The Wittering Way Read Online Free Page B

pulled my hand away, slowing nature’s exuberance, and I hoisted my bags onto my shoulder.
    “How shall we go?” RoseIII asked as he lifted his own bags.
    “Well,” I hesitated, not having thought this through all the way. “They are many legs ahead of us now, but I sense they are heading across the Greens, missing Medwas, I’m sure—”
    “Why are you sure?” Memo said. “I sense that they wish to conquer the Asti village, as well.”
    Many of us gasped. If the Brinc clan had the ken to attack the powerful Asti kingdom, then surely we marched to our doom. I set my mouth in a determined line. I cared not what the Brinc did elsewhere, at least not for the moment. My being was directed toward reuniting with my sister. That was all I could deal with at present.
    “We head north, crossing the River Adair and then through the forest,” I suggested.
    “There lie the falls, Cleome. We all know the danger of Felshea Falls,” Yewsy whispered.
    “Will we go south and cross lower on the Finlo or take the bridge across the falls?” RoseIII asked, nervously fingering his tunic.
    I sighed. “There are Gobbyes in Tumpe for sure, and all throughout Ifrsa. At least the bridge is well above the Neisi village, up into Luti land.”
    “The water sprites are in all water,” Lemon piped up. “My brother, Setine, said we can’t trust any of it, or them.”
    “Setine is not all-knowing,” I responded. “My grandmother, Glory, said that the Neisi seldom wander far from the pools of their home. They are creatures of much habit.”
    “Yes, lazy beasts, I heard,” Talew offered.
    “We do not speak ill of others,” I chanted automatically as I turned back for one last glimpse of my home. It looked oddly hopeful to me, as if saying it would see me soon. I deeply, sincerely hoped that this was a truth.
     
     

Book Six
     
     
     
    WE MOVED AWAY from the houses of the Witta village and made our way along the lanes toward the river crossing. The Witta, young and old, but without the Mothers, had come out to bid us a safe journey and had lined the lane on either side, fammies spinning in colors of celebration and good will. Flowers and herb packets were pressed into our hands and strings of pocket magic placed around our necks. Though there were murmured well-wishes, there was still a solemn, fearful air around the Witta. Fear nibbled at me, but I pushed it away. We were Meab, all of us, Brinc and Witta alike. A tribe does not divide, a tribe does not kill others of the tribe. I told myself that I was not seeking revenge, not really. I just wanted to bring my sister back home. I scowled to myself as I stormed quickly along the lane, Afton trailing behind, making his own farewells.
    We found the small boats, left for any who wished to cross the river, tied to posts set into the rocky soil along the banks. RoseIII and Yewsy studied the water, looking for Neisi but it was early in the day, so they probably still slumbered after a night of frolic.
    With the help of several village men, we piled into two of the small, circular boats but, inexperienced at handling them, we quickly became separated in the current. RoseIII stood carefully in his wobbly craft and magic grew in his hands as he pulled my boat close and, using a working, bound them as one. Thus sealed, we crossed away, downriver from our village.
    I looked back once, forlorn at seeing everything familiar falling into the past.
    We had to drag the boats against the current a short way to tie them to posts on the older forested side, but then we stood as one unit, fammies united, staring up at the towering trees. The Mother Trees on this side of the river were even older than the ones that cradled our Witta village. They swayed in welcome and seemed to open a path for us.
    The ever-buoyant Capel lifted her voice in song and the others joined in, repeating the phrases as we turned as one and marched along the well-worn trail leading into the forest.
     
    May we all fly like