Snowfall frowned. “Joden of the Hawk left us after Keir killed Antas. He told Keir he would be with Essa. Essa has sent a messenger asking where Joden is, for he has not arrived in the Singer’s camp. We’d hoped he was with you.”
Fear flooded through Amyu. He’d been gone long enough—
“Scry the Heart,” she commanded. “Now.”
Warrior-priests scattered to obey,
“You think—” Snowfall’s eyes were wide. “You think he went to the Heart? Alone?”
“I fear—” Amyu cut herself off, and stepped over to Night Cloud’s side. He had an image, bright in the bowl. Amyu leaned in and her heart stopped. “Joden,” she breathed.
“Tell me what you see,” Snowfall demanded.
“Joden is riding toward the Heart,” Amu shifted as others crowded around. “There is a man, dressed only in trous. He is surrounded by…” she trailed off, unsure what she was seeing.
“Odium,” Rhys breathed. Sidian sucked in a breath as Rhys continued, “Those are the undead he has brought back and controls.”
“Undead warrior-priests,” Lightning Strike said grimly. “See? They are shorn of their tattoos.”
“Skies above,” Amyu swore. “That man is an idiot.”
“We cannot reach him,” Snowfall said. “The distance is too far. He goes to his death.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Amyu strapped on her weapons belt. “Night Clouds, pull the image back. Rhys, open a portal.”
“Portal?” Snowfall demanded.
“We will all go,” Lightning Strike stood.
“No,” Amyu turned grim. “We cannot risk all of us. I will go, get him out of there, and we will flee. We cannot leave Xy undefended.”
Lightning Strike stopped, the conflict clear on his face. But he gave her a nod. “I will get you extra lances,” he said and ran off.
“Keir agrees,” Snowfall said. “But how will you—”
Amyu whistled.
Golden lifted his head, and rose up, stretching his wings in the sun.
Snowfall gasped. Other heads were trying to peer from behind her, and voices were raised.
“Lightning Strike will explain,” Amyu said over her shoulder s she grabbed up her saddle. “I need to go.”
“Will Golden fly through a portal?” Rhys asked.
“We’ll find out.” Amyu called as she raced to her airion. Heart pounding, she threw on the saddle and forced herself to slow her shaking hands.
“I’m coming, beloved,” she whispered. “And if it’s to both our deaths, at least I will be at your side.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Wild Winds never approached Joden as they traveled toward the Heart.
Each night Joden would make camp, and each night Wild Winds stood guard at distance on the southernmost rise. Leaving Joden to his thoughts.
Which left Joden to his thoughts. To his grief, over the loss of his voice. Those thoughts were confusing, for he had a voice, but it wasn’t what it had been. Still, he had it, but it wasn’t perfect, wasn’t what it was.
It left him to thoughts of what was happening to him, or what had happened. Seeing the dead, the visions… Xyson and Uppor had both implied that he could learn control. So far Joden hadn’t figured out how to do it, but there was an itch of curiosity deep within. What could he do? What could he learn? What could hesee, if he was in fact a Seer?
