kadase (ka-da-se) noun

patience; the ability to tolerate inconvenience without displaying anger or disappointment

***

Nascha nudged Laku awake but he remained still. She lifted her head and found twenty or so men ogling at her. And when they saw her staring, they all laughed. With no other choice, she joined them. It was the most awkward if not frightening moment of her life. Well, she could also consider the day of her marriage to Kalesch as equally awkward. And maybe also frightening. She had to drink on the same cup as him and she remembered trying not to gag because he was basically a stranger, and the thought of drinking his saliva awakened some reflexes in her throat.

"Where are you from?" one of the pirates asked.

"Here. Tomesh."

"And who is that?" another asked, squatting down to inspect Laku.

"A friend."

"And that?" He nodded at Kalesch's wrapped body. His head was still sticking out because they had to convince everyone that he was just unconscious and not dead.

"My rayeshka." Before they asked for an explanation, she added, "He's sick."

"Sick?" one man asked. "Then you need me!" And out of nowhere, a lanky man, almost skin and bone, stepped forward. He wore a short robe that bared his chest (ribs and all) which expanded with pride as he said, "I'm a healer." And mysteriously, he added, "But no ordinary healer." The men behind him nodded. "May I?"

She hesitated. Tia was not around, having been invited to join Meryus in his cabin. And Laku was still out, maybe also Kalesch (wherever he may be in the prince's consciousness).

The healer looked like a man with sensitive pride. If she refused his offer, he may take offense. But he did not wait and Nascha realized his question was not an act of asking for consent, but just... well, a question spoken out of habit. Before she could say anything, he was already kneeling and she could do nothing but hold her breath as the healer listened for Kalesch's own, hovering over his body, ear downward. And of course, he did not hear it. He took a bottle from one of the men and held it close to Kalesch's nose.

"Hm..."

"What?" the men asked.

"Curious," the healer said, looking down at Kalesch.

"Can... Can you help him?" Nascha asked.

To her bewilderment and that of the other pirates, the healer stood and said, "I need a book."

"What?"

He walked away, murmuring under his breath. At that moment, Nascha thought it might have been a mistake to let the man inspect Kalesch. She turned to the other pirates and they collectively grinned and shrugged.

"Sure he'll be fine," someone said, nodding at Kalesch's body. "Mika is the best."

Honestly, Nascha wasn't sure anymore. After everything, anything was possible now. Souls could be transferred; ships could float in the desert; carved stories could come true. What else was there to not believe?

People.

Yes. She could believe everything else but people. Kalesch was right. She had to be careful. But even that was difficult because she was alone. She did not have any useful abilities such as killing people like Tia could. And she was naive (as Kalesch once said) and gullible (as her sisters claimed). If she could not trust even herself, who could she believe in? Even her own thoughts were flitting most of the time to even be considered reliable. Just like now, she was thinking of too many things at once.

So, who to trust? Certainly not Laku. Even when awake, he could not save himself. Kalesch, yes, but he was trapped in Laku's body.

She was alone on the deck with these men with no way to save herself. They were looking at her as if they had never seen a woman for so long. What if they did something horrible to her?

But...

But maybe she could do something.

Talent...

Special talent. What was hers? She moistened her lips then stilled.

Stories.

Now, that was a start. Now, she just had to think of how she could make something useless a little useful.

***

Tia stood before Meryus with a smile. The man had stripped off his wide-brimmed hat with its gold feather, now showcasing his fake golden hair. And Tia knew it was fake because she knew for certain what his true hair color was.

His cabin was large, filled with golden things. The only thing that was not gold was the centaur's head hanging on one wall. It was black, it's eyes golden and seemingly alive. She had never seen one before, or even a real one at that. If it was real, she wondered if it was alive. She knew people who could do that—keep beings captive by rendering them immobile. To suffer by bearing witness. Always seeing, never moving.

She tore her eyes off the centaur, forcing herself to believe it was dead (if it was real), and stared back at Meryus. His eyes looked amused as he measured her from head to foot and back, his arms crossed over his naked chest. The golden marks glinted against the sunbeam that sifted through the round window to the left.

"I'm pleased you decided to join us," he said, lips curling with hidden mirth. Or maybe the effect was meant. He seemed to be someone who had spent a long time building a persona, and his smile came out as something he must have practiced in front of the mirror. Having encountered many people—and souls—in the past, Tia could easily tell if someone was hiding a secret. And Meryus was hiding something: his true self, the one he purposely adorned with golden things.

"And I'm glad you're extending your generosity, Captain Meryus," she said.

"Please, just Meryus." He turned, his black skirt ballooned around him like a budding flower. "I invited you here for a reason."

Her brows arched with what she hoped to be a look of confident curiosity, although her heart was slowly bounding up her throat. "And the reason is?"

His hip rested on the edge of his table, its surface barely there because of the scrolls of maps and countless golden miniatures. Resting his hand over a gold hand structure, he looked awkwardly uncomfortable. He must think he looked nice doing so. "I'm curious."

"Of what?"

"You're not from here," he said, eyes scanning her face, then her hair. And never left. He lifted his free hand and suddenly the ship tilted ever so slightly. Tia's hand caught the back of a chair. "You're like me," he said.

She moistened her lips and stretched her lips. "Like what?"

"You know what I mean." He twisted his wrist and the ship turned to the left. Or rather, the sands beneath them willed it, because he willed it so.

"I'm not sure I get what you're trying to say." Deep inside, a chaos had ensued. Nym was in full-blown panic mode. If he was afraid, the child would cower in his corner. But when he was really frightened, he was almost uncontrollable. He would pester until Tia gave in and run to safety. She silently told them safety was not here at the moment and he would just have to try to live with it for now. Zaria was a different matter. She was calm now that she could sense true danger. And sometimes, if Tia was not strong enough, Zaria could take over the spot. For now, she warned the woman to stay.

I'll handle this.

"We both know you know what I'm trying to say," Meryus said, chuckling. "Come on, tell me. It's not everyday I get to meet someone like me."

She shook her head, feigning confusion. "I don't really know what you're trying to say."

"Come on, darling Tia," Meryus said, tilting his head to the right. "Your hair is silver. Like mine before I colored it gold with the help of an alchemist. I recommend him. I have his address in case you want a makeover. He also does metallic green. I think that color will suit you best. Your skin is the perfect color for it. Reminds me of the sirens my twin sister Maryes trapped in her nets three autumns past." He shivered at the memory. "Poor things. Canned for the black market."

Tia's face crumbled at the image, not because it looked horrible, but because it could be true.

"But enough of hairs and alchemists." He jumped to his feet and walked closer. His steps were swift, but she was faster. She circled him and he whirled around with a laugh. "Now, Tia, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just curious. Tell me what you can do."

"Nothing. I'm just a traveler who wish to go to Mirache. One of my friends need help."

"Yes, I know," he said, "but there's more to what you're telling me."

"There's nothing more."

He looked at her for a long time, stepped back and laughed. "You're scared."

"No, I'm not."

"Am I powerful than you?"

She did not reply because it was true and also because she still had to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about.

"My twins are more powerful, I should say. And they make certain I know it," he murmured. "Tell me—Where are you from?"

"Achnus. And many of us have silver hair."

"Achnus, the mountain of ash. Interesting." His finger played with his chin as he pondered. "I've been to Achnus twice."

"You were?" she asked, arrested.

"Yes. And not many of them have silver hair."

"You wouldn't be able to know. We wear head wraps."

"No," he said, "because I know." His eyes narrowed at her. "I know what you are, Tia. And as I sail us across this desert, I intend to know what you can do. I can be very persuasive, and by that I mean I can do things that will make you tell me the truth."

The long silence that followed grew into a heavy and prolonged battle of determination. Tia held her breath until Zaria yelped in surprise at the knock from the other side of the door. A lanky man walked in, eyes wide with excitement. "Captain, may I have a word?"

"Later, Mika."

But Mika didn't listen. He walked to Meryus and raised to his toes and whispered something in the captain's ear which was still covered by his gigantic gold earring. The man's eyes were on Tia, his murmurs reaching her ears but not her comprehension. All the while, Meryus' gaze was also on Tia. And then he stiffened, snapping his head at Mika.

The lanky man grew restless as he stepped back, sharing a look of excited understanding with his captain. Meryus slowly nodded and said, "Show me." He turned to the door, stopped, and beckoned for Tia. "Come with us."

The beating of her hearts, and that of the two souls within her, were as loud as the thudding footsteps of Meryus, Mika, and herself.

Don't do anything stupid, she warned Zaria and Nym when they finally reached the deck where Nascha and the unconscious Laku and the dead Kalesch were being catered.

The pirates all moved aside as their captain, led by Mika, approached Kalesch's body. Tia shared a look with Nascha who seemed to be one second away from jumping off the ship.

Mika and Meryus were back to murmuring to one another, throwing questions and answers back and forth. And when Mika stopped and turned to Laku, Tia's heart thundered against her ribcage.

The ship grunted against the ocean of sand beneath them while everything on the deck fell quiet—the other pirates with curiosity, two men with excitement and two women with utter terror.

Mika was leaning over Laku, hand on his chest, eyes closed. As if he was listening—no—searching. Tia closed her eyes to calm herself and Zaria and Nym. She opened them to reassure Nascha whose fear mirrored hers.

"It makes sense now," said Meryus. He stood and faced Tia, eyes no longer curious. The smiled he gave her was full of knowing. Beside him, Mika also came to his feet to gaze at Tia with wonder. "Do you know why I came to Achnus twice, Tia?" Tia shook her head. "They told me about someone who could reap souls." He chuckled with excitement. "When we failed to find the reaper, I said, 'Be patient, Meryus, because patience gives glorious rewards,' and I was right." His hand touched his chest where his heart was. "Years...I've been patient for years. My patience brought us together in the most majestic ways possible. You're the answer to my heart's greatest wishes." He looked around at his men and all of them cheered. "We've found my treasure!"

Tia shook her head. "I don't know what you mean—"

He rushed to her. "No. Stop your pretense." He was looking at her as if she was worth more than all the gold on his body and his ship. He twirled the strands of her hair around one finger. "We are Omens and we should be proud of what we are."