“What do you mean?” Kalan asks.
“Before, things would happen without me knowing what I needed. It would respond, like when I drained Calix by just touching him. But now, my magic wants to work with me, answering my instinct. I don’t know, but it’s as if there’s a different part of it now, that’s the easiest way to explain it.”
“And we’re all invisible?”
“I hope so, or we’ll be in for company pretty soon.” I look out, but don’t see any movement or change from the rows of tents and figures in black.
“Okay. New plan. I can walk out there and speak to my father. Kyra, too.”
“Not Kyra. I need her to take me to the Maker. Ten goes with you. We can all go as far as we can, together under my magic, behind Calix. Once he has spoken to his father, or guards or whatever, Ten can reveal himself. Then, the rest of us can still head to The Court with nobody the wiser.”
“I don’t like the thought of splitting up,” Ten adds.
“It was you who first suggested it. We’ll be fine. Lyle and Kalan will be with me, too. You’ve been banished, so you have the more dangerous path.Please, Ten. You wanted to do this for Calix. I will be fine. You need him.”
He nods and turns away.
“Let’s go,” Kalan commands.
I watch as Calix walks forward. To start with, I keep my power over him, learning how far it can cover and bend. A few feet, a few more. It doesn’t lessen, it doesn’t tire, like before in practice. It’s closer to how it felt in the forest, when Ravi and I made it rain. Finally, I pull it back, and I watch as the glittery golden strands recede, and let Calix walk out from my cover to face the Warriors.
Ten stays under my protection, at least until we understand what sort of reception he’ll get.
There are shouts, before movement, black shapes of people amongst the tented blockages rushing about. And then a group of Warriors, who must be gifted with speed, are right in front of Calix.
They talk. Calix takes charge, and he doesn’t even glance back as he leads the Warriors back to their lines.
We follow carefully, and I bend my power around us so we can walk through the camps. Swathes of red, line after line, with Warriors in their full leather uniform, are everywhere. But among them, a few other colours. Purple and a few blue and green.
“Why are there so many other Orders here?”
“Either a Triune, or a gifted group used for a particular combined strength.”Ten answers.“That’s not unusual. But it’s been years since this many Warriors were all in one place.”
“What’s wrong?”I ask.
“I don’t know. But something is. It doesn’t fit together, and it’s not the play my father would take. He’s too prepared to put all his Warriors in one position. They’d be vulnerable.”
I watch Ten as he worries over the problem.
“They’ve drawn back to a narrow position. They’re counting on the river and the natural defence of The Court. But everyone’s just waiting. This isn’t a strategic play,” he murmurs, still working it through.
There’s a larger tent ahead, stationed with other officers and more Warriors than any of the others, and we all assume this is where General Aster is.
Calix doesn’t miss a beat and walks right into the tent.
A moment later, everyone who was inside leaves, a stream of Warrior officers exiting. And then Calix jerks his head to the side.
Ten looks at me, then to his friend, and back. Then nods to me and strides forward to meet his friend. I keep the cloak over him until he’s clear of the threshold, and then I pull it back.
I wait for a moment. Another. But there’s no sign of alarm.
“Come on. Kyra, our turn.” I nod to her, forcing my eyes from the tent.
She picks her way through the remaining Warriors, carving a single-file path through the fray. We make it to the small bridge that signals the only passing place over the river. Instead of the Triune that usually patrols, there are at least four times that many blocking any entry, and not just Warriors. Guards, too, their bright purple flare stark in contrast to the daunting black.
Even if we pass the Triunes stationed before the bridge, six people stand in a line, spanning the full width. We won’t slip past them unless one of them moves.
We take a wide berth, approaching from the bank, and wait. For what, I’m not sure, but my heartbeat is impatient for something to happen.
