by SM Blooding
Did the citizens of Ino City feel the ramifications of siding with the El’Asim? I’d always thought not. They were stuck to the sea. We were free to fly the sky.
But if they hadn’t been bound to the El’Asim, they could have taken their letharan city under the ice when winter hit. It would be safer for them under there. For that matter, it would be safer for everyone to reside under the ice through the winter.
Who would decide what was best for them? For the Hands? Who had the power of mind to determine where the best common ground would be? What would happen if all power was removed? Was that a viable suggestion?
Garrett wiggled his fingers lightly to gain my attention. “There are a lot of things going through your mind right now.”
“Indeed.”
“That is good. I have a lot more confidence that this could work.”
Glad someone was. “Where do your allegiances lie?”
He frowned and took a handful of sand, letting it filter through his fingers. “As Egolda City, we were under first the protection of the Ears, then the Families, and finally the Hands. I’ve seen the pros and cons to all of it.”
I nodded. “What does that mean for Peacock Rock?”
He tipped his head. “We’re safe here. We rely on no one. Yes, it is nice to get the technology updates from Joshua—” He brushed me off when I opened my mouth to ask him about my friend. “—but we’re safer having no affiliations with anyone.”
I narrowed my gaze.
“Here, we are safe. We can hold off any attack that might come. We have our own resources, and they’re within our caverns, for the most part. There are caves like this—” He waved his hand to the waterfall. “—riddled throughout. We’ve discovered orchards, natural fields, animals.” He met my gaze. “I see no reason to side with anyone.”
I nodded slowly. “I wish all the cities could know that freedom.”
“Part of the problem is that the Hands cannot survive on their own.”
I groaned. “I know. They burn fuel. They have no fields.”
“But where do they get their metal?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I’d love to find out. Have you ever seen anything like it?”
“No. Have you?”
“No.”
We were quiet for a long moment.
“Garrett,” I said softly. “If you decide to remain neutral, truly neutral, I may request your assistance.”
“That would be difficult since you do have an affiliation.”
I stared into the space between us. I did.
“But you have been tasked with drawing up the treaty, and the only way for everyone to agree would be if it were fair.”
“Exactly.”
He shrugged. “I could act in this manner for you, but, Synn—”
I met his gaze when he didn’t continue.
“Be fair. To both sides.”
That was going to be a lot easier said than done.
CHAPTER 9
REUNITING WITH FAMILY
Garrett broadcasted to Ino City, Asim City, and the El’Asim Fleet using the radio Joshua had given him when they’d first settled. Ino City was closest, even though I yearned to be back on the fleet. Isra, my second in command, had the fleet in Kiwidinok, but they were on the far north side of the large, wild continent, waiting for a hunting party to return.
I was excited to reunite with my friends.
While we waited, Garrett showed me to my room. Sleeping pods were located around some of the many large caverns. The one I’d been shown to was just outside one of the orchards. Water fell from the many pockmarks in the ceiling, some large, some small. They all heaved water that pooled around the trees, and ran out in several streams.
I couldn’t get over how perfect this place was.
Sleeping to the sounds of the water falling and the wind blowing in gusts over the holes was comforting. Not quite as great as sleeping on an airship, but it was a lot better than sleeping on Sky City. That city felt so alien.
I washed in the pool the next morning. The rain tapered off, but the thick clouds continued to block out the suns. This was the rainy season, and it wasn’t unheard of for a storm to set in for days, sometimes weeks. It looked like this place could hold up.
Fresh clothes had been left for me. It felt so wonderful to be out of that uniform. I decided not to burn it. If the queens really were serious about me being a knight, which I doubted seriously, I might need it. I fisted the material in my hand. How had I gotten myself into this mess?
I shook my head at myself, and cinched the red sash at my waist.
Peacock Rock, as Garrett called his city, was more than just a city. It was large enough to house many more, though Garrett and I both agreed that we didn’t want to tax the ecosystem. It was fantastic just the way it was. There was no sense in overpopulating the area and decimating the natural treasures.
Caverns peppered the entire island. In order to cross from one side to the other, you never had to go topside unless you wanted to. The rock was solid, too. It was unlikely to topple, crushing the people underneath. I hated being closed in, but this was phenomenal. Every time I thought I’d reached the peak of my awe, he’d show me something else.
Like the cavern at the top of the mountain. It didn’t house an orchard. An entire jungle resided inside. The lake at its heart was the brightest pink I’d ever seen and birds with teeth lining their beaks roosted in the tall, skinny trees. Stepping into that cavern had been like walking into a different world.
All the caverns and tunnels on this island had one thing in common. The phosphorescent walls. I touched the blue-green algae that sometimes glowed purple. When removed correctly, it could be applied to torches for fireless night travel. With the air heavy with so much rain, it was the perfect time to harvest, or so I’d been informed. Several people worked to transplant the algae to a growing pile of sticks, some large, some small, but they made sure never to take too much out of one area.
They were working well with their environment.
On the second day, Garrett found me in one of the many orchards, a grin on his face. “They arrived sooner than anticipated.”
My body buzzed with excitement. “I thought everyone was at least a week away.”
The other man shrugged, leading the way to paths that led down. “Follow me.”
We dropped in elevation. We stepped into a cavern that was larger than the orchard caves, but smaller than the massive cavern at the top of the mountain with the pink lake. A large, clear pool dominated this round room, and the only light came from the water.
A woman emerged, her black hair fanning behind her as she crested the water. Her single fin split into two legs. She beamed a grin at me as she slipped into a blue robe someone handed to her.
I never thought I’d be so happy to see Yvette. I met her in a dozen long strides, and wrapped her in a hug. Dear Sky, I had missed her; her smart-assed wit, and her ability to find fault in every single thing I did. I took her head in my hands and pressed my forehead to hers.
She resisted, unfamiliar with all the Family traditions, but she finally relaxed and grabbed my head in her hands to return the gesture.
I pulled away and stared into her dark purple eyes. “Yvette, how have you been?” I asked in her language.
She smiled and said in mine, “Good I has been most monkey.”
I shook my head. “Let’s use yours.”
She laughed. “I am just playing,” she said in stiff Adalic, her structure much better, as was her accent. It was easier to understand her in Adalic than it was in Handish, which was odd since she’d been speaking Handish the longest. “I like seeing that look on your face.”
I frowned at the clear pool. “Where did you come from?”
“Asim City. They are not far behind me, actually. I scouted ahead to see if they would fit. I think they will.”
“Fit?”
She turned back to the water. “We are bringing your lethara to you.” She gave me a razo
r sharp stare. “You are you, yes?”
I nodded. “I am.”
She visibly relaxed. “Good.”
“Dyna says hi, by the way. She wonders why you didn’t return her call.”
“I received it.” She shook her head. “I am tired of the lies. I cannot do it anymore.”
“Then don’t.”
She sent me a smile of relief.
“How’s your mother?”
Yvette blinked, her dark eyes flitting slowly around the room as a smile bloomed on her face. “Well.”
“That’s good.”
She nodded. “I am excited.”
A blossoming mushroom shape appeared in the water. It pulsed pink and blue, then green and yellow.
I bounced on my toes. “I can’t believe it. How did he fit?”
“He is a lethara, crétin.”
I’d almost forgotten how wonderful it was to hear her call me a moron . . . all the time.
His body bloomed out of the water like a giant jellyfish. The end of his longest tentacles remained in the water. His medusa, or his hood, nearly touched the cavern ceiling as it opened like a giant umbrella. Water poured off him in sheets, slowing to a trickle of large drops.
Garrett whistled. “Never thought I’d see the likes of that in here.”
Yvette laughed and answered in his language, Mangarian, “There is a tight spot down there. If he grows much more, he probably won’t.”
“If he grows much more, he won’t fit in the cavern.”
My lethara’s tentacles brought the city out from underneath his hood and into the mid-regions of his thicker trunks. People milled around the dried sea flax platforms as though nothing were out of the ordinary. They worked to help my lethara rearrange the city, making sure nothing was snagged.
He was magnificent and he filled the entire cavern.
Someone barreled off of one the platforms and plowed into me with a screech.
I laughed and caught her in my arms, swinging her around and hugging her close, straight, black hair infusing my nose with the scent of flowers. “Oki, it’s good to see you,” I said in Sakin.
She wrinkled her stubby nose and rubbed it against mine, pulling my forehead to meet hers. “It is good to see you too, little brother.”
Garrett rolled his eyes and took a step out of the way. “Are you going speak every language under the sun? If so, I can leave. It makes my head hurt.”
I chuckled. The language spoken was a sign of respect and power. In Asim City and in the Fleet, we spoke Adalic because that was the language of my Family. However, in Ino City, where Oki was from, they spoke Sakin. “We should speak Mangarian on Peacock Rock. This is Garrett’s city, not mine.”
He rolled his eyes. “Families.”
Her fingers curled around the back of my neck as she bared her teeth and tugged on my head playfully. “But you are my brother.”
I grinned. “I wasn’t gone that long.”
Sadness dampened her slanted eyes. “When you didn’t return, we feared the worst.”
“I survived.”
“And came back a knight.” She smacked my arm, her silver jellyfish earrings tinkling. “How were you able to do it? If it was your prowess in bed, I don’t need details.”
Only Oki. “No. I can assure you it had nothing to with that.”
“Good.”
I reached up and touched her earrings. There were more tentacles than the last time I’d seen her. I raised an eyebrow. “I take it your training is going well.”
Her lips closed. “It is.” She turned back to the city. Her blue, embroidered silk robes were cinched around her waist with a white sash. The bow at her back nearly dwarfed her entire body. I didn’t understand this dress. How Oki was able to maneuver in it was beyond me.
A woman with long red hair waited for one of the unloading platforms to swing by her.
She had an air of confidence I hadn’t seen before as she hopped on. She wore pants, which was fantastic. It had taken Joshua and I a long time to talk her into wearing something more sensible. Her white shirt billowed with the movement of the swinging platform. She stepped off with a shy smile, her hands clasped in front of her. “Synn.”
Keeley had been my first friend while in Nix’s prison the first time. She was probably the sole reason I was still sane. She was also the reason I’d been captured the second time. My heart flared seeing her warm eyes and bright hair.
I took her hands in mine and gave them a slight squeeze. Family traditions couldn’t be forced on her. She wasn’t fragile. Far from it, but she was hesitant of all things new. “How are you doing?” I asked in Handish.
She shrugged, but her freckled face shown with contentment. “I am doing okay,” she answered in slow Adalic, which was a lot better than when I’d left. “I have really found my place here.”
“You look great.”
“Thank you.” She ducked her head with an embarrassed smile. She peeked up at me. “You look . . . ” She frowned.
“Like pounded dirt,” Yvette finished for her.
Keeley chuckled. “No. But different. You definitely look different.”
“Who else is with you?” I asked, brushing off her comment.
“Just us, I’m afraid,” Oki said, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”
How could I be disappointed? I had my favorite sister and two of my best friends here.
I chuckled and squeezed Okie close. “Yvie, let’s find you some clothes and catch up. I want to hear everything.”
Yvette gave me a long, level look, all the cheer from our reunion gone. “So do we.”
It was good to be surrounded by friends, but now began the struggle to prove I was myself and not Nix’s pet.
Again.
CHAPTER 10
ASSURING I’M REAL
They were ready to get off the lethara, but I needed to check everything out. He was my responsibility, something I hadn’t fully understood before.
I hopped onto the loading platform as it swung around. It was easy to imagine myself in an airship, hundreds of kilometres over the ocean, the air my only cushion, the wind my only companion.
Then I was met with flat platforms, stone walls and the thick trucks that made up my lethara’s body. He had a smell that I hadn’t appreciated before—sea, and flax, and something else that was entirely him.
Home. Sort of.
The floors stopped moving, and technicians tied all the plank bridges together which connected the many squares of tiled floor and walls. Looking around, what little furniture there was had been undisturbed. How had he managed to squeeze through tunnels and not disrupt anything?
“It may seem remarkable,” Oki said in Adalic, joining me on the middle levels of Asim City, her steps short as dictated by her tight skirt, “but it’s not. We’ve been doing this with our letharan for a long time. Once they get to the size of Ino City or Shankara City, then their ability to maneuver is decreased. There are just too many floors, levels and platforms to move.”
“But his tentacles go through the walls.”
“The walls are lined with living tissue.” Oki threw me a grin and skipped down the corridor backward. Her lethara-shaped earrings chimed as she bounced. “I sometimes forget you’ve never built a new wing. You’re such an airhead.”
I rolled my eyes and followed. “Has anything new happened?” I gestured around me.
She nodded and continued to walk. “I’m about to show you. Joshua has been having fun in your absence. He did not take it well that you sacrificed yourself. He’s glad his sister is safe, don’t get me wrong, but he was still pissed.”
I chuckled, following her over two rope bridges to the elevation shaft.
She pushed the button on the stone wall that let the technician know we needed a ride and what level we were on, and took a step back. “I, however, am interested in how you’re doing.”
“I’m fine.”
“And full of manure.”
I quirked my lips in mild irritation and waited for the elevator to appear from high above. I could hear the rustle of rope and the creak of pulleys. “Really. I’m fine.”
“The last time the Hands had you, you came back broken.”
I looked away. “They didn’t break me this time. Nix . . . ” I shook my head, shifting from one foot to the other. “She barely had an opportunity to talk to me.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
I thought about that as the platform appeared behind the metal grate. “Yes.”
“And how did you survive your Nix?”
“She’s not mine, Oki.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Your soul is bound to hers, Synn, whether you like it or not. That connection is never going away.”
I knew that. “Someone helped me, a priestess. She managed to somehow dampen the bond I have with Nix. It—I don’t know, Oki, it was kind of amazing.”
My sister stilled and turned toward me, a frown thick in her round face. “I thought you were sweet on Keeley.”
Sweet on—where had that come from? “She’s one of my best friends. What made you think that?”
Her frown only deepened, her eyes narrowed. “You’re of an age now when you should be thinking of finding a woman, marrying her, having children, and settling down. Especially now that you’re the El’Asim.”
My heart skipped a beat. My father had been the El’Asim. “I’m not ready for that.”
“For which part? Your family needs their leader, Synn, and they need heirs to pass the leadership onto.”
“The El’Asim aren’t like that.”
“Entirely? No. But your bloodline has lead your tribe for generations. If you’re not planning to have children, you need to marry Zara off or find someone else who will replace you.”
I closed my eyes. Those were the kinds of things I didn’t know how to handle. Yet.
The metal grate rose, and she stepped onto the platform, her lips firmly pressed together.
I followed. We were surrounded in rock, but now that I knew what I was looking for, I could see the seams, where it had to separate so the lethara could maneuver. How had I never noticed this before?
