The Silent City

Chapter Eighty-Five

They walked through the pale green light of the Warren. People glanced at them curiously. A young woman from the kitchen offered John a sign of greeting. He returned it with a smile.

"Who is she?" Ravishan asked in a low whisper.

"One of the cooks. I don’t know her name, but she’s nice."

Ravishan studied the young woman briefly before seeming to dismiss her. John leaned close to Ravishan.

"You could definitely take her in a fight," John teased him.

"If it came to that I would," Ravishan replied easily.

John almost laughed out loud.

As they walked down the wide main corridor, John noticed more and more people stopping to watch them pass by. He saw an older man make the sign of Lyyn’s name along with a flurry of other hand signs. Ji was right, John realized. Gossip traveled fast in the Warren.

"It seems that you’ve started a little debate in the Warren," Ji commented to John.

"A debate?" John asked. He tried to read the hand signs that flashed between the men and women in the Warren, but all he caught were tiny phrases. One man glared at John, but the woman next to him waved.

"Lyyn had his friends and his detractors," Ji replied as if that explained it all. Then she asked, "Are you hungry, Ravishan?"

"I ate in Nurjima a few hours ago," Ravishan replied. "But I could use a bath and some yellowpetal salve, if you have it."

"You’re injured?" Ji asked.

"Just a few scratches." Ravishan indicated the thin cut that ran across his cheek. "I’d like to clean them up."

John frowned. Yellowpetal had some antiseptic properties, but John knew from working with Hann’yu that it was mainly used as a strong painkiller. Ji didn’t comment but just nodded.

"The baths are this way." Ji led them south through the wide central tunnel. As they walked, Ravishan studied the carved walls and doorways.

"This was all carved by hand?" Ravishan asked.

"Some of the caverns were natural. We expanded them," Ji said.

"It must have taken years."

"The first tunnels were dug out sixty years ago. They were used to hide grain stores from the Payshmura tithe collectors. Then Fai’daum dissidents started regrouping here and storing weapons. Over the last twenty years it’s almost become a city."

John guessed that the Warren’s population was about half that of Amura’taye. On the whole they were much better fed, clothed, and employed. And even the kitchen girls were trained to fight.

"There are wards carved in some of the walls," Ravishan commented.

Ji nodded and flashed her teeth.

"Your work?" Ravishan asked.

"Mostly mine," Ji said. "Why do you ask?"

"They feel like Payshmura wards." Ravishan studied the crowds of men and women. John guessed that he was trying to read their hand signs.

"I picked up a few tricks while I was in Umbhra’ibaye," Ji said.

Surprise flashed through Ravishan’s expression but he asked nothing more and Ji offered no further explanation.

As they passed close to the kitchens, the tunnels filled with more people. Many of them carried grain sacks or baskets loaded with root vegetables. A group of young boys herded a cluster of black milking goats past them.

"All these people," Ravishan whispered. "They’re all Fai’daum?"

"All of them," Ji said.

It could have been an effect of the green light or just exhaustion at last catching up with him, but Ravishan looked suddenly ill. John stepped closer to offer support if Ravishan needed it.

"There are so many," Ravishan said quietly. "Here and in Nurjima."

"There are just as many in the south," Ji said. "And now there will be a lot more."

"What do you mean?" Ravishan asked.

"You’ll find out soon enough." Ji led them through a narrow hallway. At last she stopped at the painted doors of the Witches District’s private baths.

"I’ll have Tanash bring you yellowpetal," Ji said. "Will you need bandages as well?"

Ravishan didn’t respond right away. John knew that he didn’t want to admit the extent of his injuries. John answered for him.

"That would be good. My neck is a little cut up." John smiled down at Ji. "Thank you."

"You’re welcome." Ji gazed at John. "Though, next time maybe you should tell me before you decide to rush into an ambush."

"I sent Eriki’yu to you," John said.

"You should have come with him instead of going to fight. And you shouldn’t have fought so well," Ji said. "I don’t know how I’m going to convince Lafi’shir that you’re unsuited to military service now. Arren has already been hinting that you should be sent out."

"But I’m your student," John protested.

"Yes, well, we’ll see," Ji replied. "Don’t worry about it right now. Just take care of Ravishan."

Ji gave a heavy sigh that made John want to reach out and pat her head. He restrained himself.

"I’ll send Tanash in a little while." Ji turned and loped back towards the central tunnel.

"Well, you heard her," Ravishan said softly. "Take care of me."

He smiled at John. It was an inviting smile, but John recognized the bluff in it. Ravishan was exhausted and sick from spending so much time in the Gray Space. He stood at the verge of collapse, far too proud to admit it.

John took Ravishan’s hand and pulled him into the small tiled room. He closed the door and locked it behind them. Ravishan slipped out of his heavy coat. John helped him strip off the rest of his clothes. He paused a moment, seeing the gold key that Ravishan wore on a silver chain around his neck. John didn’t try to remove it.

He made Ravishan sit down on one of the bathing stools. John kissed him gently and washed him. At least two dozen thin, red cuts crisscrossed his chest, arms, and legs. A strange, stale ozone scent clung to his skin. John filled bucket after bucket of hot water and rinsed away the dirt and dank scents.

The water splashed over John, soaking the leg of his pants. He quickly stripped them off and continued washing Ravishan.

"I feel like your prize goat," Ravishan muttered as John worked lather through his hair.

"My goat. You know, my thoughts were headed in an entirely different direction," John replied. He rinsed the soap out of Ravishan’s hair. They kissed again.

Ravishan draped his arms over John’s shoulders and leaned against him. He closed his eyes and rested his head against John’s neck.

"Are we going to be safe here?" Ravishan whispered.

"I think so," John said.

"I’m tired of hiding."

"I know." John kissed Ravishan’s clean dark hair.

Comfortable warmth radiated from the pipes running overhead. John held Ravishan close and felt the tension drain from his body. Ravishan’s breath slowed to a deep, relaxed rhythm.

There was a loud knock at the door. Ravishan bolted upright and instantly disappeared into the Gray Space. John started to grab him but then thought better of it. A moment later, the air next to John shuddered. A hiss of brutal cold escaped as Ravishan reappeared. He looked a little dazed and embarrassed.

There was a second knock at the door.

"Who is it?" John called.

"Tanash. I’m loaded down like a pack animal so you have to open the door for me… ahem, if you’re decent."

John took a towel for himself and tossed another to Ravishan. Ravishan wrapped it around his waist. John opened the door.

Tanash staggered in. The stack of clothes and baskets in her arms was piled high enough to almost block her vision. She carried at least two jackets, several shirts, and pants, as well as bundles of socks and underwear. John recognized the clothes. Larran had made them for him.

John quickly took the two baskets that balanced on top of the clothes. Clay pots of medical salves and bandages cluttered one of the baskets. The other contained a jar of oil, brushes, a shaving razor, and a tin of tooth powder.

Tanash stared past the huge stack of clothes in her arms to Ravishan. Ravishan regarded Tanash with slight suspicion. Tanash blanched and then turned quickly to John.

"Ji wanted me to bring your clothes. And she sent yellowpetal and your shaving kit as well…"

"Thank you," John said. He took the clothes and piled them on the bathing stool. "Let me introduce you. Ravishan, this is Tanash. She’s another of Ji’s students."

"I’m new to the Warren too. My father sent me up from Amura’milaun to study here," Tanash said. She smiled, showing her protruding front teeth. Ravishan didn’t smile in return.

"I’m Ravishan. I’ve come from Rathal’pesha."

Tanash nodded. "Everybody’s talking about you. They’re saying that you’re an ushiri."

"I was," Ravishan said. "I’m not one of them now."

"Did you really kill Lyyn with a touch of your hand?" Tanash asked in a whisper.

"I used a Silence Knife," Ravishan replied.

"Oh." Tanash frowned slightly. John doubted that she knew what a Silence Knife was. Ravishan didn’t seem inclined to explain. He was probably too tired to realize that he ought to. John handed Ravishan the jar of yellowpetal salve.

"Did Ji say if Ravishan would be initiated at dinner tonight?" John asked Tanash.

"I think so." Tanash’s smile returned when she looked to John. "Ji’s going to sponsor him."

John nodded. He wondered if his underwear would fit Ravishan. He guessed that it didn’t matter. Ravishan rarely wore underwear.

"Now we’re going to have two men in the Witches District." Tanash grinned. "Kansa was flapping her fingers like mad. But I told her that you’re going to room together, so it won’t be indecent."

"She wasn’t worried about that when I was living with you," John commented.

"No, but you’re…you know…" Tanash blushed. "Harmless."

"Harmless?" Ravishan demanded.

Tanash’s face flushed from pink to dark red.

"It’s all right, Ravishan," John said. "There’s nothing wrong with people feeling safe with me. That’s all Tanash meant."

Ravishan frowned but didn’t say anything. He still hadn’t applied any of the yellowpetal to his injuries. John realized that he wouldn’t while Tanash stood here, watching.

John glanced to Tanash. "Ravishan and I should probably finish cleaning up and get dressed. We’ll see you at dinner, all right?"

"Oh, of course." Tanash went to the door. "I’ll see you later."

John nodded and Tanash left. John locked the door again.

"You’re not harmless," Ravishan said.

"She meant that I wasn’t likely to force myself on any of the women." John lifted the lid off the jar of yellowpetal. He rubbed a little of the salve over the cut on Ravishan’s cheek. The skin felt hot, but it wasn’t swollen or red. Injuries from the Gray Space could be slow to heal but they rarely became infected. John guessed it was a result of the Gray Space’s intense sterility. Nothing survived there for long, not even microbes.

"Does everyone here know about us?" Ravishan asked.

"Nearly. Word travels fast. Lyyn and his friends knew before they even met me. That’s why they wanted to ambush me." John continued treating the lacerations that marred Ravishan’s skin.

"I should have killed all three of them," Ravishan said.

John just shook his head.

"Why not?" Ravishan asked.

"We didn’t need to." John set the jar of yellowpetal salve aside. He bandaged a deep cut just above Ravishan’s knee.

"It isn’t wise to let an enemy live," Ravishan said.

"No. I suppose it’s not." John found it strange to consider murder so practically. He should have been repulsed. He looked up at Ravishan’s handsome face. There was a hard pragmatism to Ravishan, but it didn’t disgust John. Ravishan made John ponder the value of lenience.

"It’s not smart to make more enemies than we have to," John said. "Those men all have families here in the Warren. I think that showing a little mercy might work in our favor."

"I know you’re right, but the thought of someone hurting you again…" Ravishan touched John’s cheek gently. "I couldn’t just let that happen."

"I know," John said. He remembered the wet heat of Dayyid’s blood gushing over his hands. John stood and kissed Ravishan lightly. Ravishan wrapped his arms around John and for a moment they held each other in silence. John pulled back a little.

"We’d better get dressed for dinner." John handed Ravishan a pair of his pants and a shirt. He took the second pair of pants for himself. "You’re the guest of honor, you know."

"Yes, unless they decide to skin me and eat me." Ravishan pulled on the dark gray pants.

John’s clothes were loose on him and a little too long. He rolled the cuffs of the pants up. John quickly buttoned his own pants and grabbed a pair of socks.

"They’re not going to skin you." John handed Ravishan a belt. "They’re really pretty normal people. You must have noticed that while you were watching from the Gray Space."

"A little, but I wasn’t here all that often. The wards kept me away."

"Where were you?" John asked. He tugged the dark wool socks onto his feet.

"South of Amura’lisam. I spent the better part of the last three days trying to find a way through the wards at Umbhra’ibaye."

"And?" John looked up questioningly. For just an instant he allowed himself to think of Laurie and hope. Ravishan shook his head.

"If the entire thing were burned to the ground I might be able to get in." Ravishan pulled a dark red sweater over his head. The rich color made his skin appear ashen. "I’m sorry."

"It’s all right. Umbhra’ibaye will fall," John said. "Ji has seen it. When it comes down, we’ll get Laurie and your sister out."

"Has the demoness really seen Umbhra’ibaye fall?"

"Sabir’s forces in the south will bring it down. I don’t know when or how but apparently they will do it," John assured him. "Ji says she’s seen you there as well."

"Do you think the issusha’im have seen the same things?" Ravishan asked.

"Probably," John said.

"They must be trembling up in the Black Tower."

John nodded, though he suspected that the holy men in the Black Tower weren’t likely to simply accept their fate; these were the same men who were willing to release the Rifter against their own people to ensure their continued rule.

Still the idea seemed to hearten Ravishan. A wicked delight flashed in the smile he turned upon John. Though, his suggestion was simple enough.

"Let’s go get something to eat," Ravishan said. "I suddenly feel like I want to meet more of these Fai’daum."

John escorted Ravishan to the huge dining hall. People poured in around them. Some paused to glance curiously at Ravishan but looked away quickly when he met their stares. The warmth in the room intensified as hundreds of people filled the benches surrounding the long tables. Children chased each other around the rows of benches while their mothers waved commands and threats at them.

John led Ravishan to the table where he normally sat with Ji’s other students. Tanash waved them over next to her. Kansa frowned at them but said nothing.

Ravishan stared at the vast gathered population. The great hall in Rathal’pesha was neither as large as this dining hall nor as full.

"There’s an entire city down here," Ravishan whispered. "The Payshmura cannot win this war."

"Certainly not with you on our side," Tanash whispered back.

Ravishan looked startled at Tanash’s intrusion into the conversation, but he smiled briefly at her.

Women from the kitchen wheeled in serving carts. They passed steaming bowls of goat stew and baskets of taye bread down the tables. After that came pitchers of goat milk and watered wine as well as drinking bowls.

As soon as Ravishan saw that other people were eating, he wolfed down his stew and bread. Tanash tasted her stew and then dunked a large piece of taye bread into it. She pushed it back and forth with her spoon.

"I can’t wait for summer," Tanash commented. "This northern winter fare is so monotonous."

John shrugged. At least the stringy goat meat and bitter greens were flavorful. Though, he still couldn’t keep from longing for some Tabasco.

"Here, have a little wine. It’s quite good." Tanash poured wine into Ravishan’s cup and then filled John’s and her own. Ravishan tasted it.

"It’s not very strong," Ravishan said.

"No, but it tastes nice," Tanash replied.

Ravishan agreed, and after he finished his first, he poured himself a second cup.

"So what will I be expected to do for my initiation?" Ravishan asked.

"Ji will introduce you and then you’ll join her up on those raised steps." John pointed to the low dais at the far end of the dining hall. "Then Giryyn will tattoo you and you’ll swear allegiance to the Fai’daum."

"The same red tattoo you have over your heart?" Ravishan asked. "That red snake?"

John nodded.

"That’s not so bad." Ravishan drank a little more wine. He seemed more relaxed now. John supposed the yellowpetal salve and wine were taking the edge off his pain.

"The women who join are tattooed a little lower on their ribs." Tanash lowered her voice further. "You know, so that they won’t have to bare their breasts in front of everyone."

Ravishan frowned at Tanash and for a moment she looked worried.

"Hand me some bread, will you?" Ravishan asked.

"Oh. Yes, of course." Tanash quickly passed the remains of a loaf of bread to Ravishan. He tore off a large piece and ate it.

John finished his stew. Afterwards, he gazed at his empty bowl. Second courses wouldn’t be served until after Ji had arrived and made the evening announcements. He took a piece of bread from Ravishan and ate that.

A few minutes later Ji and Giryyn arrived. They walked to the dais. Ji yawned, showing her white teeth. Instantly, the soft hiss of whispers and the clatter of dishes stopped.

"We have two matters to announce tonight." Ji barely raised her voice but it carried easily through the silence of the dining hall. "A recent desertion within the ushiri’im has set back the Payshmura’s plan to send out the Kahlil. Right now their leaders are in confusion, and for the moment, their oracles have lost their grasp of the future.

"Sabir feels that this is the time to make our push for the south. If we move fast, the Payshmura won’t know what hit them. By the time they attempt to mobilize their ushman’im and ushiri’im we will have broken the Great Gate of Umbhra’ibaye and freed the issusha’im from their enslavement."

John felt a sudden rush of hope. He stared at Ji as if she were offering to fulfill a magical wish. He wasn’t the only one, he realized. Not only was Ravishan staring at Ji with an expression of elation, but so were many others among the Fai’daum. John suddenly wondered how many of them had daughters, sisters, mothers or wives among the issusha’im.

"This offensive must be fast." Ji’s low voice rolled through the chamber. "Sabir’s forces are going to require everything we can give. That means that the metal shops will be on double duty, and we’re going to be moving weapons and men through the railways in Gisa. It also means that many of you who have been training as reserve troops will be called up for duty. If you are not sent south, then the ground commanders will assign you to one of the small, elite units that will be striking everywhere between here and Amura’taye, keeping the Payshmura distracted from any happenings in the south."

Ji’s gaze lingered on John for a moment.

"You should expect to get your assignments in the next week. You’ll leave immediately after that. If you have any unfinished business, I advise you get it done before the end of the week."

Ji stood in silence for a little while longer as the full implication of her words moved through the gathered people. John watched hand signs flash. Some couples briefly embraced. Some kissed or suddenly caught and hugged their children.

"Now," Ji went on, "I would like to present you with the man who has made all of this possible. Ushiri Ravishan, will you join me?"

Ravishan rose. Everyone in the hall watched him as he walked to the dais. Younger children stood up on the benches to see Ravishan as he strode past. He held his head high and kept his eyes fixed on Ji.

When Ravishan reached the dais, Ji continued speaking.

"Ushiri Ravishan is not new to the Fai’daum," Ji said. "His mother and father were comrades of ours. His mother risked her life to free me from the tortures of Umbhra’ibaye. His father aided our escape from the south. They were brave people." Ji paused in silent reverence. Ravishan gazed down at his hands. The flush of emotion that had colored Ravishan’s cheeks at the mention of his parents slowly faded.

"They were murdered and the Payshmura stole both Ravishan and his sister," Ji continued. "But Ravishan has fought his way back to us and he has brought us this opportunity to bring the Payshmura to their knees. It is with immense pride that I sponsor him into our fold." Ji bowed her head before Ravishan.

"Thank you," Ravishan said. He stared at Ji for several moments, his expression impossible to decipher. John wondered if he remembered her at all from his childhood.

Giryyn beckoned Ravishan to his side. Ravishan didn’t flinch when Giryyn cut the Fai’daum symbol into the pale skin of his chest and rubbed dark red ink into the wound. He took the cup of wine Arren offered him and swore his allegiance in a calm voice, then drained the cup in a single drink.

Despite their usual silence, many of the gathered men and women clapped. The sound echoed through the vast chamber like thunder. The applause seemed to take Ravishan off guard. He flushed and almost looked shy for a moment.

"Thank you," Ravishan said again, though his voice was much quieter.

Ravishan returned to John’s side. He looked deeply tired but also surprisingly happy. He grinned a little drunkenly at John and whispered, "I’m going to sleep with you tonight and no one is going to stop me."

"No, no one is," John replied. After years in Rathal’pesha that small freedom seemed suddenly like an immense gift.