34. Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ryker
W ith the book still tucked under my arm, I landed in the middle of the Noavo station just outside Hakoa’s barracks. He should have made it back by now, after the way he stormed out of Morah. And from the grueling drills he was having the warriors run, I guessed he was in a particularly foul mood.
I found him standing outside one of the rings with four warriors, all sparring with different elements—paired in twos and facing each other. It was harder to team up with someone who didn’t share your element, having to work with them in tandem rather than joining their wielding for a stronger attack. A male fire wielder and male air wielder were paired against a female water wielder and a female terbis wielder. Water and terbis were clearly the stronger set.
Thunder rumbled through the dark, looming clouds above, promising a fierce downpour.
“Chief,” I greeted Hakoa, approaching him as he stood just outside the ring with his hands behind his back. He was the epitome of the hardened leader of the Noavo warriors.
“Lord Ryker,” he returned without so much as glancing at me as I came up by his side.
I hated when he called me that, but the formality was necessary when amongst citizens. I noticed his eyes were squinted and red, which was odd since the storm clouds rolling in made it somewhat dark outside.
“We have some things that need to be discussed.” He turned to look at me then. I nodded to his barracks. “Best done privately.”
He gave a sharp nod then shouted at the warriors to break until he returned. He turned and headed to his barracks without a word as I followed. He opened the door and entered, heading straight to a sitting chair but continued to stand in front of it.
“Warriors giving you trouble?” I asked as I sat and gestured for him to do the same, placing the book in my lap.
“No,” he said shortly with his hands tensed on the arms of the chair.
“You’re working them pretty hard.”
“I have to ensure they’re trained for any situation.”
“One of which is now,” I said with a nod.
Hakoa’s face remained neutral. Malina must have really upset him. While it was standard for him to keep the stoic mask in front of others, it was unusual for him to keep it up while we were alone.
Deciding not to drag this on any longer, I got right to the point. “I need you to station warriors along the Ataran border.”
Hakoa’s brow creased. “And what will they be doing there?”
“Keeping anyone and everyone away from the border within a visible distance,” I stated.
“Right away,” he agreed without question—one of the reasons I chose him to be the chief. “Is there a danger I should be aware of so we may better prepare?”
“There’s no immediate threat, but it’s possible we may have to defend Atara. And soon,” I sighed, rubbing my temples.
“Defend it? Why? From what?” he asked.
I blew out a breath. “From the other Nations that will want to claim it now that the Glaev is vanishing due to Kya’s magic.”
Hakoa opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. He stood and roughly ran a hand down his face, pacing back and forth before spinning on his heel to face me with a glare.
“Why didn’t you tell me this back in Morah?”
I leaned back in the chair, remaining calm. “You were a bit preoccupied with Malina.”
“And I’m still the leader of your forces. That doesn’t stop just because I was off-duty,” he defended.
“Hakoa, you were on leave. Not an official Noavo assignment.” I lowered my voice. “Your head was in the wrong place. I get it. It wasn’t something you needed to know right away. But I’ve since been informed by Arra that the recovery of Atara has been discovered, and now we need to try to contain it.”
His jaw clenched, but he sat back down, collecting himself. “Discovered where?”
“Gaol.”
“Shit.” He tilted his head back against the chair. “And they believe Kya is dead.”
“Exactly. It’s only a matter of time before word gets to the rest of the Worthy, and I’m trying to buy us more of it. But eventually, it’s likely we will have to defend Atara against the other Nations’ claims.”
Hakoa shook his head. I could see his mind already strategizing on how we would approach this.
“So we’re going to go to war? Possibly against four other Nations?” he asked.
I gave a slow nod.
“Have you thought about just…talking to them?”
“Of course I have, Hakoa,” I clipped. It’s not like I wanted a war, but I knew it was going to happen. “I’m working on a diplomatic angle, but I doubt they will believe me about Kya having survived. All they’re going to see is an entire Nation’s worth of land without a Worthy to protect it. More resources, space for citizens, better trade opportunities. I might be able to negotiate something, and that’s what I’m going to attempt. Perhaps even find a way to come to a truce. I’m hoping I might be able to convince them to mine some of the mountains for jewels. They’ve wanted that for centuries.”
Hakoa blew out a breath, and his shoulders sagged. “You’re right. If you can convince them Kya’s alive, maybe they’ll back off.”
“I never even told them she was dead. That was their assumption, and one that worked out in our favor at the time in order for them to approve our mating. But now it’s coming back to bite me in the ass. I think the only thing that will convince them she’s alive is… her .” Everything was getting so complicated. I just needed to find her so I could fix it all.
“Isn’t her magic proof enough? I mean, wouldn’t it stop if she were dead?” he asked.
I didn’t know how else to explain it, but I could show it. I spat on the floor between us and gestured at the saliva.
“If I died, would that disappear? No. Her magic is energy. Once she’s released it, it works on its own. Just like my fire. I could ignite a forest, and if I died, the flames would still continue to consume. I can’t prove she’s alive. The Nations will still come for Atara until I get her back. And there’s more…” I sighed.
“Kleio’s tits… What more could there be?”
I told Hakoa about Daegel returning and that he was searching for the book as well as my plan to ambush him, using Nikan as a lure. As expected, he argued with me but ultimately conceded. There weren’t any other options.
“Now,” I started, standing and tucking the book back under my arm. “I need you to get those warriors to the border. I’ll be back in a couple of days before I head to Bhara to meet with the Worthy.”
I turned to leave but stopped when he spoke.
“You’re going to have to convince your people to die for an empty Nation.”
“I know.” I glanced. “Do I need to convince you ?”
He snorted a laugh. “Nope. We’re overdue for a proper fight as it is.”
I nodded. Leave it to him to find the light in a dark situation.
“Ryk.” I turned around to face him fully. “You have to tell them.”
The side of my mouth lifted. “Where do you think I’m headed?”
He took a deep breath as if bracing himself. “ All of them.”
My eyebrows bunched together, not understanding what he meant.
Hakoa swallowed. “Malina. And possibly Nikan. You need to tell them about Atara if you already haven’t.”
I thought he was joking, but the stone cold look on his face told me otherwise. “Why do I need to tell them ?”
He held my stare for a moment. “Because I’m pretty sure the Roav of Morah are from Atara…all three of them.”
I stilled.
That’s not possible. Kya was from…
She had never told me. I had asked about it once, but she changed the subject, and I just assumed she would tell me later, after I earned her trust. But after we were mated, so much happened so fast, and I never thought about it. Until now…
“What makes you think they’re from Atara?” I asked, disbelievingly.
He shrugged. “I don’t know for certain. But Kya and Malina wore the feathers braided in their hair during Nailu. That’s only a custom for Atarans. Didn’t you notice? ”
“I did, but I thought it was some kind of tribute to herself or Odarum. I never saw Malina that night though.” I shook my head.
If they truly were from Atara, they would have been children when it was destroyed, not even having reached puberty when their magic emerged. So young to go through something so traumatic…
“Well, they both did. Kya was one thing, due to her wings and Odarum’s, like you said. But Malina? They never talk about where they’re from… I mean it makes sense. They’re good at hiding, and being Roav gave them the opportunity to keep who they are a secret.”
It did make sense. But what didn’t make sense was why Kya never told me. Or why Eamon didn’t when I took him to Atara. I guess there was only one way to find out for sure.
“I have to take care of something, then I’m going to Morah. I’ll be back when I’m back.”
With that, I took the book and left. Taking it where no one would expect to find it and one of the safest places I could think of.