“What?” I bit out. “Why? Did he give a reason?”
“Hold on, Folami. Just hold on,” Peytor placated. Only for Peytor would I hold my thoughts.
When I get back, I’m giving Torin a piece of my mind.
“Torin infiltrated the Academy just fine. He’s had a little issue with the other Mages and Vessels accepting him, simply because of who he was before all of this. There’s been a few threats and scuffles, but they’re slowly accepting him. Vespera . . . it’s not like it was when you were there, Folami. The people are happy, content. There are thousands of refugees from the south there right now, and they’ve just been easily accepted into Vesperan society. Many of them joined the Academy and the army.”
I humphed, readying my rebuttal.
“The abuse you experienced doesn’t exist anymore,” Peytor intoned softly, and I stiffened. “General d’Alvey made sure of that—he’s a good man and the army is loyal to him. Torin doesn’t want to move against Vespera or General d’Alvey if he doesn’t have to. And I agree with him, Fo. There may come a time when we need them.”
I ground my teeth together in frustration, angry that Torin was so easily swayed and entranced by the Academy and Vespera.
“Anything else?” I barked.
“Folami,” Peytor sighed. “I know you’re frustrated, but please try and see his reasoning. Right now, we cannot afford to lose Mages in a futile attack against Vespera. There truly is only one way in and out. We’d get bottlenecked and overrun before we even made it out of the lower sector. The best thing to do is wait and see what the gods do. I’m telling you, we’re going to need Vespera’s help before this is all through.”
I sighed, the exhaustion and pleading in Peytor’s voice wearing my defenses slightly.
“Fine. I will think on it,” I acquiesced and heard Peytor’s stress evaporate.
“Good, Folami. That’s good.Thank you.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. The communication stone pulsed faintly in my hand and I startled.
“I’d ask to speak to Itanya, but I think we’re running out of time,” I said.
“I’ll pass along your love and a hug. I’ll also tell her that you said to stop poking me with her elbows in the middle of the night.”
I laughed at that, fully aware of Itanya’s pointy elbows and her inability to lie still while sleeping. Unfortunately, the girl loved to cuddle.
“They’re weapons,” I teased, and Peytor laughed.
“Yeah, they are.” He paused and the rune pulsed again. “We miss you, Fo. Stay safe. We love you.”
“I—”
The communication cut off before I could say anything in return. Peytor would have the Bondsmith reinforce his rune, allowing me one final time of communication. I wanted to speak to him again, now, and tell him that I loved them both, too, but knew I needed to save it in case something more happened while I was in Samyr.
Besides, Peytor gave me a lot to think about, and I wanted to process all of the changes first, before I said anything brash and was called home.
Either way, I’d see them both soon.
I’ll tell him when I get home, I thought. The prospect of seeing Peytor’s face when I told him I loved him for the first time buoyed my earlier frustrations.
Chapter 57
The Warlord
“I’d like to mark their graves,” Ellowyn intoned quietly as we stood on the small hill just outside Cellia.
The air was still, the lack of breeze only amplifying the growing humidity in the air. The cadets were silent, quickly tacking and mounting the horses we’d left outside. No one said a word, the distant cawing of crows the only noise.
It was eerie—almost as much as the look on my wife’s face.
There was an ethereal detachment present, like she was listening to something on a different plane. For all I knew, she was.
“My magic is calling me to, Alois,” she murmured, the fingers of her right hand gently trailing up the forearm of her left. “I don’t know why, but it feels right.”
