“Then I need to speak with you. In private.”
“Jay said you’re from the Sitian Council?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll need proof. We don’t…associate with many people outside our family.”
Leif opened one of his saddlebags and brought out a scroll. He handed the document through the bars to Walsh. The man unrolled it and scanned the paper.
“Open the gate,” Walsh said to the guard. “I would apologize, but we don’t usually receive unexpected visitors. Since we harvest pearls, we are naturally suspicious of foreigners. If you had sent me a message and arranged a meeting…” He swept a bony hand out as if to imply none of this would have happened.
“Our business is urgent. We didn’t have time for protocol.” Leif walked Rusalka through the gate.
Skippy and I dismounted and followed. Walsh led the way. Right past the wall were cottages made of bamboo. They were lined up with such precision, it looked as if they had been planted there. Farther out, near the tip of the peninsula, wooden buildings hugged the beach. People scurried between the water and the structures. A few carried buckets, while others pushed wheelbarrows.
Walsh guided us to a stable, then to a smaller building nearby. Inside was his office. Gesturing toward a round conference table ringed with wooden chairs, he invited us to sit down. He asked his assistant—a young girl around fourteen years old—to bring tea and fruit.
When she hurried away, he finally introduced himself. “I’m Walsh Bloodrose. Elected representative of my family.”
“Bloodrose isn’t a clan name,” Leif said.
Walsh’s laughter rasped in his lungs and transformed into a coughing fit. “Sorry. I forget. My family has so many Bloodgoods and Jewelroses that we stopped keeping track long ago and just use Bloodrose.” He wiped the corner of his eyes with a handkerchief. When he composed himself, he studied me and Skippy. “You haven’t introduced your companions.”
“This is Opal Cowan and Hale Krystal.”
He nodded to us, but his gaze lingered on my sais. So far, Leif’s predictions about our reception hadn’t all come true. We kept our weapons and we were still together. His assistant returned. She carried a trayful of fruits and tea. Putting her burden on the table, she poured a cup of tea for everyone, then bolted.
“Now, what is this urgent business of yours?” Walsh asked.
Leif explained about searching for a magician.
“Then you have found him.” Walsh spread his arms wide. “I’m Keep trained. I graduated about twenty years ago.”
“A new magician. Someone who might not even realize they have power,” Leif said.
Anger flared in Walsh’s eyes, but he blinked it away. “No. Not here. I would have sensed him or her.”
“Do you mind if we have a look around?” Leif asked.
Walsh’s hesitation lasted a mere heartbeat. “Of course not. I’ll give you a tour of our oyster farm.” He swept out of the office, leaving us to follow in his wake.
He headed toward the beach on the northern side of the tip. Coarse yellow sand mixed with gray rocks that extended into the sea. The building nearby wasn’t as solid as it appeared from a distance. The side facing the sea was open, letting in the cool breeze, while the roof kept the sun off the workers.
“It’s a simple operation. The younger members of our family harvest the oysters from the sea and bring them here.” Walsh gestured to the women and men sitting at long tables, prying open shells.
Pearls were placed in small containers and the oysters were scraped out into another. The children carted buckets filled with oysters from the sea and dumped them onto the tables. They returned to the surf and waded into the waves.
“What’s going on over there?” I asked, pointing to the southern side.
“Same thing,” Walsh said. “We use both sides. The pearls pay for supplies. A person can only eat so many oysters.”
“How many people live here?” Leif asked.
“Two hundred fifty-three and two halves.”
“Halves?” I asked.
“Two ladies are expecting babies in a few months. We count them as halves until they’re born.” He beamed with pride.
I noticed a few men standing around. Unlike the workers, they were armed.
Walsh noticed my gaze. “Guards,” he said. “Pearls are expensive. We’ve had thieves and pirates steal them from us.” He tsked. “It’s why we built the wall and have armed men on the beach.”
His comments were reasonable. Leif walked ahead of us. I guessed he sniffed for the wild magician. He wandered onto the beach, then turned south.
Walsh intercepted him before he moved too far away. “The best way to meet all my family is for you and your companions to stay for dinner. Everyone comes to the dining hall. And you’re welcome to stay overnight if it gets too late. We have a few empty cottages just in case.” He smiled, revealing stained teeth.
Skippy and I looked to Leif. He nodded, agreeing to dinner.
“Wonderful. Everyone will be so pleased.” The skin around Walsh’s mouth stretched wider, resembling a grinning skull. “You can tell us news from the Citadel. We haven’t had visitors in…” His gaze drifted to the guards as if the memory of the last visitors hadn’t gone well. “A while. Brand,” he called. One of the guards left his post and joined us. “Please show them to our guest cottage. Also point out the dining hall and washhouse. We ring a dinner bell, so you won’t miss it. Make yourselves at home.” Walsh gave us a jaunty wave and returned to his office.
Brand played tour guide. Another cluster of buildings was located behind Walsh’s office. He jabbed a thick finger at them. “Food’s in the blue one and the baths are in the yellow.”
Good thing he mentioned the colors as all the structures looked the same—one-story tall, wooden and a basic rectangular shape. In other words, boring.
“What’s the red one?” I asked.
“That’s the school.”
“And the green?” Leif asked.
“A recreation room and common room. The gray one is storage and an infirmary, which is mainly used for the children’s cuts and scrapes. There’s a birthing room, though. We have our own midwife.”
The stark compound lacked personality. Pure function. No gardens or flowers or artwork. At least none visible. Perhaps they decorated their cottages. As we entered into the guest quarters, I thought perhaps not.
Plain walls, drab-colored blankets and practical table and chairs.
“The dinner bell will ring in two hours,” Brand said. He left.
We waited a few minutes, making sure he was out of range before saying anything.
“This is…” I cast about for the right word.
“Weird,” Leif said. “I’m getting all kinds of emotions from these people. But they don’t feel right.”
“Did you sense the wild magician?” Skippy asked.
“No, but I haven’t gotten close to everyone yet.”
“What did you mean by right?” I asked.
“When outsiders arrive, the reaction is usually curiosity mixed with a little apprehension and a bit of excitement. These people are afraid and worried. Also there’s a sense of urgency and secrecy. They could be hiding the magician, and we could be causing the fear. But no curiosity. No excitement. Not even from the children.”
Another oddity struck me. “Did you notice their clothing all matched? It reminded me of Ixia where they are required to wear uniforms. Except in Ixia, they use color. Here it’s all tans, grays and white, as if the life has been bleached from this place.”
“Why does it matter?” Skippy asked. “They’re not doing anything illegal. We’re here to find the magician. How this family chooses to live and dress is their own business. Not ours.”
I hated to agree with him, but he had a point.
“I could be reading more into their reactions than is there,” Leif said. “Just keep an eye out during dinner and listen.”
Dinner was a quiet affair despite the full tables. The dining room lacked ornamentation. Walsh’s family lined up and pushed plates along a long counter. Servers standing over containers of food spooned helpings onto the dishes.