Reclamation

"I need you to keep me on the right path to the Embassy. We need crowded streets and residential areas. We can't stay too long in deserted areas. We're going to walk from here."

"Walk!" whistled Ere. "But it's miles and miles!"

"Any public transport we use might be rerouted by the Vitae," Aria reminded her, "and I'm used to walking miles and miles." She smiled and, with a patience that came from long necessity, stifled the pain in her aching knees and ankles. "Which is more than I'd say for those two behind us. They are behind us, aren't they?" She felt the capsule shift again.

"Yes," said Ere.

So, NOW they're ready to chase me through the streets. "Well, well, strangest caravan I've ever been a part of but we're lucky, little ones, though you might not believe it. There are lines they are not quite ready to cross yet. We have a chance to get you home still."

And to get me out of here, if your people will help someone who helped some of their own.

"We can follow this street for a long time," said Ere. "Until it gets to the New Crescent Quarter Way."

"Good." Aria shifted her pace to a slower one, the ground-covering pace she could maintain for almost as long as she could keep breathing, even carrying a heavy load in a high wind. She'd walked like this for most of her life. Let the Vitae with their machines and their shuttles tag along behind.

"They're still back there."

"Of course they are," said Aria. "And as long as they stay back there, we're fine. It means they haven't been told what else to do." I hope.

"Can you tell me what happened to you?" she said, partly to keep Ere from dwelling too long on the Vitae behind them, and partly to keep herself from doing the same.

She listened, all the while trying to bury her horror in anger. What right? What right do these people have? If they were the Nameless Powers with the Servant at their side, they would still have no right!

"…but the air was gone and he fell and Sha and Dene were already down and Ri was screaming and the Vitae were gone and…and…"

"Shhh, all right. It's all right," Aria wished she could touch her. She didn't even know if the Shessel could tolerate the touch of human beings, but she still wished it. "Are they still back there?"

"Yes."

"All right. Try to rest. We're on our way to safety."

As fast as I can get us there, she lengthened her stride.

The walkway crossed into one of the wild areas. The trees, too tall and too straight, swallowed the light and the weeds ate up the city sounds. Aria strained her ears. Traffic noise faded farther away with each step, except for the slow, steady hum from the Vitae's transport. Aria risked a glance at the little patch of wilderness, wondering how much shelter it would afford if she had to run.

Maybe it won't come to that. Maybe word will reach the Shessel and they'll come looking for the children. Maybe…

Bracken rustled. The children whimpered, and Aria's arm tightened around the capsule. She threw her gaze in every direction, trying to find the source of the new noise. The rustling increased. Aria forced herself to keep moving. About a half mile ahead, another inhabited stretch glowed like a beacon.

Behind and to the left, weeds and scrub parted and a sedan chair, one of the few private vehicles authorized for off-road travel, climbed gingerly out of the underbrush and with high-legged steps started angling toward Aria and her charges.

Aria watched the insectlike vehicle out of the comer of her eye, but kept on walking. It had its windscreen up and its weather hood down, so there was no telling who was in there. She tried to think what to do. The drone of the Vitae car wasn't getting nearer, but the chair was. Fatigue clouded the edges of her mind and fear did nothing to clear it.

Abruptly, the chair halted and folded its legs. A human head and torso stuck out the side door.

"Aria!" shouted Perivar.

Relief sent Aria sprinting across the field before she remembered she was risking a huge fine for disturbance of a wilderness zone.

She skidded to a stop beside the chair, gouging the soil with her heels and doubling her fine. Iyal leaned out the driver's side window and stared along with Perivar.

"What are you doing…" she began, but Perivar had seen the capsule and the Shessel children huddled inside.

"Murderer!" squeaked Ri.

What color he had drained out of Perivar's face. "Where's Kiv? The other kids?"

Aria glanced toward the road. The Vitae had stopped their vehicle, too, and one of them had poked a bald head out the window to get a clearer view of the field.

"No…" breathed Perivar.