The next few days were uncomfortable. Otwei’s presence in the glen was a barb under my skin, but then, I had a barb under hers as well. Only, she didn’t know it.

The portion of uekisheile inside Otwei spied on her intentions and ensured she didn’t plan to harm any of the residents. The spy also, ironically, made the time Otwei spent in the glen deeply satisfying. Because she was bored--so incredibly, out of her skull numb with boredom--she filled her time by practicing her qi spells, and we were there to watch.

It began with me not caring to demonstrate my Skills in front of someone who might later use the knowledge against me. As a result, I decided to stay in the cave with the uekisheile. We needed to study the blynx’s bones anyway, and I planned to treat the next few days like a retreat to do so.

That’s when we realized Otwei was using her spells to move around the glen--she could only sit in one place for so long--and when we shifted our attention to the portion of our consciousness in her body, we experienced the dizzying flow of qi that produced the Camouflage and Scentless Hunter spells.

It was a revelation.

First, the flow of qi was dramatically different from Dog’s Agility. Camouflage was seemingly much more chaotic and influenced a much wider range of the body, while Scentless Hunter was calmer--the qi’s intention was a muted binding of energies.

There didn’t seem to be any compatibility issues between Scentless Hunter and Camouflage, which made sense--I’d seen the lodge’s other hunters use both at the same time. But the qi flows of Dog’s Agility and Camouflage clashed. They didn’t get along at all.

We, both the uekisheile and I, were hungry to learn. The impulse drove both of us throughout our lives, and our recent experiences only whet our appetites for more. While I still had my doubts about the rightness of spying on Otwei, there was no denying that it was an incredible learning opportunity.

The Hunter’s Lodge forbade its members from teaching spells. It didn’t matter who or why, the spells could only be earned. However, there was nothing to stop the lodge’s members from learning spells. In fact, they were encouraged to experiment and find new spells; learning from the plants and animals they hunted.

This encouragement wasn’t meant to apply to other people--I was taking advantage of a loophole--but I set the guilt aside. Who knew when an opportunity like this would come again, and I needed all the tools I could get to protect myself and my new Family.

So, with single-minded focus, the uekisheile and I moved our attention back and forth between the blynx’s bones and Otwei, depending on whether she was practicing her spells or not. We learned:

The Blink spell was a complicated combination of processes operating at once and involved the blynx’s skull, sternum, and at least one other structure. Whether that structure was physical or not was uncertain. One of the patterns underlying the spell felt familiar to the uekisheile and resembled the transformation they used to move from their physical body to their qi body. The rest of the spell’s patterns were incomplete though and would require a great deal of extrapolation and trial and error to complete. Otwei used both Camouflage and Scentless Hunter when tracking me during the few times I left to fish or take care of business. I didn’t much care for her watching me squat in the woods, but she paid for it each time. With each cast of her spells, the uekisheile observed the flow of qi in her body. Her qi capacity was about half of mine; the difference being that my qi was more concentrated than hers. Moving slowly, Otwei could maintain both Camouflage and Scentless Hunter for approximately fifteen to twenty minutes. Moving quickly, the spells only lasted two minutes before she ran out of qi. With the uekiseheile’s help, I was able to cast crude versions of each spell almost immediately. Seeing the flow of qi in another person was hugely instructive. For me, the spells cast together lasted approximately thirty minutes when sitting still. While doing calisthenics, they lasted four minutes. That was just relying on my qi capacity. If the uekisheile contributed their qi, we could extend the spell durations even longer. The only disappointment was that Camouflage only extended to my skin. My clothes weren’t covered by the spell. That would come later as my and the uekisheile’s skill with the spell improved. I’d learned that when investigating the Hunter’s Lodge’s spells.

And so, almost a whole tenday passed, lost in an intense, qi-soaked blur of studying and training. The days ran together and the nights too, as I gave the uekisheile permission to focus my dreams on training the new spells. We would’ve completely lost track of time if not for a smack along the back of my head from Ikfael.

The day before the solstice, she rousted us to clean up the glen for visitors. She wanted to stay out of Otwei’s sight, so the work fell on me to return the glen to a pristine state. It finally gave Otwei something to watch.

I made a broom from a stripped branch, a collection of twigs, and a length of rope. The construction wasn’t the best, but it swept away the remains of multiple campfires well enough. I stored the cookware and tools in the cave, as well as the various projects left half-finished.

As for the kiln under construction, I wasn’t happy with how it was turning out and knocked down the mud walls. I’d start again after the solstice when I had more time and there wasn’t an intruder in the glen.

The only exceptions to the glen’s scouring were the walls the kids and I assembled inside the cave. Those would’ve been too much work to take down and put back up again, and Ikfael grudgingly gave permission for them to stay.

Then, that night, under cover of darkness, I became one with the land and joined with the uekisheile. We put our new spells to use--Camouflage and Scentless Hunter--along with the land and every bit of understanding of the Stealth skill we’d gathered to sneak out of the glen.

Naked as a jaybird, we went north at first, just in case she spotted us. We’d stashed a bundle of clothes and gear there, and we paused in our dressing to check on the portion of ourselves inside Otwei.

There was only this evening and tomorrow morning left to retrieve the bodies, and she was alert and watching carefully. Her qi was flavored with relief that her time in the glen was almost finished, disdain for the boy who never left his cave, and anger for making her wait.

Well, she’d wait even longer. We blew a raspberry in her direction and slipped through the night toward the Cave of Origins. We came up with the name earlier that night and were rather proud of it.

As for the rest of the evening, it went smoothly. Because of the bags, I was able to bring the bodies out of the cave two at a time on the travois. The only challenge was the narrow path from the entrance of the Cave of Origins up to the top of the escarpment. Slow, methodical care was the answer, and over the course of the next few hours, I made three trips between the glen and the Cave of Origins. Two trips to retrieve the bodies of Woldec and Family. One trip to retrieve the bandit equipment I’d hidden away.

Back near the glen, I undressed and slipped back into my home cave, only to re-dress and walk boldly to where I’d left the bodies and gear. Otwei, her excitement spiking, of course followed. All she’d see though was me walking a hundred yards north of the glen, putting on the travois’s harness, and transporting the bags home for safe, overnight storage.

I could only imagine Otwei’s rage. No, I could do more than that, couldn’t I? After the last trip, I joined with the uekisheile to take a peek.

Fury. Her qi was awash with the emotion. She’d searched the glen’s perimeter, but somehow managed to miss the simply camouflaged bags nearby. If she’d found them earlier, then she wouldn’t have had to waste a tenday waiting in the woods. And there was no sign of the bloody treasure, the eilesheile.

The intention to scream arose, but she squashed it, along with the rage that was building. She compressed the feeling down, so that it didn’t blind her. The emotion didn’t die though, only smoldered, a marble of resentment.

###

The next morning, Ikfael fidgeted like a kid on Christmas, anxiously awaiting the moment when she’d be allowed to open her presents. I mean, she tried to play it cool, but I saw how her ears swiveled anytime anything moved in the glen.

I sat in the corner and recovered from the exertions of the night before. I napped on and off while Ikfael watched the glen and the uekisheile kept an eye on Otwei. Neither of the two needed to sleep, which was a real blessing to someone who needed to rest and couldn’t always keep watch for predators.

As for Otwei, she stewed in her miserable anger the whole time. The uekisheile was rather smug about it, and… well, so was I, a smile tugging at my lips. I was still uneasy about the situation, but mischief well managed was just so satisfying.

Around noon, Ikfael stopped pacing and turned to stare toward the glen’s eastern boundary. Our guests must’ve arrived, so I picked myself up and dusted off my pants. They were the new pair that I’d purchased from Bihei. I wore a new shirt too.

As I headed out to greet our guests, Ikfael gave me a hard stare. “Don’t embarrass me,” she signed.

I just shook my head. She wasn’t very honest with her feelings, our Ikfael. She’d made a big deal about being annoyed by the extra visitors this year, but looking at her now--she was clearly the one who anticipated this visit the most.

Mumu popped out of the woods first, scouting ahead of the team like she usually did. She gave a friendly wave and looked around the glen. It was spotless.

“How goes it, Eight? Everything all right?”

“Mostly,” I said. “Ikfael is ready, but there’s something I want to talk to you about later. Save some time for me, okay?”

She laughed. “What? More questions?”

I shook my head. “No, I want to report on something, but it’ll have to wait.”

Tegen opened the path for Sheedi to walk through, followed by Inleio, Teila, and Haol. Then it was Ghitha and his band of merry adventurers: Banan, Kuros, Agath, and Moon. And would you look at that: Otwei melted out of the woods behind them. I didn’t miss her meaningful glance towards Banan. It said, “We need to talk.”

They’d have to wait too, because Sheedi took charge straight away. She placed a gray and blue striped blanket at the edge of the pool and had everyone empty their backpacks onto it.

Berries, broad beans, peppers, squash, eggs, milk, acorn flour, corn meal, bags of salt and maple sugar, smoked salmon and trout, venison jerky, a silver knife, and a gold spoon--the goods piled up high, and I could only imagine how our dear otter’s eyes must be bugging out right now.

In years past, the village’s offering consisted of enough food to last a tenday, but this was at least a month’s worth of food plus the metal goods. The World Speaker took my advice seriously and made her best effort to bribe her way into Ikfael’s heart.

That wasn’t enough though. Oh no, not for Sheedi. She knelt to arrange the offerings into an order that pleased the eye--the fruit on one side with every berry in their place, and metal on the other, their surfaces gleaming in the sun. And then she pulled a bag from her belt and spilled large silver coins onto the blanket, at least a dozen eltaak.

Once she was sure everyone else was kneeling behind her, she spoke. “We come in gratitude. The clean water of Ikfael Glen sustains our village; nourishes our people, our crops, and our animals. Without Ikfael Glen, Voorhei would not be the village that it is, and we apologize for how long it has taken us to realize this.” She bowed with her hands over her heart.

The rest of us bowed at the same time, and we stayed that way until we heard the sound of water rising from the pool.

Ikfael didn’t tell me what would happen. She wanted the ceremony to be a surprise. Mostly, I think she wanted me to be impressed, and impressed I was. A ten foot otter made of water rose from the pool. The figure was dignified and wore the bearing of a wise elder. Her head nodded, graciously accepting the offering presented by the village.

“Your beneficence knows no bounds. As does our gratitude,” Sheedi said. “That is why we also wish to build you a shrine, a place for us to make more frequent offerings. You are a Blessing to Voorhei, and we wish for you to be treated as such.”

Ikfael’s avatar gestured, prompting Sheedi to explain her proposition.

“We ask for your permission to place a small fortified building, out of the pool’s view but within the boundaries of Ikfael Glen. It will be built by our finest artisans, the work carved with images of the glen and of you. We do not wish to be an eyesore to this beautiful place. The shrine will fit the land it is meant to honor.”

Ikfael gestured for Sheedi to continue.

Oh Ikfael, I thought. She was so hooked.

Well, the shrine wouldn’t be a bad thing. All Sheedi really wanted was the prestige of having a shrine near the village. She’d use that to lever more influence and power with the other World Speakers in the area.

As for a shrine attendant, that’d be me. I had Ikfael Glen’s Blessing and was already living here after all. Sheedi even offered compensation; an eltaak every tenday for cleaning the shrine and carrying offerings between Voorhei and the glen. It was a win-win as far as I was concerned.

Eventually, Ikfael’s avatar sighed, as if to say, “Well, if you must.” She nodded to give her permission for the shrine to be built.

Sheedi bowed again, as did the crowd. Then she shuffled back, and I could see a triumphant smile on her face. Inleio shuffled forward to take her place. He brought along with him a seven foot pole wrapped in cloth.

“I honor Ikfael Glen. I am known as Innleioleia the Hunter’s Lodge Master, and I come to ask for a Blessing for our villager’s hunters. Your Blessed, Eight, has demonstrated to us a healing spell of your teaching, and I ask for the same grace for our lodge. The woods are forever dangerous, but with your protection, our hunters can walk the path to perfection more safely.”

Inleio paused to unwrap the cloth to reveal a spear. The wood was dark, like ebony, and the spearhead glinted silver gray. The light gathered all along the haft and danced. Kuros, kneeling nearby, gasped.

“I offer my heart in exchange--this spear, named Bearbane, was made by my grandfather and fed the silverlight of a hundred bears. I offer it in exchange for the protection of my people. Please allow Eight to teach us the healing spell.”

Ikfael’s avatar froze, the moment lasting long enough for the congregation to get antsy and wonder if Inleio had somehow offended the spirit. I just shook my head. No doubt the hidden otter was lost in gazing at the beautiful weapon, saliva dripping from her mouth.

The water avatar shuddered into motion. With a gesture, a pseudopod of water rose from the pool and grabbed the spear to pull it in before Inleio changed his mind. Then the avatar started to fall apart, only remembering to nod to the Lodge Master at the end.

Inleio turned to Sheedi, confused. “Was that a yes? Did she give her permission?”

Sheedi, in turn, looked at me.

“Yes, Ikfael Glen gave her permission. I’ll teach you the spell.” I frowned in thought. “What about the Healer’s Lodge? Won’t they complain?”

“The spell is given to us by a spirit of the land. They’ll complain, and we’ll be forced to compensate them, but they’ll find it difficult to deny us.” Inleio smiled, but it felt hollow, his eyes lingering on the pool. He shook himself and faced me. “We have done a good thing today. You should be proud, Eight. So many of our brothers and sisters will live thanks to this spell.”

We weren’t quite done though. Ghitha stood up and gestured for the Albei hunters to rise as well. “I believe it is now time for me to receive my Family’s remains.”

“Yes, of course. Just a moment.” I ran inside the cave and carefully brought out each bag. They’d gotten a little squishy thanks to being jostled during the move, but there weren’t any leaks.

Ghitha held a cloth to his nose, but he seemed genuinely grateful to receive them. His eyes were shining. “I thank you. You have fulfilled your part, so I will buy the goods you have to sell, including those of my Family’s things you are willing to part with. I will make the arrangements with my people.” He looked over to where Otwei whispered into Banan’s ear. The frown on Banan’s face must’ve worried him, because he left without another word to consult with them.

Well, if they could talk, so could I. I waved Mumu over and filled her in on Otwei’s presence in the glen. I didn’t mention anything about stealing her spells, but I did let her know about the Albei team’s interest in finding Woldec’s treasure.

Mumu stared me at long and hard. “Your little nose has a knack for finding things. Do you know where it is?”

I didn’t mind lies of omission, but I didn’t want to actively lie to Mumu. I just kept quiet.

“Fifty-fifty,” she said, “and I’ll help you.”

I raised my eyebrows at her.

“All right, we’ll skip to seventy-thirty.”

I started to walk away.

“Damn you, Little Pot. Eighty-twenty, and you’d better accept. If Grunthen was telling even half the truth, the treasure was worth a dangerous amount of taak. You need me.”

Did I? I wasn’t sure, but it’d be good to have another person to watch my back; one that actually knew how this society operated. And we were already working together.

“We have a deal,” I said.

Mumu laughed and roughly rubbed my head. “Bindesei’s treasure and this? We’re going to be so rich.”

I smiled back, while across the glen, Ghitha and his hired hunters scowled at each other.