Page 41 of The Merciless Ones

“Try,” Britta insists.

“And then do what?” Asha asks, walking over from the furthest edge of the roof, where she’s been quietly observing the market below, as is her habit. “Elder Kadiri is here, in that temple.” She nods in the direction of the Grand Temple of Hemaira, then glances apologetically at Acalan, who just shudders.

“And all our bloodsisters are right there, in the Warthu Bera,” Adwapa says, her eyes filled with such deep longing, I know she’s thinking of Mehrut. “They’re there, waiting for us.”

“And we’re inside the n’goma…” I gasp. “We can free them! We can get them out!”

“And there’s enough of them to overwhelm Elder Kadiri’s forces,” Li adds excitedly. “Enough alaki, enough jatu recruits on our side. An army of us, if needs be.”

“We can burn the Grand Temple to the ground,” Acalan says with grim satisfaction.

“But that’s assuming Idugu doesn’t use another door again to get Elder Kadiri out before we can take him,” I remind her. “And we really need to take him,” I say, my thoughts churning.

Idugu aside, Elder Kadiri is the true head of all the jatu’s forces. Snatching him would create chaos in the ranks, and more importantly, it would also allow us to question him about Idugu and his weaknesses, whatever they may be. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the mothers, it’s that gods aren’t infallible. At least, not the ones who exist in Otera.

Infinity, it’s strange even thinking that.

“Then why don’t ye stop Idugu if he tries?” Britta asks. “If ye can change the direction of the door, surely ye can learn to open one – or close it?”

I blink, the magnitude of what she’s saying slowly sinking in. All this time, I’ve been trying to conquer my reaction to the kaduth, trying to take command of my voice again. But if I can command doors like the mothers, I might not even need my voice. I can just whisk us away when there’s danger.

But creating doors takes energy… The reminder whispers through my mind. The mothers have to gather worship for weeks just to sustain one. Who am I to think I can even try?

No. I resolutely push my doubts away. I have to try. We’re trapped here in Hemaira with no way of contacting the mothers and alerting them as to our whereabouts, and I’ve already moved a door twice already. If there’s any possibility I can open one and get myself and the others to safety, I have to try and learn how to do so, no matter the cost.

“All right, then,” I say, determined. “New plan. We need to find a safe place to rest for the next few hours, then we can scout the Warthu Bera and sneak in to rescue our bloodsisters.”

“And brothers,” Li adds, clearing his throat.

“And brothers,” I repeat. “Then we take Elder Kadiri, learn more about Idugu and who he or it is and what exactly he or it wants.”

“And then we burn the Grand Temple to the ground,” Acalan reminds me.

I nod. “And then we burn it to the ground.”

“But what about the n’goma?” Kweku asks, frowning. “How do we get past it and back to Abeya with Elder Kadiri in hand?”

“Not to mention the slight complication of the army approaching Abeya as we speak,” Li says helpfully. “How do we warn the others?”

My head hurts now. “One thing at a time. Melanis is already on her way back to Abeya. She’ll warn them when she gets there. Besides, the city is always prepared for battle.”

“But against the entire jatu hordes?” Li sounds disbelieving.

“All right, let’s take a moment and think. The jatu are always sneakin’ out of Hemaira,” Britta says. “Which means there’s a way out. We just have to find out wha their method is. Whatever arcane object they’re usin’, we can probably use it too. And even if we can’t, Deka can apparently change doors.”

“And if the doors are actually the ‘arcane object’ we’ve been searching for all this time?” This quiet speculation comes from Keita, and when I turn to him, confused, he continues, “The jatu have been leaving the city without any tunnels, without any discernible transportation, yes?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“So it stands to reason that Idugu has been opening doors for them the way the mothers open doors for us. Which means there never was some mystical arcane object transporting the jatu out, which then means—”

“The only way to leave Hemaira safely is through a door,” I say, horrified.

“Precisely,” Keita says.

“We can’t depend on that.” Acalan shakes his head. “Just waiting for Deka to learn how to command doors – which, by the way, even the mothers struggle with – and then somehow let us out of Hemaira? We’re in a city surrounded by our enemies.”

“And our allies, if we can free them,” Belcalis reminds him.