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“His sister cut the sail in half while we were discussing it.”
I laugh into his shoulder. “I like her.”
The garden lights brighten as the daylight fades. Neither of us gets up.
Later, when he walks me back, I stop outside my door and turn toward him. He no longer waits for me to find a clever way to ask.
He kisses me good night.
“Tomorrow?” he asks.
“Yes.”
The next morning, canvas snaps outside my window. I look down into the courtyard and find two keepers opening a new rain awning over the lower walk. Ziku stands beneath it, calling that breakfast is ready.
Daurek is on the opposite walk. He catches me at the window.
“You could have told me,” I call down.
“You’d have slept through it.”
DAUREK
Reivaka brings the remaining road orders to me on Vai’s tenth morning in the Ilden.
“Yesterday we settled which keeper directs each shared crossing,” she says. “There is still this.”
She puts one of my orders on top. A keeper came to me after she had held his wagons, and I let him send them on. The next district was still clearing the approach.
“Were any wagons admitted?”
“No. The keeper at the crossing stopped them.”
I draw the order toward me and cross it out.
“From now on, you approve every change to a road carrying travelers. No keeper opens an approach until you clear it. That applies to my orders too.”
She reads what I have written and adds her name.
“That would save us a great deal of conversation.”
I almost smile. “Send the copies today.”
The next petitioner is waiting outside. I call him in before I reach for the cultivation papers. Vai is meeting me after the midday meal, and I want this work finished when she comes.
When Vai finds me, I’m putting away the last report.
“Reivaka said you’ve given her the roads.”
“She enjoyed saying that.”
“She did. May we go and see?”
“Yes.”
Vai takes my arm before we reach the door. Her auburn hair is braided, and the cuffs of her grey dress have been shortened with neat stitches. I notice them as she asks which way we are going.
At the eastern turn, a wagon passes us. The driver checks the notice, raises a hand to the keeper, and takes the marked curve.
