“The turma tickles my nostrils,” said Abyl. “Is that normal?”
“Definitely. Turma can enter your system in solution, through powder, and through the air itself.”
“What does it do?”
“So far, we’ve discovered a handful of memory and predictive abilities,” said Mav, “but you’ll have to ask Kaydin how they really work.”
“Why Kaydin?”
“Because he’s the only one who can do them—he has what we call the Sight.”
“Why him, though?” asked Abyl. “If the turma affects us all?”
“To varying degrees. Unless you want to believe we all have the same abilities, then we must be different.”
“But you’re saying Kaydin is much different.”
“Maybe.”
“But why?”
Mav frowned but was delighted by the conversation. “Ry thinks it’s because he is Dag’s grandson.”
“Birthlines,” said Maryn.
“And who is Dag?”
Mav lowered his voice. “He’s what made all of this possible—he’s the founder of Haven.”
Maryn coughed and Mav looked annoyed, but let her speak. “Can we get started? I bet Abyl’s in some pain.”
When she said it, Abyl realized his forehead was indeed throbbing, but he wasn’t sure from the pain or from the new information. Abyl wrinkled his nose, considering the conflicting details about the Rahz, the turma, and what it could do; but when he did, he stretched the cuts above his eye, causing more pain to shoot into the region. He started to raise his hand to touch the cuts, but Maryn caught his hand. “No touchy,” she said.
“Any questions about what I’m about to do?” He returned with a narrow obsidian blade and a string of plant fiber.
“Will you make the pain go away?” asked Abyl.
“Well, yes, but it will get worse before it gets better,” said Mav. “Up until now, your body probably has naturally numbed the area, as if the body had a store of the turma root within you.”
“Do what you need to do,” said Abyl.
Chapter 12
Kaydin turned the pages of his grandfather’s journal, reviewing pages he'd read many times. In the closing moments of the failed escape, it was one of Dag’s final wishes that Ry give Kaydin the journal when he was old enough. Bel rubbed his back with both hands, expertly finding the tightest knots, attempting to unravel them.
“Are you alright?”
“A bit tired,” said Kaydin. “What about you?”
“Fine, but really, are you sure you're just tired?”
Kaydin kept his eyes on the journal. Bel, I love you, but I just need some time to think. “The new kid has got me thinking,” said Kaydin.
“He’s the first in a long time,” said Bel.
“Right, since you,” said Kaydin, turning and pecking her on the lips.
“I can’t believe it’s already been a year since you rescued me,” said Bel, moving her hand to play with Kaydin’s scruffy hair.
“Time flies,” said Kaydin. He looked into her wide, pretty eyes, then back to the journal.
Bel’s fingers traced Kaydin’s hair down his neck and around to his chin, which she twisted back toward her. “Something is bothering you, isn’t it?”
Kaydin sighed. “Another journal phase might be coming on.”
Bel held his chin. “Kaydin, I know you pretty well. And while I don’t like your journal phases, I can tolerate you missing a night’s sleep with me here and there to dig up your your grandfather’s secrets.”
“Thanks Bel, that’s why I love you.” He moved to kiss her again.
But she shifted back to avoid him. “Just don’t lie to me about being interested in the book when what you’re really curious about is the new kid.”
Kaydin started to respond, but Bel put her finger on his lips. He knew not to say any more. Not now, anyway. He watched her quietly leave the room. She'd raised a detail, but there was no need to argue it. With Bel or Ry or the sentinels, he had to pick his battles.
He was alone at the main room obsidian table. The new kid, the one Bel didn’t want him to think about, was in the next room. Although he didn’t feel like watching the operation, Bel had read him well—he was thinking about Abyl, the new addition to Haven. He also knew what it would feel like to be under the obsidian blade. Mav was skilled with the knife; still, tying the skin together was painful. Excruciating, even. He felt the scar above his right eye, wondering for a moment if it had been worth it to rescue Maryn.
Of course it was, you idiot. And still, he wondered if Maryn felt the same, after what had happened. He shook his head, as if to shake the memory, and returned his attention to the book.
There are more secrets hidden here. Even though Ry had given it to him seven years ago, and even though he knew every page by memory, there had to be more to it. It was just a feeling though. He could be wrong. He could always be wrong. Settling on a familiar page, he followed two black lines racing to the bottom. Halfway, they broke like a rope cut in increments, but continued almost to the bottom of the page before stopping.
This meant the route was unfinished.
Kaydin sighed. He wished he had more time to explore. Ry kept him busy. Between watches and collections his days were almost full. If he spent less time watching, he could work on these tunnels and perhaps uncover their secrets.
Ry told him that he and Dag had searched everything. But that wasn’t true, since Kaydin and Gara had found yet more climbing routes and potential tunnels through the rock after Gara joined Haven six years ago. They had simply followed hints of anger-stone explosions and the paths the rodent and reptilian denizens of these Known Caverns took. Kaydin figured Ry was trying to protect him, but he was sixteen years old now and Ry knew he was a great climber. And the best fighter they had. It annoyed Kaydin that Ry insisted on tying him down to their routines.
Whenever he had spare time, he spent it with the journal. Reading the maps was a task in itself. It had taken him several years to work out not only how to read them, with Ry's help, but how to uncover the secrets within. Each line and symbol had meaning, sketched by his grandfather. Kaydin felt the page with his hand, wondering if somehow, somewhere, his grandfather was still alive.
He closed his eyes, bringing the memory a recent conversation with Ry about Dag to the forefront.
They sat together, high on the western wall, preparing to watch the end-of-season descensions. This was one of few chances they had to catch a glimpse of the Rahz. While they waited, Kaydin asked Ry a question he had wanted to ask for years. Each time they watched the ceremony, it ate at him.
“Do you think it’s possible you’re wrong?” said Kaydin. “And that Dag actually got out?”
“I wish more than anyone that he did,” said Ry. “But there’s no way. He descended the next night. I saw it happen.”
Ry paused, then continued, “The day before, as we made our escape, he was cut off from us by sentinels.”
Kaydin continued the familiar story. “And my dad, Dylan, was captured, trying to help him. But why wasn’t Dag taken alive, too?”
Ry shook his head. “I don’t take counsel