Whispers of the Skyborne (Devices of War Book 3) (5 page)

Ino City: Chie

C
HIE HURRIED THROUGH
I
NO
C
ITY,
her hands fisted at her sides, her steps clipped. The big bow of her blue obi bounced with each step at the base of her back.

Synn was close. He knew Oki was in trouble. Chie just hoped he would arrive in time. She’d warned Oki so many times over the past few years of their friendship about Ino Nami, but each time, Oki’s laughed her warnings away. “No,” Oki’d said, “My mother would never do anything like that.”

But Chie knew things Oki couldn’t. There was a certain brilliance to being a servant. A true-blood servant, so, in some ways, stronger in political standing than others, including Oki. But still, a servant, and, thus, invisible. As such, she was able to slip into places she shouldn’t be during meetings she shouldn’t even know about.

Like the true-blood meetings.

They’d been banned years ago. Shortly afterward, Ino Nami had joined her house with Kadar El’Asim and they’d produced children. On the outside, things looked great. It appeared as though progress was being made.

Then, the true-blood meetings continued, without the El’Asim being present.

The El’Asim tribe wasn’t pure. It was a blending of several different tribes. The only reason the El’Asim had been accepted into the Great Family ranks was because their Mark was consistent; lightning. Also, they were large and powerful. However, Chie had seen other “powerful” tribes wiped out of existence before. So, there had to have been something else that Ino Nami had been looking for.

Chie had listened to the secret meetings. She’d heard Ino Nami proclaim that Oki, Ryo, Zara, and Synn were not her children and would never inherit. That left only Makoto who had obviously been fathered elsewhere. They talked of purging the Great Families of all the tainted blood.

Tainted blood. Chie went cold just thinking about it. When they “purged” the ranks, the tainted were either turned out with nothing to call their own, or they were slaughtered. How far would Ino Nami go?

Well, they were seeing it. She was going to kill her own daughter, whether she claimed her or not. She’d given birth to Oki. Chie wasn’t stupid. The other tainted bloods would follow and the only people who knew about it that could spread the word were her and Oki. Oki hadn’t taken it seriously, and no one would listen to a mere servant.

The El’Asim needed to get his sister and all the other tainted bloods out of there. But how? He wasn’t that smart.

But he was their only ally.

“Eto Chie,” an older woman called from her market stall. “Eto Chie!”

A frown flashed across Chie’s face as she stopped. “I do not have time, Oshiro Kota.”

Kota grasped for Chie’s fingers, worry folding her worn face, calculation lighting her dark eyes. “What is going on? Everyone runs about, and no one says anything.”

Chie gave the older woman’s fingers a squeeze. “As soon as I know anything, I will send a message, but right now, I must go.” She extracted her fingers and continued through the market.

Who could Chie trust? Who could she tell? Who would she try to save? Who could she try to save? Oki. Obviously. Their husbands. Of course. But who else?

Little shanties filled the market, temporary buildings made of dried sea flax with thin drapes for doors. A storm raged outside the protections of the
letharan
walls. Ino City had breached the protection of the ocean’s surface, so the market was closed. Being in the storm was dangerous. Breaching had been dangerous, but that had been the only way they could get the message to Synn.

It was probably why Ino Nami had decided to act, though. Blessed waters! What could they do?

Chie ducked behind a faded red drape and stepped into a potter’s shop. The old potter sat on a stool, painting his latest ware. He didn’t even glance up when she entered.

She slipped under the horizontal board along the back wall, and pushed the hidden door open, ducking into the small room in the back.

Kenta, Oki’s husband, had already arrived. He wiped his palms on his turquoise pants as he stood, the hard leathers of his
haidate,
or thigh guards, falling into place. The barest of light trickled through the slats above and glinted on his black top knot. “Have you seen Oki?”

“You haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

How did some not hear the gossip that spread like wildfire amongst the servants? “Ino Nami has seized control of the city and has incarcerated Oki.”

“What?” Disbelief folded his normally stoic features.

“She is set for execution tomorrow.”

He closed his eyes, his wide nostrils flaring. “You are sure.”

“Yes. But there is more.”

Kenta opened his eyes and studied her. “What more could there be?”

“Oki managed to get a message to Synn.”

“The El’Asim was within range?”

Chie nodded. “And he is on his way.”

“That is great news.”

“It has happened,” Hitoshi said as he burst through the back, wearing a similar uniform to Kenta. His face was sharper than Kenta’s, his top knot smaller, his frame slighter.

Kenta turned to him. “Chie has informed me. I would not think Ino Nami to be so bold.”

He obviously didn’t know Ino Nami.

Hitoshi met Chie’s gaze, his almond-shaped eyes brimming with saddened disbelief. “Did she get the message out?”

“Yes.” Chie held up her slim hand and took a step forward. “But we need to—”

Kenta brushed her off and met Hitoshi’s gaze. “Where is Oki?”

“The jails below the family quarters.”

“The jails?” Kenta shook his head as if sluffing off dew from his hair. “Fine. We break in, get her out, and then we seek refuge with the El’Asim.”

“How do we get that information to the El’Asim now?” Hitoshi asked. “The message we sent out was brief.”

Chie ground her teeth. To be ignored by others who thought themselves above her was one thing. To be ignored by her best friend’s beloved and by her own husband were another. “I have more information,” she barked.

Kenta flinched, but turned toward her.

Hitoshi raised his eyebrows, the corners of his lips rising slightly. “My love?”

She’d give him his “my love” back later. “We sent out a message on the other network.”

“You did what?” Hitoshi asked.

“Who did?” Kenta demanded.

“Do you think you are the only ones capable of such things?” Chie asked. “I know the El’Asim spy.”

“The El’A—what?” Kenta blinked.

“
He
has a way of getting messages to the El’Asim that Ino Nami doesn’t know about.”

“Can it be traced?” Hitoshi asked quietly.

“If Ino Nami doesn’t even know about it yet? No.”

“Well, then.” Hitoshi straightened his shoulders. “What message did you send, my love?”

“I told Synn that Oki was going to be executed tomorrow. He is coming himself to Ino City to talk to his mother and, hopefully, barter for Oki’s life.”

Kenta bowed his head. “And how likely will that work?”

“Not very. But I sent another message.”

“What was that?”

“We need to evacuate the tainted—”

“Chie,” Hitoshi said in frustration, pushing away from her. “Not this again. The blood wars are ended.”

“They are not,” she said firmly. “I have experienced the meetings. I’ve heard what they say. I’ve heard Ino Nami. Trust me, my love. Oki will be the first tainted—”

“Tainted,” Kenta said with a chuckle of derision, his gaze seeking Hitoshi. “Oki. What has your woman been listening to?”

“Ino Nami,” Chie said, frustrated anger curling in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes from the force of it. She didn’t handle anger well. She didn’t know how to channel it or use it. It just made her look weak. She swallowed hard, pushing the tears back. She had to make them listen. “Ino Nami will make it public tomorrow. She deems all her offspring except Makoto to be tainteds. Oki
will
be the first. After that, Ino Nami will purge her city.”

Kenta opened his mouth to nay-say her, then closed his lips, dropping his gaze in thought. “Mass murder. That’s what you’re talking about.”

“That’s what I’m saying she will do.”

“We’re in the middle of a storm,” Hitoshi said. “If it still blows tomorrow?”

“Then when she purges the city,” Kenta finished quietly, “hundreds of people will die.”

Chie breathed a sigh of relief. Finally. Someone listened.

“She killed Synn’s people,” Hitoshi whispered, looking at his military leader.

Kenta nodded slowly. “No one says that out loud.”

“But we all know it.”

Relief released the last of Chie’s pent-up worry. They really
had
listened.

“What did Synn say?” Kenta asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“To gather everyone at the dock,” Chie said. “I’ve passed the information along as best I could. People are packing. They’re starting to draw attention, though. Oshiro Kota noticed.”

“Then Ino Nami will be informed soon.” Kenta’s jaw jutted to the side as he paused for thought. “We know her messenger.”

Hitoshi nodded. “We do. I will send someone after him. Make sure he doesn’t get his message to Ino Nami.”

“Excellent.”

The sound of cannon repercussion sounded faintly.

“Are we under attack?” Hitoshi asked.

The alarm sounded for general quarters.

Kenta narrowed his eyes then smiled. “We are. Ino Nami. So this is the reason we breached in the middle of a storm.”

Chie shook her head. “Oki breached us to send a message to Synn.”

“No.” Kenta flexed his hands. “Ino Nami has been in control of her city. Trust me. Oki was not the one who breached us.” He chucked his chin at Hitoshi as another repercussion sounded over the blaring siren. “She’s drawing the El’Asim out.”

“Perfect cover for him to come into Ino City, then,” Hitoshi said.

“Indeed.”

Hitoshi leaned down and pressed a kiss onto the top of Chie’s head. “Make sure you’re at the docks in time. None of our belongings are worth your life.”

She pressed her shoulder into his chest, taking the warmth he offered. “And you?”

“I will meet you there.”

“And Oki?”

Kenta narrowed his gaze. “I have a plan. Go, Hitoshi. Stop the messenger.”

Hitoshi disappeared out the back.

“Chie,” Kenta said, grasping her arm lightly and guiding her out the back. “Will you do a thing for me?”

He didn’t have to ask. She knew he was going to save her best friend, and Chie would do anything for Oki.

Anything.