Calix starts to fill us all in on the plan. A Warriors plan.
Every step he proposes is the logical step forward. My mind runs over the outcomes of each and comes up with no better option.
He steps into the role of Warrior commander much more easily than I had thought, especially given the news I delivered to him. Or maybe because of it.
“I will head directly to my father. He was on our side before we left, and I owe him an explanation. Directly.”
A drum of silence beats in the air.
“I’ll come with you,” I offer. It’s not Calix that owes his family an explanation. It’s me. It will hurt to leave Ever’s side, but Kalan isn’t going to let anything happen to her.
Calix nods sharply. “We should cross into Kirrasia here.” He moves a few items and cups around on the table until I recognise the formation of the watch towers, stationed along the border, and he points to one of the westerly towers.
“You want to go directly to a tower? Raise the alarm?” I check.
“We aren’t going to sneak across without help this time. And we need the news to get to The Court as quickly as possible. It’s a risk, but it might pay off.” Calix talks out the problem.
“And if they detain us? Fight? Hell, attack?”
“They won’t. At the very least, they’ll let Kyra and Calix in. No way they’ll detain an Aster. They’ll be Warriors, and they won’t go against their commanding officer. You, Ever and me, that’s another story,” Kalan mumbles the last part.
“I need to go to the Maker. Ten, Calix, you go to the Orders. Tell them and explain.”
“You won’t get that far,” Kyra protests.
“I have to. She is the only one who might be able to explain any of this. To help me see, or…” Ever’s voice is pleading, and as her words fail, it slays me.
“The Order won’t grant you an audience, especially if Kamari has anything to say about it. We know she has her own designs on power.” At least that’s my assumption.
“Kamari?” Kyra asks, confused as to where this new obstacle has come from.
“She has been working with the Usher. I saw a vision, a memory of her on Fenix’s ship. I believe she’s the one who turned Micah, and who has helped provide the access to the library,” Ever shares and fills us all in. I knew Kamari wasworking against my father, but betraying the Orders, and siding against Aslendrix wasn’t what I thought her capable of.
“Who else are we going to be up against? Hmm?” Kyra levels her question at Ever, as if this is her fault.
“It’s not Ever’s fault!” Calix defends her again, frowning at Kyra.
“Of course not. It’s just a coincidence that everything has happened since she came into our lives.” She pivots to face off against Calix.
“And we’ve both lost family because of it. Did Ever hold the knife? No! Micah played his own part. We need to stick together, okay?” He brushes her cheek with his hand, a gesture that looks far from the acquaintances I left here a few weeks ago.
“Kyra, will you help? Please, I can’t do any of this without you. I never have. But if you do lay the blame at my door, then at least help me set it right. Help me get to the Maker without the Orders knowing about it.”
Kyra’s eyes hold to Ever’s, a torrent of emotions swimming between the two friends.
“If, and that’s a big ask, they let you in, then I will play my part,” Kyra lays out her offer.
“Thank you.”
“Lyle? Will you come with us, too?”
“I don’t know.”
Pause.
“No,” Ever stands and shakes her head. “That’s not good enough. Fight, Lyle. Fight for me like you did only a few months ago when you dragged me into all of this.” Ever’s words are harsh. “You fought for me then. You killed for me. Why are you suddenly cowering as if I mean nothing?”
Everyone around the table freezes, eyes darting about at Ever’s outburst. I lower my shields and push out a single stand of power to test her emotion, and she almost engulfs it in flames,she’s so fiercely angry at Lyle. It rages around her, burning hot and dark.
