Natalie stood and summoned the memory of Gayla again. “Pardon me.” Leveling her gaze at every guild member in the room, including Anli, Onlo, and Jules and Charlotte who, like her, were guests at the meeting, she continued when she had everyone’s full attention. “If I may, Guild Master, this is a simple matter of prioritization. The biggest problem is stopping Aldworth and the King and Queen. Stop them, and we’ll stop the war. My team and I can take care of that. The next issue is the New Mages Guild and the spy on Solerin. Guild Master Summerwood, if you would please assemble a team to find and arrest them, that should take care of that. Lastly, the untrained mages—we need to find them and send them to Solerin for training. Again, Guild Master, if you would assemble a team who know what to look for. The bulk of the mages should be on Ismereld, since we kept the sweating fever from spreading off our Isle, but people might have traveled since being ill. Any questions?”
Onlo’s deep voice filled the room. “Natalie, how can only the six of us—”
“Five. Em is staying here,” Anli interrupted.
“I agree.” Onlo nodded. “And how, may I ask, could the five of us take on Aldworth and our sovereigns who are, may I remind you, guarded by the Queensguard? It’s impossible. You have not thought this plan through.”
Natalie leaned forward, putting her hands on the table. “Oh, but I have. First, we have the Princess Heir. Since it took all of us to vouch for her allegiance to the Isles and not to her parents, I think we can count on her assistance?”
Princess Charlotte nodded fervently back at Natalie.
“The princess knows many ways in and out of the castle. Stealth is better than a full-on assault. Plus, I have an idea,” Natalie said as she rested her chin on her palm. Her lips stretched into a sly grin. “Oh, they’ll never see this coming.”
“What is it?”
“Well, first I need to find out if it works.”
Chapter 20
“T
his is a terrible idea.” Jules backed away from Natalie in the training yard. “I won’t do it.”
“Jules, please. This could turn the tide when we’re in the palace and outnumbered. You once told me about when you had to choose between killing versus living another day? It’s the same thing, only we’re doing it with magic.”
“Natalie, I’m a Healer and I took the same vows you did. I don’t want to use my powers to kill people.”
“Didn’t you kill people during your time in the Royal army?”
“No, I only killed game once I escaped and found Onlo and Anli’s team. And besides, when I was with them, I used bows, arrows, and daggers. And,”—he pointed at her— “you saw how long it took me to get those bolts of energy under control. Now you want me to lose control on purpose?”
“No, I want you to use it on purpose. Like with a bow and arrow. Can you form a ball of energy and hit that archery target over there?” She prayed a joke might lighten his mood. “You don’t have to kill him, just take out his knees.”
Jules rolled his eyes. “This isn’t what Jyrenn had in mind during all his training.”
“Well, Jyrenn had a different set of troubles two thousand years ago, didn’t he? And he did what was needed to solve them.”
Jules threw up his arms and walked away from her. “All right. Stand back.”
Natalie watched with curiosity as Jules stood with his side to the training target, which stood about twenty yards away. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. An ethereal blue aura surrounded his entire body, and quick as a flash, he cocked his left arm and hurled a ball of energy at the target. The bolt hit the target square in the middle.
“You did it.”
He raised one eyebrow. “I was always good at archery.”
“You should practice more.”
“Fine. But under two conditions. One, Charlotte doesn’t do this. If she comes to power, her subjects would fear her if she’s throwing fireballs. Two? We use this if and only if our lives are in danger and this is the only way out.”
The next few days, Natalie and Jules helped the Special Operations Guild prepare for the voyage to Roseharbor. Onlo and Anli helped plan for supplies, Jules helped with where to land—far enough along the coast that they’d be outside the city’s defense perimeter, but close enough so the Princess would know where she was and could lead them to the castle. The Princess pored over maps on the council room table, making sure she recalled the countryside surrounding the palace, selecting her favorite route into the castle. She also picked two backup plans just in case. Jake gave everyone a good sniff as they arrived in the morning, and then laid down in a corner of the room and slept through most of the proceedings.
Mysha, her newborn daughter in a sling, oversaw the collection and organization of intelligence and helped add the finishing touches to their plan. Despite looking sleep-deprived, enthusiasm lit her eyes and a rosy blush colored her cheeks. Natalie much preferred this to the wan face Mysha had before she gave birth.
“You should be at home, resting,” Natalie said.
Mysha nodded. “Just as soon as I’m sure everything is in order for your mission. I’m only helping for an hour or two, besides. It feels good to be out of bed.”
“I can imagine. Your help is most welcome. I’ll come by for a visit before we go.”
“I’m counting on it.”
After the chaos of the very last planning meeting, Natalie sought her bay window seat, high up in the Keep overlooking the training yard. She craved the peace and quiet the hideout afforded her.
Entering the last hallway, Natalie halted in astonishment. Charlotte and Onlo occupied her seat, Charlotte’s head resting against Onlo's chest. Onlo's arms wrapped around her, one hand on her silver hair, head turned and gazing out into the distance.
Natalie swallowed and retreated behind the corner, giving Jake a hand signal to do the same. She peeked at her friends in disbelief. First Em and Anli, now Charlotte and Onlo? Good Goddess, he’s eleven years older than she is. And all that time during our training, I thought Onlo was interested in me. I guess I was so caught up in my own issues I didn't see what was right in front of me. But seriously, what’s he doing courting someone so young?
She'd just decided to intervene when Onlo said something to Charlotte. She was too far away to hear his words, only the deep rumble of his voice. Charlotte sat up, placed her palm on his cheek, and turned his head to face hers. She didn't say a word; they simply gazed at each other.
It was only two people looking into each other’s eyes, but it felt more intimate. The obvious love between them seemed to possess all the magic in all five Isles. Natalie’s heart thudded in her ears and her mouth gaped open. She didn’t know how, but she knew she bore witness to something that transcended wars, interfering monarchs, and the squabbles of guilds and councils.
Her skin tingling and—being honest—a bit of envy curling in her stomach, Natalie slipped away from her hiding place and returned to her room.
Preoccupied with what she’d just witnessed, Natalie jumped when she saw Em sitting on her bed, looking terrified when she and Jake returned to their room.
Natalie put a hand to her chest. “Goddess, Em, you startled me.” Jake jumped onto the bed next to her best friend. “Will you please—”
“Watch Jake for you? Of course I will. It’s not like I was given much of a choice.”
Natalie sat on the bed next to her friend. “What’s bothering you?”
Em turned to Natalie, eyes brimming over. “Well, aside from being commanded to stay here and have no say in the matter myself …” Em looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head. “Something’s not right, Nat. Please don’t go.”
Natalie blinked. “Do you feel this way because Anli’s going? I can see if I can talk them into letting you go. But you know we’ll all watch each other's backs, and—”
“No, Nat, I swear it’s not about Anli. And good luck convincing her I should put myself in
harm’s way. I have a terrible feeling about this.”
“Do you know something we don’t? Is there something you haven’t told me? It’s just we’ve been planning for days, Em, we launch day after tomorrow. I need something more than a hunch.”
Em sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I know. And that’s all I’ve got. Something about this doesn’t sit right with me. I brought it up with Anli, but her vision is a bit narrow when it comes to missions.”
Natalie grinned wryly. “I bet.” Natalie hugged her friend close. “We promise we’ll look out for each other, okay?”
“I pray it will be enough.”
The night before they left for Roseharbor, Natalie escaped all her meetings at the Keep and visited Mysha’s house, Jake trotting along behind her. She found Mysha in a rocking chair, nursing her daughter.
“Do you want me to come back?” Nat whispered.
Mysha shook her head. “I’ll just burp and change her when I’m done. With any luck, she’ll fall right back asleep.”
Natalie grinned and sat in a chair in the corner. “What did you name her?”
Mysha smiled at the soft, round head at her breast. “Emma.”
Natalie couldn’t keep the grin off her face. “What a perfect name.” She drifted into a daydream of walking back and forth with her own baby on her hip. The voice of Manuel, the plant scientist on Solerin, echoed in her mind. If she and Jules ever had children, they would probably not be mages. Unlike if he and Charlotte…
“All right, out with it, Nat. You walked in here right as rain. Where did your brain go that has you all worried?”
Natalie grinned wryly. “That transparent, am I? It’s this mission, I guess. Jules and Charlotte are Mages. Anli and Onlo are spies and assassins. And I’m just a Healer. What will I be contributing?”
Mysha, now pacing and burping the baby, rounded on her. “Just a Healer? Did your man not come back in one piece because of you? And the six of you come back from being shipwrecked because of you?”
“He’s not my man—”
“Oh, Natalie, please. I’ve been in the strategy room these past two days and I’ve seen you both. You’ve always struck me as a person of good sense; please tell me I wasn’t wrong.”
Natalie crossed her arms. “Look, it’s been a hard few months, and—”
Mysha held up her baby. “Oh, tell me about it. You thought he left you for Charlotte. Well, he didn’t. Get over it. What scares you more than being left out of the planning like you were when you first got here is now you actually are in the room. You get to celebrate if things go right or carry the burden if things go wrong. And I know damn well what that feels like, I do, but don’t sit here and tell me this is about Jules and Charlotte or because you have nothing to offer. You need to clear away the dust and focus.”
Natalie rose, chin held high. “Yes, well, thank you for your advice.” Keeping the tears at bay until she was outside, Natalie kicked a rock, causing Jake to skitter away, his tail down. Mysha’s home had only ever been a place of solace; she’d hoped to take comfort there one last time before setting off on such a dangerous mission. Instead, she’d got told off by a woman who spoke no louder than a whisper. Some payback for all the nights I helped her.
Later that night, she gazed at Jules bathed in moonlight, sleeping quietly within her embrace. Tears pricked her eyes as Mysha’s words haunted her. She let one of her hands drift lovingly over Jules’s hair. It was time she let go of the misperceptions that had ruled her life since she’d first landed on Obfuselt. The tears spilled over onto her cheeks. It had been a long, hard-fought battle to get him back here in her arms where he belonged. If she lost him again because there was a flaw in her plan, or because something went wrong and she couldn’t save him, Five only knew what she would do.
Chapter 21
S
eawater sloshed against the sides of the small, swift boat that carried Natalie and her friends around the east coast of Ismereld. They were still on the Sionainne, but soon they’d enter Bridhe’s Channel. They’d arrive in Roseharbor Bay shortly thereafter.
Thanks to Charlotte’s periodic treatments, Natalie began to enjoy the sway of the boat under her feet and the sea winds whistling through her hair. She even asked Onlo to show her some sailing tips. She learned how to tie more knots than she ever thought possible, though she often had to ask for help. How he knew to move the sails from one position to the other mystified her, but maybe she could learn it one day.
Struggling to tie off a knot, she called Onlo over. He bent close to her and she watched his hands deftly tie the line. His closeness reminded her of her early days at Ebenos Point Keep. Glancing at his face, she took in his gaunt appearance. His eyes, which usually danced with merriment, were dull and listless. He’d done so much for her when she arrived on Obfuselt. Maybe she could help him. Like a good sister would. This will not be easy.
“Um, Onlo? Can I ask you a question?”
He lifted an eyebrow at her. “Of course.”
“Erm, well, it’s just that, well, back when you trained … when you taught me at the Keep … and, well, were you the one who gave me this armor? And the green cape? Because they’re beautiful and I adore them, but—”
Onlo held up a hand. “Natalie, stop talking. Follow me, I need to be at the helm right now.”
Natalie followed him to the ship’s rudder. He kept his eye on the horizon, deftly guiding the ship. She prayed he’d keep his gaze on the direction of the boat; this was an awkward enough conversation without looking someone in the eye.
“Yes, I gave you the armor. They belonged to my wife, Madi. You remind me a lot of her. Rather than let the leather rot, I gave it to you. The cape was just a gift. You needed the reminder you were a Healer.”
She smiled. “I’m glad. Thank you for all your kindnesses. For the armor, the cape, teaching me how to defend myself, and running me into the ground until I thought I’d never move again.”
His deep laugh warmed Natalie’s heart.
Natalie tread deeper into the water. “So, why have you been so depressed?”
Onlo’s face contorted. “I should have prevented the shipwreck. Good people died. It was only by the grace of the Goddess that my best friends lived and I didn’t lose her—” he turned away to look at the horizon.
This is what Mysha meant. The burden of carrying the success or failure of the plan. And when failure means people die.
She reached out and put a tentative hand on Onlo’s back. “I’m scared about this plan I’ve come up with. I’m terrified one of you all will get hurt or die, and it will be my fault. Like what if Aldworth has already left the palace? What if they’ve doubled the Queensguard numbers since our last intelligence report?”
Onlo looked back at her. “We’ll adapt. We can’t think of everything.”
Natalie nodded. “And neither can you. You are not a fortune-teller. You cannot foresee spies with Obfuselt technology. Stop carrying this blame for yourself. None of us blame you.”
He hissed and turned his head away. “Leave.”
There are few places to hide on a small boat from someone who’s furious with you. Natalie sat at the stern, watching the water churn and slosh in the wake. Anli stood like a sentry next to Onlo at the helm; Charlotte sat at the bow, silver hair fluttering in the breeze. No wonder Onlo was so hard on himself about the attack at sea. He could’ve lost Charlotte.
Two familiar shiny leather boots appeared next to Natalie. “Is this seat taken?” Jules asked.
Natalie gestured. “Please, sit.”
“What did you say to Onlo to make him so mad?”
“I tried to make him feel better about the shipwreck.”
“And you’re alive to tell the tale?”
Natalie’s mouth curled into a smile. “What can I say, I’m a Healer—I like to fix things. It’s a personal fault I’m particularly proud of.”
“Well, once again, you’ve been
helping put me back together. My nightmares aren’t as bad.”
Natalie glared at him. “I’m glad to help, but honestly? You need to stop finding yourself in need of repair.”
Jules scooted over so they were sitting side by side, shoulders and hips touching. “Yes, Healer.”
A frisson of heat shot down Natalie’s throat and into her stomach. She gulped.
“I’m proud of you once again, Ms. Desmond’s Fever.”
Natalie hit his shoulder. “Oh, shut up.”
Jules nearly fell over laughing. “No, I’m serious. This past spring, in Roseharbor, you did a good job leading everyone to the solution. Now here, again, you took a room full of arguing guild members and browbeat them into a logical plan.”
Natalie blew out a breath. “Hopefully it’s not a suicidal plan.” Em’s warning sat uneasily in her mind and a chill ran down her spine despite the warm ocean breeze and blazing sunshine.
Jules hooked her chin with his finger. “Hey. We’re a good team. We’ll figure it out.” He tilted his head and brushed her lips with his, seeking, asking if the kiss was welcome. An ache Natalie thought she’d never feel again danced in her belly and worked its way lower as the taste of salt and sea intoxicated her. But it was the low thrum of his mage power seeping through her skin wherever their bodies touched that did her in. With a low moan, Natalie grabbed the sides of his face and devoured him, sweeping her tongue inside his mouth. Pulling her onto his lap, Jules growled and returned her kiss with an equal ferocity.
“Will you two get a room?” Anli griped.
Reluctantly breaking off the kiss, Natalie grinned at Jules, but refused to apologize. At last, her world was righting itself.
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