Chapter 21
Jabari didn’t think Isika had noticed the gatherers, but he knew Ibba had. Her eyes were wide in her little face as they passed the group of people gifted with gathering, the growing and tending gift. These were the palace gardeners, or the people who knew all the plants that could be gathered from the forest, the ones who supplied the healers with fresh herbs. They stood near the palace, on the deadened ground where the Baloto had emerged and given their horrible ultimatum.
He had heard what the mud demons said. He had understood, though he didn’t think anyone else knew what they said to her. He and Isika were the only Maweel with animal speech.
And she’s only half Maweel, his mind told him.
Shut it, he said back, but he could feel the muscles in his cheeks and the backs of
