Chapter 20 #2
He tried to push the thought away. She didn’t need his protection anymore.
But did that mean he couldn’t even offer it?
And did he even want to? The sprite had also said if he took the deal and got Aeliana across a barrier to protect her, Enla would pay the price.
For all he knew, if he made an effort to cross the barriers with Aeliana, he could be sealing whatever fate the sprites had in store for Enla.
Maybe he should be thinking about how to protect Enla, especially after he’d left under less than ideal circumstances.
“That seems far riskier than any of the other plans we have,” Holm said.
“High risk, but high payoff,” Velden mused.
“Pacran seems like the safer bet.” Holm’s quiet voice rang through the room more than usual. “What would a Seer across the barrier know of a curse between two sisters on this side? We can still look for the starbridges, but it doesn’t seem wise to use them.”
Aeliana bit her lip with an intensity that made Gaeren flinch.
“Lady Merinnia could answer questions about the curse with far more accuracy than a dusty library,” Velden said. “Her magic is living and active.”
“We could split up,” Brogdon said, his stony gaze fixed on the table.
Gaeren hadn’t even been sure the man had been listening since his last outburst negating the royal family.
“Send a team after Pacran and send another after the silver fish,” Brogdon continued.
“Splitting up seems dangerous,” Holm said.
“More dangerous than having Mayvus return before we’re ready?” Brogdon spit the words out, startling others at his table. He crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw clenched.
Gaeren couldn’t blame the other man’s slip in control.
He blinked away the memory of Jasperus dying in his arms, his final words of forgiveness for his son.
Those were the kind of memories he wished his noetic skills could repress.
It was far harder to move on from the painful things he’d experienced when they came back with the same clarity and emotional upheaval as the first time he’d gone through them.
“It just seems like we’re setting ourselves up for failure if we try to do too many things at once,” Holm said.
“Splitting up might slow both parties down,” Aeliana added.
“If Andel is as large as you say, we need everyone’s help searching the harbor.
And who knows what we could run into across the barrier looking for Lady Merinnia?
It could take just as long hunting through Pacran’s library, assuming he lets us, which means that option would also be faster with everyone present.
What if Mayvus returns before we do? My mother isn’t ready to travel. She’d be vulnerable here.”
“The entire army will be here to defend the fortress,” Sylmar said. “Including the generals.”
General Nels and his three friends all nodded.
“And I’ll stay with Emeris,” Rildan added. “We can continue going through Mayvus’ work in case we find something helpful.”
“As will I.” Orra’s quiet offer surprised Gaeren. She was the one who wanted the starbridges. “My power will return faster if I don’t push myself. Whenever Mayvus comes back, I’ll be getting the stone back from her.” The last bit came out with a cold ferocity he hadn’t heard from her before.
“So we head for Andel or Pacran or both,” Sylmar said. “I say we take a vote from the people planning to travel since they’re the ones taking on the potential risks that come with visiting the Seer. All those in favor of splitting up and sending out two parties, hands up.”
Gaeren raised his eyebrows. This was democracy in action, something he’d never witnessed at the council meetings run by Enla.
Everyone had been given the opportunity to voice their opinions, but the decision had been Enla’s or their father’s alone.
As a few hands raised around him, he felt paralyzed, unsure what to do with the sense of power that came with placing a vote.
Did he think they should split up? Holm and Aeliana had made good points, but so had Brogdon.
Even if it took a little longer, maybe they could come back with both starbridges and twice as much information.
Before he could even decide about raising his hand, Brogdon, Lukai, and Kendalyhn dropped theirs, conceding that their minority votes had been overruled.
“All right,” Sylmar said. “All those in favor of seeking out the silver fish in Andel, hands up.”
Once again, Gaeren hesitated. He wanted to cross the barrier and go to Sayhla Island, but he knew that wasn’t what Aeliana wanted.
Sure enough, she crossed her arms over her chest, the crease between her eyebrows deepening as more hands raised.
Would there be enough for them to go to Sayhla even if Gaeren didn’t vote?
He quickly scanned, counting raised hands from Velden, Lukai, Kendalyhn, Riveran, and Brogdon.
With eleven in the room, one more vote would make the decision.
Gaeren’s hand twitched with his desire to raise it, and sweat beaded on his temple. Just as he was about to give in, Iris lifted her hand instead.
Aeliana’s eyes filled with tears, and she turned away.
“Iris.” Holm’s voice held a contempt Gaeren had never heard from the other man.
“I’m sorry, love. I just think it’s our best bet to help Emeris,” she whispered, unable to hold his gaze.
“Well, then, that settles it,” Sylmar conceded. “Tomorrow we set sail for Andel.”
Gaeren started. “Set sail?”
Beneath his beard and scars, Sylmar’s lips tilted in a suspiciously smug smirk. “It’s time you made good on your offer to lend us your ship.”