Chapter 18, Kanika:On the rocky coast, Kanika and Hakeem separated, leaving each other to their own thoughts. Kanika understood they were a long way from the war. Their cargo and the secret cargo did little to settle her nerves. Unsure what it all meant, she would be much happier when they made port and offloaded the damnable powder, whatever it was.
The evening meal sat like a lump of ballast in her stomach. Sleep evaded her as she curled up on the dry rocks. She was not a religious person, but before bed, she said a short prayer to the Old Man’s conjoined twins, those responsible for fate and worshiped mostly by traveling minstrels and gamblers. The twins named with a single name, Harper, represented as a girl conjoined with a boy wearing a flowing gown.
Kanika whispered in prayer, “Ha
