Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive #4) - Brandon Sanderson Page 0,318

Jaxlim began again. But again she faltered.

“‘Nimbleform has a delicate touch,’” Venli prompted. “‘Gave the gods this form to many…’”

But her mother didn’t continue singing. She stared out the window, silent, not even humming. It was the second time this week she’d completely forgotten a stanza.

Venli rose, setting aside her work and taking her mother’s hand. She attuned Praise, but didn’t know what to say.

“I’m merely tired,” Jaxlim said. “From the stress of these strange days and their stranger visitors.” The humans had promised to return, and since their departure months ago, the family had been abuzz with different ideas of what to do about the strange creatures.

“Go,” Jaxlim said. “Find your sister. She said she’d come listen to a recitation, and at least learn the Song of Listing. I will get some sleep. That’s what I need.”

Venli helped her mother to the bed. Jaxlim had always seemed so strong, and indeed her body was fit and powerful. Yet she wobbled as she lay down, shaken. Not on the outside, but deep within.

Until recently, Jaxlim had never forgotten songs. To even suggest it would have been unthinkable.

Once her mother was situated, Venli attuned Determination and stepped out of their home—not into a forest clearing, but into a city. One of the ten ancient ones, surrounded by a broken wall and populated by the remnants of buildings.

Finding the humans had emboldened Venli’s family. Bearing newly bestowed weapons, they’d marched to the Shattered Plains and claimed a place among the ten, defeating the family who had held it before them. Once, Venli would have walked tall and proud at that victory.

Today, she was too unsettled. She went searching, ignoring cries to Joy in greeting. Where was Eshonai? Surely she hadn’t gone off again, not without telling her sibling and mother.…

Fortunately, Venli found her at a scouting tower, built up along the broken wall near the front gates of the city. Eshonai stood on the very top, watching out to the northwest, the direction the humans had come from.

“Venli!” she said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the front of the flimsy wooden scout tower. “Look! That seems like smoke in the distance. From their campfires perhaps?”

Venli looked down at the wobbly tower. Was this safe?

“I’ve been thinking about what we can learn from them,” Eshonai said to Excitement. “Oh, it will feel so good to show them to the rest of the families! That will stop everyone from doubting our word, won’t it? Seeing the humans themselves!”

“That will feel good,” Venli admitted. She knelt, holding to the wooden floor while Eshonai stood up on her toes. Storms! It looked like she was about to climb onto the railing.

“What must their cities be like?” Eshonai said. “I think I will leave with them this time. Travel the world. See it all!”

“Eshonai, no!” Venli said. And the true panic in her rhythm made Eshonai finally pause.

“Sister?” she asked.

Venli searched for the right words. To talk to Eshonai about their mother. About what … seemed to be happening. But she couldn’t confront it. It was as if by voicing her fears, she’d make them real. She wanted to pretend it was nothing. As long as she could.

“You were supposed to come today,” Venli said, “and listen to one of the songs. Maybe learn one again.”

“We have you and Mother for that,” Eshonai said, looking toward the horizon. “I haven’t the mind for it.”

But I need you with me, Venli thought. With us. Together.

I need my sister.

“I’m going to lead a scout group to go investigate that smoke,” Eshonai said, moving toward the ladder. “Tell Mother for me, will you?”

She was gone before Venli could say anything. A day later, Eshonai came back triumphant. The humans had indeed returned.

* * *

It didn’t take long for Venli to find the humans tedious.

Though they’d barely noticed her on the first visit, this time they wouldn’t leave her alone. They wanted to hear the songs over and over. It was so frustrating! They couldn’t replicate the songs if they did memorize them—they couldn’t hear the rhythms.

Worse, when she performed, the humans kept interrupting and asking for more information, more explanations, more accurate translations. Infuriating, she thought, attuned to Irritation. She’d started to learn their language because Jaxlim insisted, but it didn’t seem a good use of her time or her talents. The humans should learn her language.

When they finally let her go for the day, she stepped out of the building and welcomed the sunlight. Sitting outside were