Idem grimaced as a darkness covered his vision for a time and a weakness enveloped him but he stood perfectly still, his head raised in defiance. The men stood shaking but none of them cried out. They would be killed if they did. Weakness was not tolerated among the Tije. The darkness left Idem's sight and he saw, seated on a skillfully carved ivory throne, the emperor. He wore black silk trousers, his massively muscled body unclad, covered with tattoos. His beard was braided and bits of cowries were intertwined in them. He had fierce, almost glowing red eyes and his face was calm and unmarked. He was sorrounded by cursed guards. It was rare for a commoner to be born cursed but the emperor went to great lengths to gather them and transformed them into his guards though he could not extend their lives as he could with his cursed sons. Idem felt a wave of nausea smash into him and he felt his consciousness stretch, accommodating another, causing him to wince as he tightened his fist.

Idem moved towards the large, iron door, his hands held behind his back, his head bowed. He felt the depression hover around him as it often did, fouling his thoughts and soiling his mood. He nodded to the two guards that stood beside the door and the door opened without any visible force applied. He walked in and saw Tuli, standing atop a small platform, staring into nothing. The man often did that. Sometimes Idem wondered if any of his father's offsprings were sane. Tuli was not tall and he could not be truthfully said to be short either. He had soft, feminine eyes and full lips and he had smooth, light brown skin with defined muscles underneath them. He was almost beautiful. He wore a black, silk, sleeveless shirt, displaying the tattoo on his shoulder; a bird in flight and he wore large trousers that tapered together at the ankles. His brown hair was thick and curly and spread above his head. From here, Idem could smell the soft oils and perfumes he used. He turned to Idem and smi

Zamu cracked open the shell of the landcrab and scooped out the meaty flesh within. He put it in a can he had picked up and did the same for the dozen other creatures he had found. Resi stood over the fire she had made, staring at it as if something deeply interesting lurked within. She had been silent since they left the reservations. Not just the silence that comes with the absence of noise but a deeper one that came with the shock of the mind. Zamu picked the can and dropped it on the fire, adding a little bit of the water he had stolen from a soldier's belt. He walked over to Resi and tried to hold her but she stiffened as he touched her and he sighed, turning back to sit on a stone beside the fire, picking a stick to poke at the meat inside the can. His mind wandered to the first dives into darkness, to the times when he woke with the taste of blood in his mouth and a weariness that was deep and overwhelming. He thought of the times when he would find himself naked, far from the

Idem rode into his brother's fortress, his eyes darting around, unconsciously analysing the defenses as he had done a thousand times before. He felt anger and irritation sit in his chest like a lead weight and he grit his teeth, supressing the anger that rose in him, familiar, warm, like.an old friend. An old, dangerous friend. He jumped down from his horse and started walking, hands clasped behind him. The soldiers shied away from him, their eyes nailed to the floor. He saw a shadow cover his own and he looked up to see an abnormally large eagle. It glided down, transforming fluidly into a human, into Tuli. The handsome man landed lightly on his feet and walked up to Idem."Ah brother, what a delightful surprise. I must say, your presence in my fortress was not expected in the least." He winked and walked forward to accept a long robe from one of his female slaves. He wore it and turned to look at Idem whose face showed none of his anger and frustration."Would you like to come insid