"I just can't imagine anything that can't be destroyed, somehow," Renée shook her head. "Is it all right if I take a long lunch break today? Montrose asked if he could see me."
"That's wonderful. Tell Monty hi," Lissa smiled. "Have a bottle of blood substitute on me."
Renée was hoping for the bite and not a bottle of blood substitute, but didn't say it. Lissa waved and walked into her private study, closing the door behind her.
* * *
Avii Castle
I took the old physician's journal to the Library after the midday meal, although Justis wanted me to lie down instead. He'd followed me back to my bedroom after our flight to his suite, and supervised the placing of the glass feather.
I was terrified it would be broken, somehow, and wanted to set it high in a closet. He'd insisted that it go on a table beside a chair instead, so it could be seen by visitors.
I wasn't sure I'd have visitors other than Dena, but I let him make the decision—it seemed important to him. Gurnil wanted to hover, too, when I took a seat on the Library balcony and opened the physician's journal to read.
The physician's name was Ulrin, but the people of Lironis had called him physician or healer so long that few remembered his proper name. His handwriting was tiny, like the tracks a small insect might make should it step in ink and then amble across parchment. At times, I imagined the insect tracks would be easier to read.
Worried that I'd miss something if I left pages unread, I determined to read the entire journal, no matter how difficult. I also resolved to make notes to hand to Amlis, because birth and death records were also recorded in Ulrin's difficult handwriting.
I hadn't gotten far when Dena appeared, letting me know I should dress for dinner with the King. "Berel is wearing the official colors of Sector Five, or that's what he said," she reported. "Kaldill says he's dressing down, so as not to upstage the King."
I wanted to laugh at Kaldill's words, but hid a smile instead. "I will trust your judgment," I said, marking my place in the journal with a scrap of parchment and closing it. "Want to fly or walk to Justis' balcony?"
* * *
We walked past Halthea's suite on our way to have dinner with Jurris. The door was closed; I wondered briefly if Jurris wanted to close her door in his mind as well. It made me hope that Gurnil was making a difference—Jurris knew that he'd coupled with his half-sister, who almost killed him at the last. I also wondered at Justis' decision to inform Jurris of the tainted relationship.
The moment I saw Wimla, I knew she was pregnant. She and Vorina stood beside Jurris, welcoming Berel and Kaldill to Jurris' private suite. Wimla's pregnant, I informed those with me.
Can you see the baby's sex or wing color? Kaldill asked.
Not yet, it may be too early, I replied.
Are you sure? Justis leaned in to nuzzle my hair. He had mindspeech, he'd merely chosen to use it sparingly.
Yes, I responded. At that moment, I wanted to melt against him as Jurris considered Justis' actions. If he hadn't guessed before, Justis had just announced his feelings for me to his brother.
"Congratulations, brother," Justis stepped forward and slapped Jurris on the back. "Quin tells me that Wimla is with child."
I will never forget the smile on Jurris' face as his and Wimla's hopes were confirmed. It also set the tone for the rest of the evening, which went much better than I'd hoped it would.
"I thought you were—well, I'm sorry for thinking it," Wimla said as we were served small glasses of an after-dinner drink. "I understand who killed Camryn and Elabeth, now."
"It no longer matters," I said. "I was treated better here than I ever was in Fyris. There, under Tamblin's rule and Yevil's influence, everybody was afraid."
"Where are they now—the people of Fyris?" Jurris asked, sipping his wine.
"So far away you can barely see their star in the night sky," Kaldill replied.
"This is so difficult to comprehend," Vorina sighed. "And you—where do you come from?"
“My star is even farther away," Kaldill smiled. "You know of the Larentii. Where did you suppose they came from?"
"I don't know. I'd never seen one—I only heard that Gurnil, Camryn and Elabeth had seen them, until Quin arrived and one began to appear regularly."
"Well," Jurris emptied his small glass, "As the Ordinance no longer holds sway over the Avii since the people of Fyris are safe far away, you may see the book Liron left here tomorrow," he said, turning to me. "Justis will bring you after breakfast and I will open the vault. Just remember that the book may not be removed from my treasury. You will examine it while you're there."
"I thank you," I dipped my head respectfully.
Not long after that, we left Jurris and his mates. I understood they had a private celebration to make—a royal child was on the way.
* * *
"Does this make you happy? Getting to read the Ordinance?" Justis asked, once we arrived at his suite. I hadn't said much on our flight back to his balcony. It was too late to have our meeting in Gurnil's Library, so we rescheduled it for the following day.
"It does, but something troubles my mind," I said. "I can't say what it is—there's only worry there," I shrugged.
"Jurris has offered a private suite for you," he turned his back to me and relaxed his wings before releasing the hinge and allowing black feathers to drag the floor. They were magnificent—long and blue-black where the light hit them. "I know I'm being selfish when I say I want you to stay here."
"I'm not ready to bed anyone," I began. Dena and Ardis had already coupled, and I was happy for them. I just wasn't prepared for intimacy, yet. There was a fear in me—that I'd lose my independence. That was something I hadn't had long and I savored it.
"I understand that—Kaldill says the same. You're young, but you are so much more than your age, Quin. I can't help but feel the way I do."
"I know. Perhaps I should take another suite, so you won't be tortured by this."
"I'll be tortured more, if I feel you're not safe," he said. "Stay here in your bedroom. I wish I could offer you a window, but that's not to be for an inner room."
"I know. I'll stay here. You won't mind if I visit Berel or Kaldill?"
"Visit anyone you like," Justis turned. "Just don't forget or ignore me."
"How could anyone do that?" I asked. "You're huge. You could probably slap someone across the castle with the ends of your wings."
Justis laughed. Threw back his head and roared. I'd wanted him to smile; instead, I'd achieved the ultimate success and made him laugh. Then, his wings dragging behind him wonderfully, he came and kissed me, holding my face carefully in his hands while he did so.
"Go to bed, my Quin," he said. "Tomorrow is an early day."
* * *
It was an early day—Justis had been up and drilling his troops before breakfast, and returned to his suite to bathe before we ate. We were joining our group in the Library, where the usual table was set up.
"Eggs, fruit and bread," Dena pushed a plate toward me. She was unloading the trays two Yellow Wings brought for us. "Eggs, ham, potatoes and bread," she handed Justis and Ardis their plates next, then went on to serve Kaldill, Ordin, Gurnil and Berel. There was no order to it, merely the way we'd seated ourselves at the table.
Ardis ran a finger down Dena's wing when she sat beside him with her plate of food. She smiled and leaned into him for a moment before lifting her fork to eat.
"I noticed my bed was made and the suite clean when I got back this morning," Justis told me. "You don't have to do that—I can ask the Yellow Wings who clean for Berel and Kaldill to do it."
"It gives me something to do," I said. "I enjoy it—my hands know what to do while my mind wanders. I did put the washing out to be picked up," I added.
"My socks—and other things?" Justis lifted a dark eyebrow and smirked.
"Yes. You'd think I'd never seen underwear before," I said. "I cleaned many a noble's quarters in Lironis, and scrubbed things
far worse than your underthings."
Ardis snickered. Dena punched him lightly on the arm for it. Kaldill merely smiled, but his mindspeech surprised me. I wish to take you for a short visit to Gaelar N'Seith, he said.
When? I asked.
Soon. I believe Berel wishes to come as well. We won't be gone overly long—less than a day, I think.
I would love to see your home, I told him.
Good. I want you to see it.
* * *
Gurnil chose to come with Justis and me when we flew toward Jurris' balcony. He said he hadn't seen the book in nearly a century and wished to do so again. I think he was more than curious to see whether I could read the language that no other could.
I was curious, too—and frightened. The fear I felt I couldn't explain. A part of me worried that I'd learn something about myself, before deciding that was foolish. My other fears were vague and I couldn't determine their cause.
"There you are," Jurris greeted Justis with a hug before smiling at Gurnil and me. "Let us look at this book, then, and learn what we may from it."
Justis' hand went to the back of my neck and massaged it gently as Jurris led us down a hall toward the east end of his suite. A locked door waited there, made of thick metal with iron bands. My trepidation grew as Jurris drew a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock.
The door creaked, metal on metal hinges, as it opened. Again, we followed Jurris as he walked toward the back of the huge room, packed top to bottom with treasures and important items.
There, on a tall shelf at the very back, lay a large, leather-bound book. I understood what had happened before anyone else.
One of my bloody primary feathers was placed atop the book, with a note beneath it. You should have taken the key away, so it's your fault, was scrawled across the note in Halthea's handwriting.
Inside, pages and pages of text had been ripped away. Everything I'd wanted to read was gone—likely burned or torn to pieces and tossed to the winds outside the castle. Jurris—and all the Avii—were paying the final price for Halthea's betrayal.
* * *
"I have a copy of the Ordinance, but the other—only the King's book held that information," Gurnil shook his head, his expression heartbreaking. Ordin offered him a glass of wine and he took it. Justis, grim-faced and angry, had escorted us back to the Library before going off to spar with Ardis—he needed to work off his anger somehow.
I grieved for lost writing. Yes, I was afraid of what I might learn, but I needed to learn it.
It was gone, now. Justis had snatched up my feather before storming out of the Library, my hand held tightly in his. We'd left Jurris behind, cursing Halthea's name loudly enough for anyone to hear.
* * *
Kondar
"There's been an incident," Melis dropped a tab-vid on Edden's desk. "Some in Sector Three flung rotten fruit and garbage at the idling wartanks at their border. The wartanks' commanders fired back, killing twenty. Sector Three's troops have been mobilized. We are now officially at war with Sector Two," he reported.
* * *
Quin
Berel looked pale when he came to find me. I knew just by looking at him what had happened. People had died and more would die as well, because someone had chosen to lie and others chose to believe the lie.
He sat beside me on the bench outside the Library, his shoulder bumped against mine, his tab-vid in his hand. While the screen was now blank, I knew he'd had recent conversations with his father.
Shutting Ulrin's journal and setting it aside, I reached for Berel's hand and laced my fingers in his. Today had been a terrible day for news of any kind. Berel knew what lay between Sector Two's invading forces and answering troops from Sector Three—a city lay between them, filled with people who couldn't escape fast enough. Those who'd managed to get away had few options as to where to run; the nearest cities were filling up quickly with refugees.
"I've asked Father to command one of the Alliance air destroyers—they're coming to pick me up before moving to Sector Two's border," Berel said.
"I'm coming with you," I said.
"But," he began.
"No, we go together, or I swear I'll have Justis drop you in a pig pen."
"Quin, no," he argued.
"I think I have an idea, although it will require Justis' help, permission from the King and equipment from the Alliance. If we have those things, I think we can do this. Together."
"Fine. Lead the way."
* * *
"Let me get Ildevar here," Kaldill said the moment I told him what I wanted. If I had the equipment, I hoped to get the right answer from Justis when I took the problem to him.
Worrying that the answers would be no—both from the Founder and from Justis, made my stomach churn. If I'd eaten a midday meal (I hadn't) I would have heaved it up at that point.
"What's this you're asking for? Personal shields?" Ildevar appeared in a brief flash of light and blinked at Kaldill.
"For the Avii guards," I said. "This isn't Kaldill's fault—I'm asking for the shields. The Avii can fly through the rows of wartanks, and with the weapons you have that will render vehicles and equipment useless, I hope we can end this idiotic conflict before more people die."
"So you're hoping to protect the winged guards as they fire on wartanks? These same wartanks that can shoot rounds large enough to knock down entire buildings?" Ildevar's voice—and his words—were skeptical. I could see he'd studied Kondari weapons during his brief stays—as was proper for any Founder of an Alliance.
"They fly really fast," I said. "The Avii, that is."
"I suggest we get the Commander in here, now," Kaldill said, his voice stern. They were going to override my suggestion, which made me want to weep. There was a way out of this, but we had to act swiftly.
* * *
"What fool idea is this?" Justis snapped. I wanted to cower—nobody thought it would work.
"Technically, it could work," Daragar appeared and weighed in. "But you must move soon or the plan will fail. The Wise Ones say this."
"What?" Justis whirled to stare at the Larentii.
"I'll explain about the Larentii Wise Ones later," Kaldill raised a hand. "If they say this will work, how much time do we have?"
"Less than two clicks, as the Alliance measures time," Daragar replied.
"This hinges upon you and your guards," Ildevar turned to Justis. "If you say no, then we stand down."
Berel stood with me, looking from one to the other. He was determined to go, no matter what Justis decided. "The answer is no," Justis said, his voice cold. "The King will never agree to this." He turned with a rustle of feathers and stalked away.
My breaths shaky, I turned to Berel. "I'm coming with you," I said. "Justis made his decision, I'm making mine."
"Dearest, are you sure about this?" Kaldill asked. He sounded worried.
"I'm sure." At that moment, I was furious with Justis, but didn't say it. The black glass feather I had meant nothing, after all. The guard—and Justis—were refusing to stand with me as promised.
"How do we get to the airship?" I turned to Berel. "I'll fly if there's no other way."
"An airchopper will be here soon," Berel said with a determined nod. "I sent for it earlier. We have little time, and it will take longer than the time mentioned to arrive at the battle."
"I know." I hung my head, already grieving for those about to die.
* * *
The commanders and troops aboard the Alliance airship only spoke Alliance common, so I had to translate their words for Berel to understand. Within minutes, he was determined to learn their language. He communicated with his father often on the trip to the border between Sectors Two and Three; Edden instructed him to make records of what he observed.
Berel and the High President hoped that the mere presence of an alien airship would force both sides to stand down. The ship's commander shook his head when I asked whether he could use the main weapon he had onboard to
disable only the wartanks without also disabling other vehicles.
I worried about the ones working to save the lives of the wounded; if they or their vehicles were disabled, then even more people would die.
"It's all or nothing," the Commander shook his head when I asked. "Those ships in the waters would be easy, but when you mix in those bent on saving lives instead of taking them, the onboard weapon will disable all indiscriminately."
"Thank you for you explanation; I'll make sure Berel understands," I told him.
He nodded—he'd seen uprisings before and knew what was coming.
"He says he can't employ the onboard weapon to disable the wartanks without disabling all the vehicles, the airsavers included," I said. "I imagine anything in the air will immediately stop working and fall to the ground."
"This is impossible," Berel shook his head. I could see he was just as concerned as I was.
"I agree. Justis and the Black Wings could have taken the handheld disablers and taken out the wartanks individually. We no longer have that option, and ten times as many will die because of it."
"I don't know what to do at this point—Father has sent for an airchopper squad equipped with anti-wartank missiles," Berel said. "When those are deployed," he shook his head.
I understood, although he didn't say it. There would be no saving of the lives inside the tanks, once those missiles were fired. They were designed to destroy a wartank and anything in or around it.
"Ten clicks away," the Commander called out.
We were nearly there.
I was desperate.
"Is there a way for me to leave the ship easily?" I asked the Commander.
"The same way you came aboard—through the small passenger hatch on the second level."
"Then I want to leave," I said.
"What?" Berel sputtered.
"I have to try to stop this," I said.
"Only one Avii, with one disabler will not make much difference," the Commander snapped.
"I'm not taking a disabler," I snapped back before turning and walking toward the lift that would take me to the second level hatch. "And I'm not Avii."
Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 Page 18
