Chapter Eighteen: The Mocking Fish[edit | edit source]

Kinesee wakes in the Ravinrin tent, aware of the camp’s tension following murders by a shadowy female assassin, likely tied to resistance against Hidreng missionary conversions. As the Ravinrins dismantle their camp to sail for New Fost on the Blooded Plain, Kinesee, now a Mikjehemlut under Solineus’s adoption, grapples with her shifting identity, distinguishing Solineus as her father but clinging to Iku as her true papa. Amid preparations, she bickers with Alu, who’s smitten with Daksin Ravinrin, stirring Kinesee’s protective jealousy over losing her sister’s attention. Lady Tedeu’s authority keeps order, ensuring the girls’ safety, while Maro, their guard, holds Alu’s inherited sword, reinforcing discipline. As the clan marches to board the Silver Lady, Kinesee rebuffs Leto Ravinrin’s attempts at companionship, torn between resenting his forced kindness and finding his quiet mockery tolerable. Her internal conflict—balancing loyalty to her past, fear of new threats, and annoyance at clan dynamics—underscores the uncertainty of the Silone’s exodus, as they flee potential Hidreng retribution for a precarious future.

ToP Chapter 17 — Crowning Tree
ToP Chapter 19 — Sundering the People
Trail of Pyres - Main Chapter Listing