I awoke still wrapped up in Vesha’s strong arms, feelings of safety, affection, and happiness bubbling up in my chest as she held me close. I was reluctant to leave her embrace and lingered contentedly in her arms a little longer than I probably should have before finally slipping out of her embrace and kissing her as I left what was apparently her cot. I gazed down at her for a moment, my chest warm and my heart thrumming at the sight, before silently summoning my armor and Neva’kul, snatching up my quiver and bow, and leaving the wagon as quietly as possible so I would not wake Vesha, Kalara, or Master Nirlyn.

Despite Arinade’s enchantment putting me to sleep earlier than normal the night before, I was up slightly later than usual and found Shava already waiting to begin our morning training session. It was still dark, so I had not slept that much later than usual, but I had been half-expecting that. Arinade had warned me that I might need to sleep longer than I normally did while my mind absorbed the knowledge that she had passed on to me after all.

I was fortunate that I already knew how to speak in common and had been learning Fae, even if my literacy skills in both had been severely lacking, because my sleeping mind had not had quite as much to learn. Kalara and the Undine would both have to sleep much longer than I did to absorb the knowledge of two completely unfamiliar languages. I expected Kalara to sleep at least as late as Vesha and our Master despite falling asleep much earlier than any of us did.

After both of us going through the first dance, and then the second dance twice (the second time under Sharai’s supervision to correct any errors in form), we took out our bows and practiced shooting at targets formed from my faerie fire. I still had to correct Shava’s stance and form occasionally, but she was getting much better with the rough bow and arrows that Hagen had fashioned for her. I had gotten used to my new body enough by now that I was able to hit the bullseye consistently, but I felt that we could both do better with weapons better suited to us.

Hagen had only intended my cousin’s bow to be a practice weapon, something for her to start her training with. While it served that purpose well enough, even Hagen had told her that she would be better off with a bow and arrows made for someone her size and strength by a proper bowyer and fletcher. This had unfortunately slipped my mind during our short stay in Loden, and I did not even know if that town had someone who could have helped outfit my cousin properly.

My problem was similar. While the ash bow that I had gotten from the Woodwarden’s outpost inside the sacred oak was roughly the right length and was well made, it had been sitting in that outpost for who knew how long, was a bit stiff, and the draw weight felt wrong. It also had not been properly oiled for some time, nor the drawstring waxed. It had performed well enough until I could get something better, but it was not a weapon that I could plan to keep for a long time.

I resolved to solve our bow issues while we were still in the capital, though from what Mara had said the night before, it might be a while before the road east would be clear enough for the wagons to travel it. We likely had plenty of time, but I wanted to deal with it as soon as possible so we could both start to get used to new weapons before leaving the city. I had not seen any weaponsmiths on our trip to the Avenue of Mystic Delights, but perhaps Mara and Hagen would know where we could find a good one.

I quickly put the thought out of my mind as my cousin and I sparred following our practice, though it was something that I brought up with our scouts as we joined those who woke up early for breakfast. Mara looked thoughtful as she sat there with Cylia in her lap and lovingly stroked her daughter’s hair. “To tell the truth, Hagen and I have been thinking about getting some new gear as well. What we have now is fine for general hunting and scouting, but with the Demons reappearing I would feel better if those of us in the troupe who know how to use weapons are properly prepared for trouble.”

Hagan nodded his agreement beside her. “Bryden, Mara, and I should all have swords in addition to our daggers, though it has been some time since any of us have used one and we could use some practice. Mara and I might want to replace our old bows as well and get some leather armor. We should be able to find what we need in Knight’s Row, that’s where all the best weaponsmiths and armorers in Hindra are, and some sell enchanted gear as well.”

Uncle Bryden let out a long sigh but nodded in agreement. “I didn’t think I’d ever pick up a sword again, but with Demons around it’s for the best that we prepare. We have all of that extra coin from that menagerie so we might as well use it for something useful.”

Soon, those who needed to sleep longer than us full-blooded Fae started emerging from their wagons to join us for the morning meal, including our Undine guest. She remained quiet and thoughtful as she ate her breakfast, and I wasn’t even sure if Arinade’s enchantment had taken hold on her until the entire troupe was present and she finally spoke up hesitantly. “Xulyin… that is my name. I humbly thank your clan for the care that you have shown me since I came back to myself.”

My grandmother smiled at the Undine. “It is nice to finally be able to speak with you properly, Xulyin.” Then she proceeded to introduce all of the members of our troupe by name, including Kalara, who seemed to have gotten used to being addressed by the name over the past few days. Only once the introductions were complete did she ask, “What can you remember, Xulyin?”

The Undine’s brow furrowed for a moment in thought before she looked to the ground guiltily. “I remember everything from… before. My memories get hazier after being attacked by that creature of darkness… I remember being sick for a time… and being found by humans on a ship. After that, it is like I was watching myself act through bloodied water, I could not see clearly… nor control myself until I was consumed by Kaelyn’s fire.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to tell us much about Kalara or anything useful that we could forward to Grand Captain Doram. After the ship found her and the captain sold her to the menagerie that he was ferrying to the mainland from Srach, she had spent her time in a cage and hadn’t even seen the small elvish girl until after I freed her from being Tainted. Once she had told us everything that she could, my grandfather gave her a moment to collect herself before gently offering, “If you would like to go home, I am sure that we can find a trustworthy vessel in the harbor and buy passage for you to the Nymren Islands.”

There was pain in her eyes for a brief moment before she set her gaze back down on her hands folded in her lap and slowly shook her head. “I cannot return there. I am Yonai`tas, one of the banished. I… spoke out against my mo… our chieftain and our clan’s isolation even from the other Undine clans. I… was a child, selfish and foolish. I wished only to see more of the world beyond our reef and the node of the deep.” She let out a long sigh before adding, “I guess I am getting what I wished for, and I cannot leave your clan regardless.”

Aunt Sivelle looked both confused and concerned as she asked, “What do you mean, you cannot leave?”

The Undine looked directly at me as she spoke again, “I owe the one who cured me of my affliction a life debt. I am honor-bound to stay until I have saved her life or the life of someone she loves. I am not a warrior… I am not even considered an adult yet among my people, but I shall find a way to repay this debt, I promise.”

I was not sure how to react to that. I did not want to insult her by telling her that she did not owe me anything since she clearly valued this perceived debt, but I did not want her risking her life in pursuit of it either. Also, she may have just confirmed my suspicion that she was younger than Vesha and me, which concerned me even more than the life debt.

Thankfully, my grandmother took charge. “You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like, Xulyin. How old are you if you are not yet considered an adult?” I was fairly sure that my grandmother harbored similar suspicions and concerns as she asked that question with a frown.

Undines did not seem to measure time quite the same as us land dwellers, but we were able to figure out that she was likely Korine’s age, nearly sixteen summers before becoming Tainted. Since the records we found hinted that she had been found just under a month ago, that was likely still true. When that was figured out my grandparents, who had been watching over her until now, made the decision to continue caring for her until she was an adult. It looked like I had a new aunt.

Poor Xulyin looked a little overwhelmed as my grandparents took charge, my grandmother making a list of things she would need as a member of the troupe and my grandfather telling her about the ways of our people and the rules that she would have to abide as a member of the troupe. It was almost funny and the other adults among the clan were offering to help with things on my grandmother’s growing list or helping her to add to it.

Voyager children are raised communally, but they still have defined parent figures. Foundlings usually do not when the troupe takes them in though, and that is why they are usually adopted by a single adult or handfasted couple with no children, or children who are already grown, so they can form a strong bond with a specific parent or set of parents. It had been done for Master Nirlyn when she was found, just as she took that role for Vesha, my grandparents were doing it for Xulyin, and I seemed to be doing it for Kalara.

Apparently, there was a lot to do now that that had been decided and I had never had to deal with any of it before since I was born to the troupe, even if we did not live with them at the time, and I was not raised among them. The birthdays of foundlings were usually unknown so instead they celebrated namedays, with their adoptive parents going by a best guess at their age. Just like birthdays celebrated the day of one’s birth, namedays were celebrated on the day when the parents officially adopted the foundling into the troupe.

It was decided that tonight the troupe would be officially welcoming both Xulyin and Kalara into our ranks, Xulyin as my aunt and Kalara as my daughter. I found myself getting nervous as plans were made. I did not know if I was ready to be a mother on top of everything else in my life, but I was the most logical choice since Kalara was so taken with me. I was even the one who chose her name, and I could not deny that I was becoming very attached to her.

I was still so uncertain about this though. I had lived half my life without parents, was I truly qualified to become one myself? Plans for the day ahead and the evening’s festivities were still being made, but I tried not to think about it as I carried Kalara back to our wagon to let her help me feed Zaiya. I was not successful in that venture.

I was a bit worried that Kalara had not spoken yet, worried that she might be mute. I had never heard her even try to speak or make any other noise than crying or screaming since we had found her. I could see that she now understood us, and that seemed to help her lose some measure of her fear of the other members of the troupe, but she had yet to say anything.

Was all this too overwhelming for her? Did she think I was trying to take her real parents’ place, or did she even remember them? As I let her feed Zaiya, encouraging her to be careful, I could see her lips moving, as if she was trying to come to terms with understanding us now and trying to get her mouth to form the formerly unfamiliar words.

Zaiya was full and I was about to get up and put her meat back in the cold cupboard when I was prevented from doing so as the two-year-old flopped into my lap and snuggled against my chest, her illusory wings fluttering behind her. A moment later a small voice murmured, “Maera.”

I just sat there stunned for a moment as Kalara’s first word hit me, tears coming to my eyes unbidden. Maera, the Fae word for mother. My chest was tight with a mix of feelings that I could not explain at that word coming from her and I wrapped her up in my arms, leaning down to gently kiss Kalara’s forehead with trembling lips. My daughter had just spoken her first word, and my decision was made.