by Lelia Eye
“I know,” he groaned into her flesh. “I just want to take this with me.”
Inhaling—trying to get her air back and calm her racing heart—Tierra slowly pushed him away from her. “You will take more than this with you,” she promised quietly, more to herself than to him.
He gave a heavy exhale, shaking his head and muttering something to himself, and then he held his arm out to her once more. “Come on,” he said, his voice tight. “Let’s go before I do something I’ll regret.”
As they moved to leave the room, Tierra realized with embarrassment that the door was still open, and she prayed her mother had not seen them. A lecture on the importance of maidenly purity was not what Tierra needed to calm the turmoil of her thoughts.
* * *
A sending party of sorts had gathered in the main courtyard by the time Skye and Tierra arrived, and while Tillman eyed the couple with a raised eyebrow, he kept his own counsel and said nothing about how long it had taken them to meet back up with him. Skye appreciated the man’s forbearance—Tillman obviously knew what they had been engaged in, but he also understood that a couple would take certain liberties when engaged which they would otherwise not be allowed. It also showed a measure of trust, which Skye was grateful for; Skye’s conversations with Tillman had hinted at the presence of a man he had never seen before, and he was certain that he would get along fine with his future father-in-law.
“How long do you think you will be gone?” Tillman asked as they approached him.
“With any luck, I’ll be back by tonight,” Skye replied. “I only hope I don’t have trouble convincing some other Skychildren to return here with me; it might be difficult, given the situation between our peoples.”
Tierra looked at him. “You cannot carry the Groundbreather soldiers up yourself?”
“A few, yes,” Skye said, “but likely not ten or more. I can probably handle half that many without difficulty, but I’d prefer not to have to lift them alone. I need to save my strength.”
“The Iron Swords have orders to stand down should any Skychildren appear,” Tillman said. He gazed at Skye sternly. “But that is only as long as your people do not make any threatening moves. If they do, then my men will respond as they would normally.”
Skye nodded. “That’s understandable. Our raids avoid the castle anyway, so any Skychildren who show up here should be with me.”
“So far, you have proven yourself to be honorable, Skychild,” Sequoia said, speaking up suddenly. Though Tillman and some of those in the castle with whom Skye had become friendly had begun to use his title, the queen still referred to him with a faintly derogatory “Skychild,” which she used as a curse. The garm at her side, in contrast, seemed pleased to see him, if its stub of a tail were anything to go by. Skye noticed, and on a whim, he bent down to gingerly reach out for the garm, noting with pleasure that the animal snuffled at his hand and allowed him to awkwardly pat its head.
“Be aware that we will be watching you,” Sequoia continued, eyeing the interaction between her garm and Skye in disapproval. “If need be, our collars can keep you prisoner for the rest of your life, thereby protecting our daughter.”
Skye could feel Tierra tensing and about to deliver a defensive retort, but he stopped her. “It’s fine, Tierra. She is just not able to trust me yet. She’s still too rigid. She’ll get there.”
“I do not like the way she treats you,” Tierra grumbled.
“It wears on me, too,” Skye said. “But I don’t want your relationship with your mother to suffer. Let’s be patient.”
Aloud, Skye said nothing. Instead, he moved toward Sequoia with an earnest expression and grasped one of her hands between his own. Although she flinched, she did not pull away.
“I have no betrayal of any sort in mind,” he said to her, watching her reaction. He was heartened when her expression softened ever so slightly. “I believe it is in the best interests of both of our peoples to end this strife between us. I will deliver everything I have promised. I ask you to trust me until such time as I am proven untrustworthy. I will not let you down.”
Sequoia eyed him for several moments before finally the corners of her lips tilted upward almost imperceptibly. “Very well. I will trust my daughter’s judgment if nothing else.”
It was not exactly a ringing endorsement, but Skye was willing to take it as it was intended. “Thank you,” he replied, stepping back to Tierra.
“I will try to be back tonight,” he murmured in her ear as he drew her in for one final parting embrace.
And then, after meeting the eyes of both of her parents, he took in a deep breath and gathered the winds about him, propelling himself into the air and away from his beloved, the Groundbreather castle, and the earth below.
Thwarted in his quest to destroy the realm that floated like a mockery over his head, Terrain railed against the unjust nature of the universe.
When Terrain could no longer withstand the sight of Celesta’s majesty always persisting above him, he gathered his followers together, speaking to them with power and majesty, cowing them before him.
“My children, would you have the sky realm destroyed?”
“Yes, Father!” cried they. “What must we do?”
“If you can steal the Fenik, then I can accomplish this.”
“How may we do what you wish of us?”
“Hide and wait for a Skychild to come near. Take his glider from him. Then you shall have passage up to the accursed clouds to take the creature.”
The Groundbreathers glorified in the opportunity to assist their god in destroying the great sky people above them, and upon his urging, they gathered their strength and waited for Skychildren to fly down near the land.
But Celesta ignored their efforts, knowing that even should they be successful, Terrain could not pervert the works she had wrought.
—The Book of Celesta
CHAPTER
THIRTY-TWO
Muster
Through the vortex of the winds, Skye rose into the deep blueness of the firmament, exhilarated at the feeling of once again flying through the air that was his home. The currents shifted about him as he rose, and for a moment, he could not resist dipping a little and laughing in delight at the freedom he felt in the simple action of riding the winds. Though he had always enjoyed such pleasures, his time as a slave in the Groundbreather castle had helped him to appreciate it that much more. He had come to realize that life was fragile and could be taken away in an instant. He would never take his freedom for granted again.
The sky was dotted that day with wisps of low-lying clouds, and though none of them held Skychild settlements, their presence comforted him, giving him the sense of a homecoming.
In the distance loomed the massive cloud that was his destination. It held one of the smaller Skychild settlements, and he had visited it a time or two when he was younger. As it was still in close proximity to the Groundbreather castle below, he had decided it was the perfect place to begin the effort of retaking his home.
A moment later, he had risen over the top of the under-layer of clouds and settled himself down on the dirt at the edge of the settlement. He then gazed at the dwelling some ways distant from where he had alighted.
“Ho, there,” a short man with spiky hair hailed him. Though Skye had not noticed the man until he spoke, he had apparently been sitting on a large rock not far from where Skye had stepped onto the cloud, and he was now rising to greet Skye. “What can we do for you?”
“I’m here to see Gale,” Skye said, not wishing to reveal his identity outright.
“Gale is right this way, Your Highness,” the man said, causing Skye’s eyes to widen in surprise. “Let me lead you to her.”
Skye frowned and inspected the stranger, wondering how the man had recognized him. Skye did not recall ever having met him, though he supposed it was possible the man had seen him before.
“We’ve been watching for you,
Your Highness,” the man said as he led Skye toward the small village.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I caught your name.”
“Typhoon, Your Highness,” he replied affably. “I’m a member of this resistance you’ve come to make contact with. At least, I assume that’s why you’re here.”
“Yes,” Skye said, deciding there was no point in trying to deny it. Oddly enough, something about the man’s bluntness made Skye trust him. “Are there . . . a lot of you? In the resistance, I mean.”
“More than you might think,” Typhoon said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the kingdom was truly behind you at heart. The problem is that it’s not black and white. Most people have families, and they’re uncomfortable at the thought of fighting against their own kind. And of course, most of us are ill-equipped for battle. Furthermore, the strongest soldiers in the kingdom can be found at the palace. They’ve been trained for what’s ahead. A lot of folks are uneasy, you know? This thing with the Seneschal is unprecedented. The king murdered, the crown prince disappearing . . . well, it’s making some people worried.”
As Typhoon glanced over, he must have seen Skye’s face fall, as he hastened to assure him, “But don’t worry, Your Highness. We intend to prove your innocence. It’s just that with most of your father’s old court at least passively supporting Hawkins, we don’t have a proper forum for bringing any evidence to light. We’ve got to strike hard at the Seneschal and do it fast. Once he has crumbled, it will be easy enough to put you on the throne where you belong and restore the people’s faith in you. You coming back should be enough to speak to your innocence in most people’s minds.”
“Let’s hope it’s as easy as it sounds,” Skye said with a sigh. He fell silent, wondering if he could really pull this off. Even if he retook the throne, would his people believe he had nothing to do with the murder of his father? While his flight from the palace had been an unfortunate necessity, it did look suspicious. Was Typhoon correct about people wanting to back him, or was Skye simply lying to himself?
At last, Typhoon stopped in front of a small residence. “Here we are!” he said jovially. He knocked on the door, still speaking to Skye. “Gale’s a great woman. You made a good choice in deciding to come here.”
Skye refrained from commenting that his choice of contact had not been made due to any personal knowledge of who Gale was.
A kind-looking woman opened the door and regarded Typhoon, whom she saw first, with a gleam of affection that seemed almost maternal. Then her eyes moved to Skye and widened in recognition. “Your Highness!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for you. We were worried when you didn’t make contact with anyone, but that’s no matter now. Please come in! It is such a pleasure to meet you.”
She then proceeded to usher both Skye and an amused Typhoon into her home, shutting the door behind them. Once they were all seated at a table, she asked Skye, “So, what do you want from us, Your Highness?”
Skye shifted in his chair uncomfortably. It did not seem quite right to state outright, “I want you to go into battle.” Instead, he took a few moments to consider what to say. Finally, he told her, “I need to know what the resistance is willing to do. Typhoon here indicated that some people would be willing to launch a strike against Hawkins.”
Gale smiled. “Yes, we are ready to do whatever you require. Our battle-ready numbers are perhaps not quite what we’d like them to be, but we think we can more than match what Hawkins throws at us. Some guards in the Cloud Sentinel are loyal to us, and they’ll be invaluable assistance. You simply need to tell us what you want us to do and let us know when you want us to do it. We’ve got some ideas as to possible strategies, of course, but the final say is yours.”
Skye nodded. He felt heartened by her confidence, but there was more to say. “I must let you know that there is . . . an added element about which the resistance is not aware.”
“Oh?” Gale said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
Skye took in a deep breath. He was not certain why he was so nervous, but there it was. “I am . . . betrothed to a Groundbreather princess.”
“Really?” Typhoon exclaimed. “Congratulations, Your Highness! Is she pretty?”
“Typhoon,” Gale said in warning.
“Oh, sorry,” the man said, flushing in embarrassment. “I sometimes let my mouth get away from me, Your Highness.”
“It’s quite all right,” Skye said with a smile. He actually felt relieved. Though he had seen how kindly his people had treated Tierra, he had not been sure they would be quite so supportive of an actual marriage alliance between the two races. Typhoon’s reaction made him take heart. “And yes, she’s beautiful and graceful, and I’m convinced she will make a fine queen.”
Though Typhoon appeared as if he wanted Skye to expand upon the physical attributes of his beautiful new fiancée, Gale tilted her head and regarded Skye with a penetrating gaze. “And what precisely does your engagement mean?” she asked.
“It means peace,” Skye said. “More specifically, it means the cessation of raids upon Groundbreather food supplies and the beginning of trade between our peoples. As a step in that direction, the Groundbreather king is going to provide us with a small company to assist in reclaiming my throne. I want to use these soldiers as the resource they are intended to be, but I also want them well-protected. They may be able to stabilize their positions in the sky soil, but I still have my concerns that they could be flung from the clouds to their deaths.”
Gale pursed her lips and said thoughtfully, “Perhaps we could assign a pair of Skychildren to each Groundbreather.”
“Working in tandem may be the best option,” Skye said. “I wish we had time to allow some training where the two groups work side by side, but we don’t have that luxury. The sooner we deal with Hawkins, the better.”
“Agreed,” Gale said. She glanced at the door, her brow creasing, and asked, “You did not bring the Groundbreathers here with you, did you?”
“No,” Skye said. “I’ll need assistance in bringing them up to the sky.”
“All right,” Gale said, nodding. She paused for a moment and then said slowly, “There’s something you should be aware of, Your Highness. We have received word from the palace that something big is scheduled to happen tomorrow during the Midsummer Day festival. Hawkins has kept a tight lid on things, so we don’t know what he has planned, but it seems to be some sort of ceremony. We aren’t sure if it’s a sham of coronation or what, but it is likely something important.”
Skye gave her a grim look. Of course Hawkins would choose to make a move on Skye’s birthday. He had not realized the day was so close. “That will work fine with my schedule, as I don’t want to wait any longer than necessary to deal with him. How quickly can you communicate with the other members of the resistance?”
“With the wind at our feet and Celesta above our heads, we can move with great speed, Your Highness, so you need not worry about that,” Gale told him. “We’ll throw his plans into a whirlwind which will send him spinning to the earth below.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Skye said.
“With any luck,” Typhoon spoke up, “we’ll show Hawkins a party he won’t soon forget.”
Skye smiled darkly. “With any luck, tomorrow we’ll be the guests at his funeral.”
* * *
For the rest of the day, Skye was caught up in strategy sessions with Gale and those of the Skychildren who were near enough to be summoned for a meeting to discuss the imminent attack on Hawkins and his forces. They avoided contacting their forces at the palace itself, knowing that it would be difficult to pull resistance members away without drawing Hawkins’s attention. Rather, they intended to determine a strategy and send someone to the location that night to disseminate the battle plan to those who were already there. And as for those in more distant locations, they were to be summoned and briefed in the morning by Gale and Typhoon.
The staging gr
ound for the assault on the palace would be Gale’s village. While she helped organize those forces, Typhoon and another Skychild would join Skye in the Groundbreather castle to transport the Groundbreather soldiers up to the sky.
It was not until later that afternoon when those of the resistance who were close enough to participate had arrived, enabling them to have a full council of war.
Skye surveyed the Skychildren seated before him, noting that although they were a disparate group, they had a common goal of defeating the Seneschal, and they were all completely loyal. Most of the details of what he had been doing recently—in an edited form, as he had no desire to inflame his people’s indignation by letting them know exactly what had happened since his banishment—were offered and accepted without comment. The fact of his betrothal, however, was not the sort of thing which would be treated as just another unimportant triviality.
“Are you certain, Your Highness?” a bluff old Skychild named Snow asked him. “I mean, the animosity between us has lessened over the years. But still, to be marrying a Groundbreather princess?”
“I am certain,” Skye replied, taking in the reactions of those assembled around the table. A glance informed him that though no one appeared horrified at the thought, there were still several who had received the news with open skepticism. “This enmity must end, not only because it has gone on for far too long, but also for the good of our respective peoples. This marriage will tie us together and allow us to overcome our distrust and hostility.
“And let it be clear,” Skye continued, sweeping his stern gaze across them all, “the raids against the Groundbreathers are to stop immediately.”
There was some grumbling at this directive, but Skye was in no mood to tolerate dissension. “There is no other choice. I have assurances from the Groundbreather rulers that they will initiate trade with us in good faith. We will start out trading some of our goods for food, and over time, we should be able to expand what we have to offer. For example, I’ve been among the Groundbreathers, and I can tell you that though their bows are serviceable, they are not up to Skychild standards. There are many other things we have that will prove of use to them, such as quilts and other goods.
