Chapter Two – Part 9 – The Burning of Yeun
“I’ll get Thryche,” Rhayd volunteered. He was gone by the time Mireya turned her head to offer to go in his stead, leaving her on the deck alone, surrounded by now-panicking sailors, with only the gruesome sight of the burning city to keep her company.
Immediately, she tried to focus on something other than the city itself. Yeun was built into the side of a mountainous island, so much of the city was visible even from a distance. Buildings far larger than any in Penance sprawled up the sides of the delta, standing three or even five stories tall, some of them nearing the size of the Court building and two, one on either side of the delta with a huge bridge between, were each the size of the entire ducal estate.
And it was all burning to the ground.
Shortly, Mireya found herself surrounded by familiar presences, and abandoned her scrutiny of the city to find Rhayd, Kintere, and the Curia all at her side. It took her a moment to find Blackfang as well, wrapped as always in his hunting clothes, lounging like a cat against the rear castle. His eyes were cold, but anything else was impossible to tell through the burnoose hiding his head.
Rhayd was livid, that much Mireya could tell by looking at him, and Thryche was studying him – perhaps the two had had some harsh words below decks. Kintere was a blank slate. Never, since she had known him, had Mireya seen the man so calm while still awake. He was always giving something away with his eyes. Now, however, he looked more like Blackfang, with his jaw set tight, and his normally expressive eyes taking in the city of flames as if it were a threat. Perhaps it was.
Mireya caught Rhayd’s eyes, as he turned away from the city. He nodded – he saw a question there that she was unwilling to speak.
“Edvard knows what happened to the city,” Rhayd said, folding his arms over his chest. “But he’s refused to say.”
“I did not refuse,” the Curia corrected, pointing a gnarled finger at the young noble. “Don’t mince words. I told you it would do you no good to know what the cause was. There’s a difference.”
“It’s no help to is either way,” Mireya said meekly, drawing a confused look from the Curia. “We’re going to land there, aren’t we? Hadn’t we best know what we might find when we do?”
Blackfang laughed, drawing all eyes to him for a moment. The tall hunter shrugged, shaking his head.
“The girl’s right, master Thryche. For all we know, the dreaded xul are waiting in Yeun to take us all back to the underworld.”
“Bah,” Thryche spat – clearly, Blackfang had backed him into a corner. “There are no xul in Yeun.”
“But there were,” Kintere said, continuing his vigil on the city. “Two or more days ago.”
“Why so precise?” Rhayd asked, turning his own eyes on the city again.
“These flames are old, it’s the stone burning now. All the wood has been gone for at least a day. That’s why there’s so much smoke, and so little fire. Most of the city’s people are gone. If you look south, along the coast, you can see a small harbor where the other ships who have come in since the fire began have put in.”
“Impressive,” Rhayd breathed, obviously frustrated he hadn’t seen that himself. Mireya chided herself for the same feeling – she had focused so thoroughly on the city, she hadn’t even thought to look along the coast.
“Master Toralyon surprises us again,” Thryche said with a laugh, rapping Kintere on the back with his cane. “Yes, the xul were here. It seems their raiding has moved further than expected. And yes, those boats are the ones we were here to meet. This attack was clearly timed with knowledge that weavers from the schools were coming to collect new students. I expect that your classes will be quite thin, thanks to this. But you’ll be going to the places you were assigned. I can see the flag of Jinda on one of the boats.”
“And of Attensah on the other, I assume,” Blackfang chimed.
“Yes, and of Attensah. You’ll find your assignment quite to your liking, Kienor. The hunters of Attensah are second to no other.”
“Then I shall make myself chief among them,” Blackfang rasped – but Mireya thought she was the only one who heard. She met the hunter’s eyes for a moment, before looking to the others, only to see they had turned their gazes back to the city and its flames.
Nothing is ever easy.