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except now it was nearly night. Imenja led her to a balcony on one side and
through an open door. The interior was cool. Pools of light from lamps filled a
long corridor. They walked down this to some stairs. The climb was short, but
Imi found herself breathing hard by the time she reached the top. Imenja paused
by an alcove to tell Imi about the special technique used to make the carving
inside it. When they moved on, Imi was able to breathe properly again.
Another corridor followed. Stopping at a large, arched doorway, Imenja gestured
inside. The First Voice is waiting in here, she murmured. Shall we go in?
Imi nodded. They stepped through the doorway into a large room with a domed
ceiling. Imi drew in a quick breath in amazement.
The roof, floor and ceiling were painted in vibrant colors. The dome was blue
with clouds and birds and even some odd-looking Siyee. The walls were
different landscapes, and the floor was half garden, half water. Pictures of
landwalkers in gardens and houses, travelling in boats or being carried by slaves,
were everywhere. Animals both familiar and ordinary, unfamiliar and fantastic,
occupied gardens, forests, seas and rivers. Imi looked closer and saw that the
pictures and designs were actually made up of countless tiny fragments of a
shiny substance.
Hearing a sound, she looked up and jumped as she saw that a man was standing
in the center of the room. Dressed in the same black robes as Imenja s, he was
admiring the pictures, but as Imi noticed him he looked up and smiled.
Greetings, Princess Imi, he said in a warm, pleasant voice. I am Nekaun, First
Voice of the Gods.
Not knowing what to say, she copied his manner of speaking. Greetings,
Nekaun, First Voice of the Gods. I am Imi, Princess of the Elai.
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How are you feeling?
Better, she said.
He nodded and his eyes seemed to twinkle like stars. I am glad to hear it, he
told her. I was going to visit you tonight, but I thought it might be more
pleasant, if you were strong enough, to show you this place. There is something
here I think you may find interesting. He beckoned.
She walked toward him, concentrating on being dignified and all too conscious
of her large feet and hands.
I ve only recovered thanks to Imenja and Reivan, she told him as she reached
his side. And thanks to yourself, for allowing me to stay here.
He met her eyes and nodded, his expression grave. I must apologize for the ill
treatment you suffered before Imenja found you.
She frowned. But that was not your fault.
Ah, but I do bear some of the responsibility for what happens to visitors in my
lands. When the laws we make to discourage wrong-doings fail, then we have
failed too.
Her father would probably feel the same way if a visitor was harmed by his
people for no reason especially an important visitor. She decided she liked this
man. He was kind and treated her with respect, as if she were an adult.
Then I thank you for your apology, she said, wondering at how grown-up she
was sounding. What do you want to show me? she asked.
He pointed at the floor. Do not be offended; it is the fancy of an artist who had
never seen your people.
She looked down. They were standing on a picture of the sea, shown from above
on a day so still the water was perfectly clear. Fish filled the blue space, some
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swimming on their sides to show off their colors. Corals and weeds grew
inaccurately from the edge of the shore. At their feet was a landwalker woman
with a fish tail instead of legs. Her hair was a pale yellow color, and it swirled
around her body to hide her breasts and groin.
This is what they think we look like? A giggle escaped her and she quickly
covered her mouth.
Nekaun chuckled. Yes, it is very silly. Few landwalkers have ever seen Elai. All
they know is that you live in the sea, so they imagine you are half-fish, half-
human. He shook his head. That is why the man who bought you treated you
as something less than human.
She nodded, though she didn t understand why this drawing would make a
person think another person wasn t human. Surely if they had fingers, wore
clothes and could talk they were human. She had never mistaken a landwalker or
Siyee for an animal.
Nekaun took a step to one side. Come this way. There is something else I want
to show you.
Imi walked beside him as he strolled toward a doorway in one of the walls.
Imenja followed a few steps behind.
People of other lands believe strange things about my people as well, he told
her. They see that we keep a few slaves so they assume we enslave anyone we
wish. We only enslave criminals. To enslave an innocent is a serious crime. The
punishment is slavery. The man who bought you was not of this land, but he
knew the law.
Is that what happened to him? Was he enslaved?
Yes.
She nodded to herself. Her father would approve.
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We have other customs foreigners misunderstand. Some of our rites require that
we respect the privacy of the participants. Because we keep these secrets,
foreigners think the rites must be of a disgusting or immoral kind. He looked at
her, his expression sad. Remember this, if you hear such rumors about us from
other landwalkers.
Imi nodded. If any other landwalkers told her Nekaun s people were bad, she
would tell them otherwise.
They passed through the door into a plainer room. The pictures on the walls were
of groups of people. Each contained a man, a woman and a child. Each wore
slightly different clothing and had different skin and hair coloring. One family
had large feathered wings. Suddenly she understood why the Siyee in the other
room had looked odd to her. She put a hand to her mouth.
Yes, Nekaun said, though she hadn t made a noise this time. We only
recently learned how wrong that picture is. I m considering whether to have it
fixed or not. He looked down. Though that is not what I brought you in here to
see. Look down. This floor design is a map of all Ithania.
She did as he said and drew in a breath of wonder. Large shapes floated in the
center of a blue floor. The shapes were filled with pictures of mountains, lakes,
strange cities open to the air and dry roads between them. Nekaun pointed at a
large shape like a spearhead.
That is Southern Ithania. He walked over it to the place where the spearhead
shape met a much larger shape and pointed the toe of his sandal at a city. This
is where we are: Glymma.
Where is Borra?
I don t know exactly. I was hoping you could tell me.
She shook her head. I ve never seen the world from above. It s all& I ve never
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