Angeni smiled, “new things surface.”
    Avendala placed her hand on Angeni’s arm. “Come, sister, the others would like to meet Maleena.”
    The infant cradled in Angeni’s arm stirred and let out a little cry. She made shushing noises and held the baby to one ample breast. The babe immediately quieted and latched on. She smiled when she noticed Maleena watching. “This is my youngest son, born less than two moons ago. His name is Etu.”
    Maleena gazed wistfully at the infant. “He is beautiful.” And though his skin was dark purple and tiny horn buds were already showing on his hairless head, she didn’t think him any less beautiful. He looked like he should for his people.
    Another woman introduced herself as Algoma. A baby with chubby legs and black hair that hung to her shoulders gazed at her from where she sat on Algoma’s hip. Algoma introduced the child as Nidawi.
    Each woman was introduced, although many hung back. Not Maleena learned because of reticence, but due to the strict hierarchy of the camp. She found herself sitting around a small fire with the five highest status women of the camp. Avendala, Angeni, and Algoma who was the mate of Hakan’s second, though Angeni outranked her because she was the Shama. The other two were Avendala’s grandmother, Pamuya, and a younger woman named Aponi
    Children played and moved about the camp with total disregard for the status of their elders.
    Avendala’s infant daughter, Adsila, crawled back and forth between the fire her mother sat at and where her father sat with the men, pulling up on them and crawling into their laps. Maleena watched with amusement as the chubby baby less than a year old interrupted her father’s discussion to crawl onto the massive warrior’s lap. The child popped her thumb in her mouth and snuggled into him.
    Aponi, a very young woman newly mated to a high-ranking warrior, cooked thin flat bread on a heavy stone, while Pamuya set a pot of cold stew from the night before on the fire to warm.
    Maleena looked about the end of the canyon. It didn’t look like a permanent residence. “Do you stay in one place long?”
    Pamuya answered in a deep, raspy voice. “Except for one permanent settlement on the eastern coast, the Ke’han are nomads. We always have been. For most of our history, it was necessary to follow the food and part of our tradition. After Galdivan, it became necessary for our safety as well. Whole camps were rounded up by him and his foul shadows.”
    “We never stay more than a quarter turn of the moon in any one spot,” Avendala added. Aponi served Maleena a bowl of thick stew and