by Rosie Scott
“Right. The dwarves aren't stupid. With Glacia out of the picture and Chairel's navy destroyed, they know they're next. Hammerton refused to aid Chairel so they could consolidate their armies here to prepare their defenses. That's the last piece of intel I got from Hammerton before they wisened up and stopped hiring my assassins in Demiz since they knew of my connection with you. Not long afterward, I get your little letter. Considering everything I knew, I talked it over with my court and had to decide what I could risk telling you.”
“What did you put in the letter?” Azazel asked.
“I said I would be here, for one thing,” Calder replied. “I said nothing about suspecting Eteri or their relationship with you since I wasn't sure if their mailing system is as stringent as their justice system. I did tell you that Nahara would soon be attacked by Chairel, and Hammerton refused to aid them. I told you to be careful of Hammerton's defenses since they were preparing for your assault. I said not to attack Olympia first under any circumstances. I know you mentioned you weren't going to in your letter, but that city is where Hammerton is focusing its defenses. They figured you'd attack it first.”
“This all sounds really familiar, Kai,” Azazel said.
I nodded, understanding his direction of thought. “Cyrus's intel,” I said quietly, unwilling to risk saying more. Calder's information mirrored what Kirek knew and the rest of us hadn't been told. Somehow, Tilda had gotten hold of Calder's response to me.
“She opened the letter,” I decided. “Used the intel. Didn't tell me that the underground was planning on reinforcing us because she wanted to use their potential absence as a bargaining chip for keeping her armies out of Chairel.”
Azazel thought this over for a moment. “She didn't need a bargaining chip, Kai. Whether or not she plans on going to Chairel with us, she doesn't need a reason. Once we're at the border, she's free to pull out of the war with no fear of immediate retaliation. We'll be far from her with not enough men left to attack. If anything, it is a benefit to her to make you think she'll be there so you'll continue to take this land over for her and save her the resources.”
Azazel made so much sense it bothered me since I fully anticipated Tilda's double-crossing. “Then why would everything have happened with the letter?” I asked him for his opinion.
“Suspicion,” Azazel replied. “She doesn't trust you. You don't trust her. She heard of the letter's arrival alongside the other one Calder sent to her. Opened it.” He turned to Calder and asked, “Did you leave a seal on the envelope of Kai's letter?”
“Of course,” Calder said.
Azazel shrugged lightly as if to say that explained everything. “She broke the seal to open the letter and couldn't recreate it. She knew that telling you anything about Calder's intel would make you suspicious. On top of that, keeping you in the dark about another attack on Nahara would mean you couldn't request her support there. So she just told Kirek because she knew the information's sources wouldn't be questioned and called it a day.”
“That's telling,” Nyx mused. “She told Kirek. She told no other Sentinel.”
“It's telling and it's worrying,” I agreed.
Calder tapped me lightly on the shoulder, pulling my attention to him. “If I'd known years ago what I know now, love, I wouldn't have stopped contracts from going through on your little frenemy in Eteri.”
I looked directly into his eyes and said low, “You may be able to help us.”
Calder grinned charmingly back at me. “Well naturally, love. I can have a messenger on the way to the underground first thing tomorrow morning to let the assassins know your sneaky little mission is to be completed at all costs.” He lifted up one hand to snap his fingers, the silver ring I'd given him years ago shining uniquely between other jewelry of copper and gold. “Just say the word.”
“The word.”
Calder laughed boisterously at that, pulling me close to him with an arm around my shoulders. “Ah, I've missed you.”
I smiled at his sudden show of affection and asked, “Is that why you're here when you should be underground leading your people?”
“Maybe.” One side of his mouth raised in a playfully bashful smile. “...yes.”
“Cal,” I protested, though it wasn't convincing since I loved having him here. “Your people need you.”
“Yes, they do.” Calder looked knowingly at the others sitting at the table before his red eyes settled again on me. “And here I am.”
“You are already restless as a leader,” I commented.
“I like leading the underground,” Calder said. “I take great pride in its liberation. But as I told you years ago, love, I don't want to lead it forever. Once you take Chairel, I'm joining you there. I'm gonna get me a little place near the harbor in Sera you're going to establish and take all of your extra lumber to build me some ships.”
I squeezed him close to me, overwhelmingly happy to hear of those plans. “And name them terrible things and act surprised when they all sink.”
Calder chuckled. “Of course.”
“Calder.” Nyx's voice spoke up from across the table. “How goes the population of the underground? Lots of juvies are coming of age.”
Calder's eyes widened as if he'd just been waiting to bring it up. “Babies are shooting out of women left and right, love!”
As I laughed at his wording, Nyx grinned at me. “Told you, Kai. That's how it works.”
“I'm serious,” Calder went on. “You can become a father before you even know it.”
“Uh-oh,” I commented, nudging him in the side. “Are you speaking from experience?”
“Nah, love. I thought ahead and took care of that before anything could happen.” Calder lifted up a hand, making a snipping motion. “I got shit to do. Wars to fight. Friends to annoy. Ships to sink. Doesn't keep the women from knocking on the door of my tower in Quellden and offering themselves to me thinking they're able to birth heirs.”
“I'm sure you don't mind,” I teased him, to which he grinned.
“Ah, well, not the offering itself, but the reasons for it. I keep telling the younglings that's not how the new government works, but they don't listen to me. The younger generations aren't even slightly interested in politics.”
“You sound like an old man,” I commented in jest.
“Do I?” Calder lifted one eyebrow at me mischievously, before lifting up a palm between us. A moment later, black magic swirled within an energy barrier. “I'll never be an old man, love.”
I frowned in disbelief. “What? You've learned necromancy?”
“Why so surprised?” Calder dispelled the magic. “The underground is full of necromancers. You know how the Alderi are the most predisposed.”
“But I taught the elements to all of your men years ago,” I protested. “Surely you would have learned it then.”
“I didn't try to learn it then,” Calder argued lightly. “I had so much on my plate. I didn't think I'd be able to learn any elements since I already knew alteration. Never could learn illusion, after all.”
“I'm so happy you learned death,” I admitted. “But why did you even try it after all those years?”
“Our little friend Hasani suggested it,” Calder replied. “Remember how I told you Chairel is readying to attack Nahara? I sent Hasani a letter with more reinforcements to help him prepare. His response thanked me for my support, though he told me his runners already informed him of the impending attack. He also said he'd recently learned water magic, and mostly by accident. He suggested I test myself, so I did. Thought I might be able to learn water, too, but death is all I got.” He shrugged. “Not that I mind.”
I thought of Hasani's light blue eyes and how they'd been so striking on such a dark-complected man. It made sense that he'd learned the element of water. In Nahara, such knowledge was useful to have. I remembered how my use of water magic had made the fight against Mantus winnable after centuries of the country being tormented by the beast. Chairel's insistence on h
oarding their knowledge of magic had caused countless casualties that would otherwise have been avoidable.
“Do you think Nahara will be prepared for Chairel's attack?” I asked Calder.
“As prepared as they'll ever be,” he replied. “Hasani didn't seem too worried. He's had years to prepare since the last attack in 421. He's making lots of changes there that Adar before him never agreed to. Hasani told me that recruitment to his army goes swimmingly. Masses of the poor are signing up to learn magic and support your little war. Apparently, many in Nahara worship you.”
I sighed. “Yeah. That was the case when I left.”
“Don't act bothered by that, love,” Calder said with a laugh. “It means you will forever have their support. And speaking of friends and supporters, a friend of yours stopped by in Quellden a few years back. Asked for me but was looking for you.”
I frowned, racking my mind for names and faces. “What friend of mine?”
“He wouldn't give Keket his name. I was out of the royal district at the time he came through, so she left a message for me. Said he wanted to meet me, but he told Keket he wanted to know if we knew where you were or what your plans were. Keket got suspicious and just told him we didn't have any updates.”
“What did he look like?” I asked him, my mind settling uncomfortably on the only possibility it came up with.
“Keket said he was so pale she could see the blood running through his veins. Had two different colored eyebrows.”
I exhaled evenly through my nostrils. Cicero.
“That wasn't a friend,” Azazel informed him. “That was a god. Cicero escaped Eteri's dungeon the same day Glacia was destroyed.”
“Really?” Calder only looked impressed. “So the god of chaos ran through town, and I had no idea. Son of a bitch.”
“Don't ya be disappointed,” Maggie pointed out. “He's nothin' but trouble for everybody.”
“Where did he go?” I asked Calder, my mind on the other god's plans.
“Well, as soon as Keket told him we couldn't help him, he went to the northern tunnel. The one leading to the Seran Peaks.”
I grimaced unintentionally. “Did he touch Keket?”
Calder chuckled. “Don't know. Knowing her, maybe she let him.”
“No—not sexually. Just in general,” I clarified. “That's how Cicero takes memories.”
“I don't know,” Calder repeated. “But you seem worried that he went to Sera. Maybe he thought you'd be there?”
“No,” I argued. “He knew we would be going to Hammerton.” My eyes found Azazel's. The archer was thinking the same thing I was. Perhaps now that I was growing even more in power, Cicero decided I was no longer the underdog, as he'd so aptly put it years ago. It was more than possible that he looked to offer his powers to Sirius. After all, Cicero would know from my memories that my adoptive father had already hired the gods to kill me.
My friends and I talked late into the night, far past the time we would typically go to bed. There had been so much to discuss, and after so many years apart from Calder, I hadn't wanted to leave him. When we finally separated for the night, however, Maggie stayed with him so the two could act on their flirtations, and Nyx wandered off to the Alderi army to find herself some men. It left Cerin, Azazel, Holter, and me to walk together toward the eastern coast.
Though Monte had had few civilian casualties, there had been some cottages on the grasslands left abandoned after their owners were killed in battle. These newly empty homes were quickly taken as shelter for the Sentinels and Seran Renegades. Cerin and I had been sleeping in a tiny cottage originally meant for only one person, while our other friends slept in a two-story family home just across a worn dirt road. As we headed there, I allowed myself to absorb the beauty of the night, trying to calm myself before being left alone with Cerin. My lover had been quiet ever since our argument. On the one hand, I feared nothing more than the pain of disappointing and hurting those I loved, so I wasn't looking forward to the talk we needed to have. On the other hand, however, I wanted to reassure and comfort Cerin, and I wished for us to get back to happiness.
Because the weather had calmed since being coaxed into New Moon, the night sky was clear of clouds, unveiling thousands upon thousands of stars twinkling over an ocean which lied to us by saying it was infinite. The water was calm, lapping softly over the sand of the coast and leaving streaks of white foam. The hour was late, so the only people in town were Eteri guards working the late shift, and other than a few of their greetings, all was quiet until Holter finally spoke.
“I'm so glad I came here with you,” the scout began, laughing softly as if he was embarrassed admitting that.
“Why's that?” I asked him, looking over with a smile.
“I spent a few years hearing about the exploits of the Seran Renegades while regretting not joining you in Silvi. Now here I am, feeling like I'm one of them.” Holter smiled charmingly, watching the ground as he walked. “I'm battling with you. Taking direct orders from the famous Kai Sera. Sitting in on super secret meetings.” He glanced over at me in admiration. “It's like a dream come true.”
I found Holter absolutely adorable. It was nice to have someone so happy and eager to please with us. As we finally came to a stop between both cottages which served as our destination, I turned to the younger man. “I've been really impressed with you so far, Holter. I would consider you one of the Renegades if you weren't a native of the wildlands.”
“Does that disqualify me?” Holter questioned, sounding somewhat disappointed.
“No. Not at all. But the wildlands are growing in power, and within just a few centuries I wouldn't be surprised if they became yet another major world power. I would assume that since you are from there, you consider yourself a volunteer to us of the wildlands rather than a part of my own army. Your participation in this war could be a part of their evolving history.”
“No matter what I do in this war, my participation will be a part of history in general,” Holter replied. He looked hopeful as he continued, “The wildlands will grow in power thanks to what you've accomplished for them. But for now, they have no leadership to speak of. There are no leaders to admire. No war generals to follow. I did not seek to follow anyone there. I sought to follow you.”
I smiled, finding his openness refreshing. “Would you like to be a Seran Renegade, Holter?”
He chuckled and looked away. “If I could be.”
“Then welcome to the team.”
“Really?” Holter found my gaze again, looking absolutely ecstatic.
I laughed at his enthusiasm. “Of course.” When Holter held out a hand as if to shake mine, I grabbed it and pulled him into a hug instead. “We don't deal in handshakes. That's the first thing you need to learn.”
Holter huffed in amusement at my ear. “Will do.” When we parted, he asked, “So if I'm a Renegade, what is my position?”
I twisted my lips to the side, thinking. “Scout.”
Azazel spoke up from just feet away. “Musician.”
“Oo, yes. That,” I agreed with a chuckle. “Speaking of which, Holter, I haven't heard your music lately. You'd better fix that, or your time as a Renegade will be short.”
Holter grinned. “I'll get on it.” After a hesitation, he threw a dark hand back toward his cottage. “I'll leave you alone in a minute, Kai, but thank you for everything.”
“No, thank you,” I replied.
Holter jerked a thumb back to the door as he asked Azazel, “You coming?”
“In a minute,” the archer replied. Holter went on inside, and across the dirt path, Cerin entered our own cottage without a word. Azazel noticed this as well as I did and said, “I'd like to talk to you about something alone, but it can wait. You have your own worries tonight.”
“...yeah,” I mumbled, before a sigh.
“I hope you aren't angry with me for agreeing with Cerin earlier,” Azazel went on, “but I told you I would always be honest with you. His concerns are valid
.”
“I know. I'm not angry with you at all. I rely on your honesty.”
“And thank you,” he added after a moment. “I didn't want to say it, but Calder showing up nearly wrecked me. Your support meant a lot. Forgive me, but though you told me years ago he wanted to apologize to me, I've always thought you were just saying that to make me feel better. The last thing I expected was for him to come up on his own and say what he did. I was impressed.”
“But you wouldn't want me to tell him that,” I teased lightly.
“Of course not.” Azazel smiled, motioning toward the small cottage behind me. “Now go and make things right, Kai.”
“I will,” I promised. “And come by tomorrow morning, bud. We'll talk then.”
Azazel and I parted ways for the night, and I let myself into the small stone cottage that had become familiar to me over the past weeks. The previous owner had apparently worked as a hunter and fisherman. A large silver-blue fish was mounted on the wall over the bed, and a twined basket of fishing rods sat beside the door. Stockpiles of preserved meat and fish were in small wooden cabinets beside a table with only one chair. A variety of dried herbs hung from the ceiling before a window, ready to be used for cooking.
Cerin had removed all of his armor and stood before the small hearth, poking at its fire as if he were mad at it. He said nothing as I prepared for bed. Once my armor and equipment were piled on the table beside our tiny bed, I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind while resting my cheek against the soft fabric covering his back.
“I love you,” I reminded him.
Cerin was quiet for a moment. My arms widened around him as he took a deep breath before he asked, “How much do you keep from me?”
“I try to keep nothing from you,” I said honestly, squeezing him tight. “That's why I pleaded with you on the way here. I promise you, I didn't think about keeping that news from you intentionally. I honestly did not think it was a concern.”
“Terran is hiring assassins to kill me, Kai. It is a concern.”
“Cerin...his request was denied.”
