He saw the forest floor below—closer, closer, closer... The spirit shot upward and then glided onto an empty bridge. Quickly he untangled the rope and jumped off. He glared at it. Given that it was eyeless, he didn’t know if the spirit could appreciate the balefulness of his full glare. “You realize I have a sword,” Ven told the monster, just in case.
Beside him, Renet got shakily off his spirit. “It realized if you struck it, you’d fall.” He untied his safety rope and stepped back from his spirit. “Ugh, I hate these things.”
A few yards away, Naelin dismounted, patted the feathery neck of her spirit, and then raised her hands. At her unspoken command, all three spirits flew off into the trees.
“Good riddance,” Renet said, and Ven was inclined to agree with him. He’d far rather trust to his own skill and luck when he traveled than to be so dependent on a being that hated him. The only thing that kept the spirit from dumping him a mile up was Naelin’s control, and while Ven trusted her, he still didn’t like it.
An entire life with spirits as your enemy didn’t just go away because the damn things were convenient.
He watched as Naelin frowned at the trees, calculating the distance to the palace, and he wasn’t surprised when she turned to him and demanded, “Why stop here?”
“I was trying to tell you in the air, but there are two reasons: one, the people are already on edge. If they saw their queen racing to the palace weeks sooner than expected, they’d think another battle was imminent. We’d panic them. At worst, cause a riot. At best, scare people who have already been scared enough.” He scanned the nearby area. They were on the outskirts of the city, a quiet neighborhood. Given the time of day, it was mostly empty—the children were in school, and the adults were working, in one of the shops or in the palace or elsewhere, keeping the city functioning. The key was that no one was around.Good.When he turned back to look at Naelin, though, any relief he felt washed away. There was something about her eyes. Then it hit him.
They reminded him too much of a spirit’s.
“Second reason,” he continued, slightly rattled, “we don’t know who took Erian and Llor and what they want. If the children are still alive, we don’t know what actions will help and what will endanger them further.” He thought of Bayn. At least he could hope that Bayn could take care of himself. He didn’t have that kind of confidence about the children, especially in the clutches of spirits.
“Theyarealive, wedoknow what will help, and another battleisimminent,” Naelin said flatly. “As soon as I inform Queen Daleina, I am going after Queen Merecot of Semo and saving my children.”
Andthatwas precisely what he was afraid of. Oh, he hadn’t known exactly what she was thinking, but he’d recognized that focused, battle-ready air.So she blames Merecot...He couldn’t blame her, given their history, but there was no proof. “Naelin...” he began.
“Shedid this?” Renet cut in. “Are you sure?”
“I am. The spirits weren’t from Aratay.”
“Naelin—” Ven tried again.
“Don’t tell me I can’t or I shouldn’t. I won’t hear it. I showed her mercy! And this is how she repays me?” Her face was flushed, and her fists were balled. He shot a glance at the nearby houses and wished they’d had this conversation farther from the capital. One saving grace was that in their traveling clothes, they didn’t look like a queen and champion.Just ordinary travelers in a heated discussion, Ven thought.Nothing to see here.
“I’m not telling you no or yes or anything, my queen,” Ven said, keeping his voice calm and soothing. Inside, though, he wanted to shout,No!There was no proof they’d been kidnapped by the queen of Semo. Renthia had other countries with other queens. Just because the spirits had fled north, it didn’t mean Semo was guilty—all it meant was that north was the closest escape route.
Besides, if she charged into Semo without a plan, she’d be killed. He’d defend her with his dying breath, if he had to. But how could he defend her from herself? “All I’m saying is we don’t need to declare our intentions to everyone in Mittriel. Approach the palace as if all is well. Speak with Queen Daleina. And then we decide,together, the best way to proceed.”
He was rather proud of his little speech. Very measured and rational advice. And hopefully Daleina would be able to slow her down. Together, they could decide on a reasonable, achievable response that wouldn’t endanger the children or Aratay or its two queens.
“Fine,” she snarled. “We walk. Just three ordinary citizens on an ordinary day.”
Shouldering a pack, Naelin marched down a bridge.
He and Renet watched her for a moment. “This isn’t good,” Renet observed. “I know how she feels—I feel it too. Helpless. Angry. But I’ve never seen her act like this. Once, maybe, when we had rats in the house. She was this determined.”
“I take it things didn’t turn out well for the rats.”
“Or the house.”
They watched her for a moment more, until she shot a look back at them. The look said clearer than words,Move now.They hurried after her. “We’re going to have to talk sense into her,” Ven said. “She’s acting on raw emotion. That won’t help Erian and Llor.”
“No chance she’ll listen to me,” Renet said. “It’s all you. You’re the one she trusts. Besides, you’re the one who will be there when she meets with Queen Daleina.”
Ven studied Renet.He’s right.Naelin did not have a high opinion of her ex-husband, and even though she hadn’t said it out loud, the fact that they’d lost the children on Renet’s watch had to have an effect.She still hasn’t forgiven me either, for not being able to protect them. But then, I haven’t forgiven myself.If he’d gone with them... If he’d kept them in the village instead of allowing them to go off on that damn picnic... If he hadn’t placed so much responsibility on Bayn...Oh, old friend, I hope you survived.
But he knew it was a thin hope. No one survived the untamed lands. They were death, destruction, wild pain. This was the world, and that wasbeyond. No human, no animal, no spirit ever went beyond. To go beyond was to never return.Still, Bayn’s not like other wolves.
He almost laughed at the ridiculous optimism. “I’m sorry,” Ven said to Renet. “For what happened. For Erian and Llor.”
“She won’t even talk about them,” Renet said.
Ven nodded. He got that. She was too full of pain to have any room for Renet’s pain.
