The sharing between them had been lovely. Warm and comforting and oh so pleasurable. Her nipples tightened under her clothing at the heat of memory.
“Do you think the Warlord will decide soon?” she asked, not really wanting to know, but she needed to think on other things.
Heath was silent for a while, lighting another lantern. Joden glanced back at her, looking puzzled. Amyu frowned. Had Heath not heard her? Or worse, would he not speak to a child? Amyu stumbled and caught herself. Heath had not seemed to think that of her, but he was bonded to Atira and she—
“I think he must,” Heath spoke, to her relief. “All of his plans require peace between the Plains and Xy. He really has two choices. Head to the border or stay and defend from within these walls if he is attacked.” Heath paused, lowering his voice. “Will he have to fight a war at the border, to defend Xy? Or will he have to attack the Plains themselves, to secure his position?”
Joden had also stopped and Amyu was at his shoulder. She could feel the heat of Joden’s body against her, even as she stared at the both of them. “You think it will come to that,” she said flatly.
“I do not know,” Heath said. “I do know that the City of Water’s Fall is in a fever, commanded by the Queen to make swords, weapons, armor, bolts, arrows, and everything else an army on the move needs. Lara has opened the treasury, and is willing to pay well for quality work, and Sun God help anyone who tries to pass off shoddy workmanship.”
Heath looked up at where his torch licked at the ceiling above them. “And then there is the matter of the wyverns.”
“G-g-gone,” Joden said.
Heath shook his head. “Everyone is assuming that since they have flown off they are no longer a threat. I do not plan to make that mistake. Regardless,” he continued. “Keir is going to make a decision soon, probably within a few days.”
“You think he will go,” Amyu said.
“I think it is not in the Warlord’s nature to sit and wait.” Heath grinned.
Joden snorted, “Tr-tr-truth.”
“I suspect that Lara will go with him,” Heath said. “Taking the babies with her. My mother is working herself up into a state at the very idea.” He turned, looking down the passage.
“It’s not much further,” Heath continued walking. “We don’t want to lose the torches.”
Amyu gave Joden a push forward. He threw a grin at her, but moved quickly enough to satisfy her.
They went for a while in silence, until Amyu blurted out her burning question, “Will you go?”
“With Keir?” Heath shook his head. “No. I am Seneschal of the Castle of Water’s Fall.” Amyu could see the weight of his words on his shoulders. “I will hold this castle, and the city for Xylara.” He paused at a crossing of tunnels, then plunged ahead. “Atira has said she will not leave me, as we are bonded.” He stopped. “We are here.”
Amyu stood at the top of the steps leading down into a round room with a domed ceiling. She remembered the elaborately carved stone box in the center, where she’d found Joden sprawled, shivering and convulsing. But she lifted the torch higher, and gazed at the airions carved on the ceiling, circling with wings wide, carrying riders.
Riders.
Her breath caught in excitement. There above her, airions and their riders soared. Riders in saddles, like the one she’d seen in the cave. Amyu stood on tip-toe, watching the light and dark play over the carvings, trying to take it all in. Surely they were real, were not the thing of—
Joden’s voice brought her back to reality.
“N-n-nothing,” he said, his voice echoing on the walls. Joden was standing by the seated statue of a man, a stone sword in his lap. He leaned over, and splayed his hand out over the statue’s chest.
“He is not here?” Heath’s voice held an odd note.
“M-m-more l-l-like em-em-empty.” Joden said, pulling his hand back. “G-g-gone.”
“I am not sure if I am disappointed or relieved,” Heath said. He held the torch close to the statue’s face, looking at the carving. “What was he like?”
“D-d-demanding,” Joden said. “C-c-commanding. K-k-kingly.”
“Like Lara,” Heath laughed. “But don’t tell her I said so.”
“Look,” Amyu pointed overhead. “Look at that.”
“Well,” Heath said. “Airions.”
“With riders,” Amyu pointed urgently. “See? Not just legends.” She lowered her gaze to stare at Heath. “Xyson told Joden that if we wanted to fly we need to re-forge the sword. What does that mean?”
