Chapter 104
CHAPTER 104
Dayton
S omehow, the arguing voices are even louder than the whirr of the airship. Never thought I’d be aboard one of these ugly things. I’ve caught a few of our crew looking nervously over the railings, but they had to pry me from the edge. I’ve stood on the bow of a ship with waves cresting the horizon, but there’s something magical about sailing across billowing clouds.
It’s a little more unsettling below deck, with the echoing metal floor and rattling pipes. I enter the meeting room. Even though I’m not late, it seems the arguing has already begun.
The scent of polished metal and oil fills my nostrils. The soft hum of machinery resonates through the floor, a reminder of the ship’s power.
The Green Flame’s power.
I guess if you can’t beat them, use them however you can.
Justus, Valeria, Delphia, Nori, Ezryn, and Fare stand around a long table. Rosalina hovers a little way behind them, silently watching. I cross to her, placing a quick kiss to her temple, before stepping between my sister and Fare.
“Any of you geniuses figured out how to save Hadria yet?” I ask.
“Like I’ve explained,” Nori says, “it’s statistically impossible.”
“Remember, Nori,” Ezryn gives her a soft look, “that’s what you said about finding the Huntresses.”
She sighs, tucking her long hair behind a pointed ear. “Okay, then it’s extremely unlikely.”
“Nori’s not wrong,” Delphia says.
There’s a thin layer of water over the table. Delphie stretches her hand over the surface. The water stirs, then rises and coalesces into a miniature model of Hadria. Delphie’s eyes glow with focused intensity as she manipulates the water, shaping it to her will. Tiny ripples and waves form intricate details of the city’s layout. It’s a replica of the grand war table at Soltide Keep.
Nori stretches her hand out beside my sister. Tiny red flames dot up around the city, their light flickering in the water. Representations of Sira’s army.
There are so many.
“This is just a guess, of course,” Nori says. “We have no way to know where Sira will drop her army. Based on the numbers she let into the arena, this is a safe conclusion.”
“Plus, we don’t know when Kairyn will come slinking back,” Delphie says.
“If my brother returns, I’ll deal with him,” Ezryn says. “Again.”
“We also don’t know where the Nightingale or the Bow of Radiance are,” Rosalina adds.
“What about your new friend?” I ask, nudging Farron’s shoulder. “Think Cas will be of any aid?”
Farron shakes his head. “I think he’s trapped in a different way than we are.”
Ezryn sneers. “Yes, he’s trapped to reside over the city his mother conquered.”
“Either way,” Farron says slowly, “we can’t expect his help in this.”
“No word from Kel or my father?” Rosalina asks, stepping closer. “Your plan worked. Surely, my mother’s cage must have broken. It would explain why Sira is so upset. But Kel still feels so far away.”
Farron crosses to his mate—to our mate—and wraps an arm around her shoulder. “Kel can handle himself. We’ll see him soon, I’m sure.”
Rosalina nods and gazes at the water model of the city.
“So, what are you all saying?” I say, arms out. “We retreat? Leave every Summer citizen to Sira’s cruel will? You heard her, if they don’t submit, she’ll kill them. Summer fae don’t submit.”
Ezryn gives a long sigh. “With the Huntresses, newly recruited Queen’s Army, your legionnaires, and your magic … it would have been enough to stop the forces Kairyn brought into the city.”
“But not Sira’s skeletons and shadows,” I finish for him.
“Even if this is a hopeless cause, the Huntresses will see it through,” Valeria says. “We have vowed to serve the Queen, and we will do so unto death.”
Justus walks forward. “Even the Queen herself knew that sometimes a battle must be lost to win a war. Perhaps this is one of those times. I cannot see a way to save Hadria.”
“We can’t just admit defeat,” Delphia yells.
Voices clash with one another as everyone begins talking at once, contradicting each other, arguing.
“Wait,” Rosalina’s voice rings out, silencing us all. She holds us with her gaze, eyes appearing more golden than brown. Rosie hovers her hand above Hadria, then points to the representation of the sea, where the water begins to bubble. “What if we didn’t save Hadria? What if we destroyed it?”
Delphia sits at the helm of the ship, face toward the clouds, dark curls blowing in the wind. On her lap rests a juvenile Pegasus.
“Who might this be?” I take a seat next to her.
“This is Drusilla,” Delphie says. “We rescued her from a harpy’s nest. She was supposed to stay back at the Ribs but looks like she followed us here.”
“Sounds like a certain spirited princess I know.” I tuck a curl behind her ear. “You did well. We never would have been able to bring all those people to safety if you hadn’t found the Huntresses.”
Delphie smiles and returns her gaze to the horizon. “You did well too, brother. You feel different.”
“My curse is broken.”
“I know but it’s something deeper.” She turns and taps my heart. “In here.”
For once, I think I know what she means. “Once this is all over, you deserve all the time in the world to flit about and ignore duty. Twenty-five years, in fact, with interest.”
Delphia laughs, weaving her fingers into the mane of the Pegasus. “That might not be so bad. Bet I could get around the Vale quickly on one of these.”
“Bet you could, Del,” I say. “As long as you promise to come back and relay all the tales of your adventures to your poor, boring brother.”
“I don’t think your life will ever be boring, Day.”
I knock her lightly on the chin. “Not if I can help it.”
Delphia’s gaze flits across the ship to where Farron and Nori are curled together under a tartan blanket, looking at the young princess’s notebook. “Adventuring wouldn’t be that much fun on my own, though.”
“I happen to believe those Autumn royals aren’t too bad for company.”
Color darkens her cheeks, and she swipes a glare at me. “Nori knows a lot about plants. I would have eaten, like, twelve poisonous things already if she weren’t around.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that.” I laugh, pulling her to my side.
She settles against me, and I reach around her to pet the Pegasus.
“You know,” Delphia says after a while, “they’d say our plan tomorrow is crazy.”
I don’t need her to tell me who they are. Mother, our fathers, Damocles, and Decimus.
“They’d never approve of it,” I agree.
“But I think,” she whispers, “they’d be proud of us.”
My gaze shifts over the edge of the ship, to Hadria far below, washed in the light of the setting sun. “I think so too, Del, and tomorrow, when we save our people, we will feel their blades beside us.”