The journey was going slow. Without horses, they had to walk, and the women pressed forward carried only by determination and the desperate hope of returning home.
Khisa used the time to teach them Swahili, knowing it would help them communicate with the Shadow Guard and future traders of Nuri. Every evening, they gathered around fires, repeating words and phrases until their tongues were sore and their minds overwhelmed.
The first night, Khisa pulled Faizah aside.
"Your training begins now," he said without preamble. "You have much to learn if you wish to catch up. Languages, economics, politics, military strategy—everything in between.
What I teach you, you will pass down through generations. Your children and grandchildren will learn from you. This knowledge must not be lost. Write down everything you hear, see, and learn.
