by Halie Fewkes
My door creaked open, and I nearly had to throw an arm over my eyes as a burning torch cast flickering shadows across the walls. I squinted and forced myself to look at Tarace, who was wearing a look of hardened pity.
“I thought I adequately warned you,” Tarace said. “I thought you would have run, knowing the punishment for treason.”
“I did run,” I muttered, folding my arms to look strong as a tight lump rose into my throat and my stomach growled angrily. “But I’m not here to get ten thousand years. Sir Avery wants me to translate for him. I’m walking free afterward.”
Tarace stared at me, his face blank. “That’s what he told you?”
“Yes.”
I thought I saw a flash of irritation in his eyes before he said, “Ten thousand year survivors are always released after their sentence. They’re left in the woods to wander until they die.”
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Of course Sir Avery would let me go, after an eternity of loneliness, and after I was no more than a walking corpse.
“I’ll see to it you get a trial first,” Tarace said. “We won’t be skipping that, even if you are a traitor.”
“A traitor?” I repeated, nearly laughing because I didn’t know how else to react. “You’re the one who told Sir Avery I’d come to talk to you,” I said, rising to my feet. “You’re the one who chose to attack the Escalis when they were willing to negotiate, and now they’ve got a brutal king coming into power. You killed the one who was willing to negotiate!” I said, unable to suppress a manic laugh any longer. “I had us two steps from ending this entire war, Tarace. You knew that. And you. Betrayed. Me.”
I locked my eyes to his, because for as long as he lived, I wanted those words to haunt him.
Tarace didn’t flinch, and he didn’t look away from me either. He shrugged one pack strap off his shoulder, and I felt my knees shake in a panic as he pulled it open. I had no way to defend myself here, in the cave without magic.
“If anyone brings you soup later, I would advise you not to eat it,” he said, removing a small loaf of bread and holding it out to me. I hesitated, because my mouth watered at the sight of something edible, but I also knew he might yank it back at the last moment. I reached forward and closed my fingers cautiously around the food, left speechless as he released it to me.
Taking the bread burned my pride, and I couldn’t even keep eye contact with him because I had just acknowledged that he had power, and that I was helpless. The feeling made me want to cry. I didn’t look at him, and I didn’t thank him.
“I know you were trying to help,” he told me. “And I wish you had gotten away. Everything would be easier if you had just gotten away.”
I picked mindlessly at the bread in my hands.
“Everything could have been over by now,” I said, my voice choked to a whisper. “Why didn’t you just take Prince Avalask’s deal? You said you wanted the same thing we wanted.”
“The peace we spoke of wouldn’t have lasted. If Prince Avalask kept Ebby, in five years the Escalis would have three strong Epics against our one. That would mean the end of Sir Avery and every Human life on this continent.”
“You are an idiot, Tarace,” I mumbled, knowing I shouldn’t be goading him. “That’s not what Prince Avalask was trying to do. If you knew the first thing about him, you would know he wasn’t trying to play you.”
He sighed and said, “I did try. I did approach the other major city leaders, but we couldn’t come to an agreement. I’m not Anna, I can’t just make people listen. And without everybody on board for a truce, we had to take the alternative. Which you have to admit, went pretty well in our favor.”
“Sounds like Izfazara’s dead,” I said.
“And Prince Avalask’s son,” Tarace said. I kept my face blank. “It’s amazing what Ratuan did down in those Escali caves. He singlehandedly tipped the balance of power across the continent. Last week, we were crippled to the point of nearly needing to surrender. Now we’ve got the upper hand.”
“That Ratuan. Quite the saint.”
“You’re going to see him at the ceremony. We’re celebrating him and reuniting the Dincaran kids with their parents coming back from Tekada.”
“And then executing Prince Avalask,” I finished bitterly. “And what do they need me for? To translate his last words?”
“I’m not sure,” Tarace said. “I honestly think Ratuan has other plans for you up there. Have you seen the stage in Glaria before?”
“I’ve heard it referred to as the sky stage.”
“Be careful. It’s very high above the ground, and Ratuan really doesn’t like you.”
I nodded and said, “I’ll consider myself warned.”
Chapter Thirty One
Ebby
She can’t be dead!” Ebby’s voice startled the surrounding birds into silence.
“I’ve looked, you’ve looked, and she’s nowhere,” Vack said, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. “She’s nowhere.”
“Somebody could be shading her,” Ebby said, her chin beginning to quiver. “Maybe the Humans caught her and they’re just keeping us from seeing her.”
Vack fell silent, turning to look over their ridge where Glaria lay spread next to the ocean. The city was huge, with giant towers in the middle, miles of docks extending into the water, and buildings sprawling so far along the coastline, the Epics couldn’t possibly see the whole city in one glance.
Jalia was the one who said, “We can figure out what happened to Allie later. Right now is about Prince Avalask.”
Ebby threw her hands over her face and tried to keep from crying. Jalia was right, but guilt and horror were twisting their way into Ebby’s vision in the form of tears. Allie. The girl who’d been there to help her for as long as she could remember, the girl who inspired her, and told her to think for herself... Vack would be dead right now if not for her. Ebby would be back in the arms of Sir Avery and Ratuan.
“Get it together, both of you,” Jalia said, making Vack scowl at the suggestion he wasn’t already together. “What’s happening in Glaria?”
“Nothing yet,” Vack said, still gazing out over the massive city. “They’re still setting up… Wait. I see my father. Come here.” He held a hand to each of them in a hurry. Ebby and Jalia each grabbed him, and Vack showed them the top of the most prominent tower in the city — though not quite the tallest — where everybody below could see.
“Tell him we’re here,” Jalia said.
“I’m trying,” Vack replied, looking anxious. “They’ve done something to him. He can’t hear me.”
“Let me see,” Jalia said. Ebby caught a glimpse of Jalia squeezing Vack’s hand, and Vack gave her the ability to control where he looked. Ebby had no idea they could even do that.
Jalia’s thoughts absolutely fascinated Ebby as she scoped out the entire area around Prince Avalask. Jalia felt the emotions in the air, observed the architecture, examined the curtains along the back of the platform, and ran through every reason Prince Avalask might be there, narrowing them to the most probable.
“They call it the sky stage,” Ebby said softly. “Look how it towers over the city so everyone can see, and then look at that huge open space beneath, where everyone’s gathering.”
“There’s no question it’s a stage,” Jalia replied shortly.
“But it’s also a trap,” Vack said, pointing out the two women concealed on either side of the stage. “All five Zhauri are waiting on the staircase, and those women are the ones who took the magic out of the air when…”
Vack left his sentence hanging, and who could blame him? Ebby and Jalia knew the event to which he was referring.
“Look who else!” Jalia exclaimed. Prince Avalask was hidden from sight on the left of the stage, and on the right, Sir Avery was speaking to none other than—
“I knew she was alive!” Ebby said.
“Listen to them,” Vack said, and the girls fell silent to focus.
&nb
sp; “See the archers in the towers above us?” Sir Avery pointed out the two closest turrets to Allie. “If you or Avalask make a wrong move, you’re both dead. Get it?”
“Got it,” Allie replied, looking fiercely irritated, but not afraid.
Vack groaned. “There’s no way to get them out of there.”
“All we have to do is get Sir Avery away,” Jalia said. “So focus on wrecking whatever’s out on those ships, and trust that your Uncle Savaul can do the rest.”
Ebby let go of Vack’s hand to gaze at the ship Savaul had warned her about. It was the very last one coming into the harbor, the largest of the fleet but with the least people, and it seemed to no longer be moving.
The others were packed full of the non-mage survivors from the Dincaran battle, all of whom were beyond eager to see dry land and welcoming faces. They must already know the Dincaran kids awaited them, because the joy and relief in the air were incredible to witness. Overwhelming, actually.
“Ebby?” Vack caught her attention. “It’s started. Ratuan’s up on the stage.”
Ratuan’s name felt like an arrow through her heart. “Ok,” she said, returning her thoughts to the ships instead. She couldn’t stand to see him, and tortured minutes passed while Ebby watched the ships and Vack and Jalia watched the tower.
“Ebby,” Jalia said, piercing her with her intensive stare. “The trap up there is for you. They’re trying to lure you onto the stage.”
Ebby’s shoulders sank. “What?” she whispered.
Vack also broke his trance to look up at her. “Ratuan knows about your nobody hurts my friends complex. That’s why Allie and my father are up there.”
“You think he means to hurt them?” Ebby asked, already knowing the answer. Ratuan would do anything to get her back.
Vack and Jalia each grabbed her hands to show her what they were watching, making them a tight triangle of silence.
Ebby could see tremors wracking Ratuan’s knees as he stood at the back of the stage, watching a wildly expressive mage named Shadar speak. Shadar had the gift of projecting his voice as far as the wind could carry, and happened to be the most beloved storyteller in the world.
“To all the heroes from the battle in Dincara last year, this celebration has been put together in your honor. We welcome you home with our sincerest condolences and eternal gratitude for all you’ve done for Humanity.” His arm gestures were so wide that the furthest citizen in Glaria could see them, and his deeply respectful voice portrayed emotion as well as any facial expression.
His words echoed over the entire city and across the ocean, saying, “As you step off those ships and rejoin us, it is my pleasure to announce that we have incredible news with which to greet your return. First and foremost, we’ve killed King Izfazara, who’s ruled the Escalis for nearly thirty years.”
A huge wave of cheers swept through the crowds, and Shadar leapt playfully aside to gesture attention toward Ratuan. “Join me in commending a young man named Ratuan for his bravery, for rallying an army of children to rise up and destroy the Escalis from the inside!” Ratuan beamed and absorbed the infectious energy of the following cheer. “To all those parents returning from Tekada, you deserve to be proud of your children, more than you could ever imagine. Let’s get another cheer for the reuniting of all those families, split up and sent across the world, only to return to each other once more!”
Cheers, whistles, and screams of pure joy erupted as, right on cue, Eric and Steph found their parents among the returners and ran to them among the wild applause of everybody watching. Everybody laughed and cried, and joy filled the air around them, infectious beyond all measure. And Ebby could sense that every second of it was planned.
“This is what it’s all about, folks!” Shadar shouted. “We have on our hands nothing short of a miracle, and one brought to us by the bravery and leadership of this young man.”
Ratuan gave a humble smile in response to the next wild cheers and said, “I just planned the thing. That’s all.”
The whole continent laughed as Sir Avery amplified Ratuan’s voice to echo over them as well. Ebby heard Vack growl beside her, “That manipulative little—”
Ebby refocused to hear Ratuan telling the crowds, “I’d also like everybody to meet our guests of honor.”
The white cloaked Zhauri pushed Prince Avalask onto the stage from the left, and then Allie from the right. Allie’s hands were free, but Prince Avalask’s were quickly bolted to the floor in strong chains.
“There’s no way,” Vack repeated, hands shaking.
“Those mages are positioned to take all the magic out of the stage area,” Jalia said, her brows furrowed with a daring idea. “We can’t rescue your father, but we might be able to save Allie.”
A moment of silence fell across the confused crowd, followed by shouted threats and hate for the two villains, despite the fact that hardly anybody knew Allie. Allie and Prince Avalask glanced at each other and then hardened their gazes, watching over the ocean skyline like they couldn’t hear the crowds below.
The angry rants turned back into excited screams as Sir Avery joined Ratuan on the stage, a smirk on his face at the attention and love of so many.
“Sorry to cut in,” Sir Avery said, “The exciting part is happening sooner than we expected.”
Sir Avery raised both hands to the sky and Ebby’s stomach dropped as he called the very clouds down into a dark pillar above the city. Savaul’s face appeared around the pillar so every person, from the harbor to the forest, could clearly see him and hear his voice booming over the top of them. His words were morose and hateful, and spoken in Escalira, meaningless to the crowds who didn’t understand.
Chapter Thirty Two
Allie
My entire body stiffened as Sir Avery moved behind me and set a hand on my shoulder. I blocked my mind on instinct, but he wasn’t attempting to break into it.
“Your turn,” he whispered in my ear.
My breath caught in my throat. Too many people. Too many.
I felt like I was about to be lit on fire. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak—
“I am going to count to five, and if you’re not translating, I’m killing Archie.”
I craned my head back to hiss, “You are a rat—” startled to hear my voice echo across the entire city.
Sir Avery raised his eyebrows at me and whispered, “Three, four—”
“Alright, listen up former friends,” I shouted, hearing my voice carry like a thousand copies of myself shouting from the mountaintops. “This,” I waved both arms up to the pillar of clouds as my heart slammed against my chest, “is Savaul, the younger brother of Prince Avalask, and the one who is taking over for Izfazara. I would lecture you about what a mistake it was to kill the former king, but whatever. Carry on celebrating your—”
I gritted my teeth as Sir Avery tightened his fingers on my shoulder with unnatural strength.
“Doesn’t sound like we’ve missed much,” I went on, almost without pause, but the grip didn’t loosen. “He’s just finished explaining about the brutal slaughter of their king by the Human kids, to whom they’d shown mercy. Now he’s telling them that they need to band together as the fighters they are to get Prince Avalask back.”
I glanced at Prince Avalask’s impassive face as Sir Avery hissed, “Word for word.”
I scowled and wanted to explain just how difficult it was to translate between two completely different sentence structures, but saved my breath and gave it my best shot. I waited until the end of each sentence to hastily translate into Human, which made me miss half of the next thing Savaul said.
“He’s saying... that the... soul of the royal family was broken yesterday, and can never again be whole... Time is no... There’s not time to waste. Every man and woman needs to come together to rescue Prince Avalask.... Because...”
I heard the words “Drathna ol nirza dthek Vack,” and jerked my head to see Prince Avalask, whose jaw had fallen ajar.
&nbs
p; “Say it,” Sir Avery said, sounding positively giddy behind me.
“He... he says Vack was killed in the escape,” I said, my own soul falling apart as I watched Prince Avalask’s expression turn to mortal horror. “The Escalis’ new Epic has been killed before he was able to... pass down his gift. So Prince Avalask is the last Epic they’ll ever have.”
Savaul’s furious voice faded and the clouds over the city dispersed back into the sky. I gaped at Prince Avalask and watched him fall slowly, silently to his knees as that news sank in. He hunched forward but couldn’t bring his hands around to cover his face as despair saturated his eyes.
“No.” He whispered to the ground, but his breaking voice carried over the entirety of the city as well, amplified for all to hear. I turned to Ratuan in utter disgust. This was sick beyond measure.
Ratuan sneered back at me and whispered, “It gets better.”
Prince Avalask shook his head in disbelief before finally breaking down in front of the masses. “He can’t... Avery?” Prince Avalask looked up from his knees. “Let me see him. Please, just let me hold him one last time. My Vack... My...” He let his head fall and said, “You have everything you want. Just let me hold my little boy.”
The Epic dissolved into breathless sobs, and I felt hot tears spill onto my cheeks, wishing I could rush to him, whisper that Vack was alive... something.
Ratuan said, “By the time the night is over, the Escalis will have lost two Epics and a king. We’ve regained a thousand potential mages, and you haven’t even seen yet what’s being unloaded from one of the Tekadan ships. The only thing we were supposed to come away with, and didn’t, was Sir Avery’s daughter. She was also held captive with us down in the Escali pits. She would have made it out with us if not for her betrayal.”
Ratuan pointed a dooming finger at me and I heard shouting out at the harbor. I mainly heard the word traitor, and saw that Ratuan’s cohorts, Eric and Steph, were the ones riling the crowd. Their parents seemed just as eager to watch me burn, and joined their kids, adding their own suggestions of ten thousand years and throw her off the stage.
