by Elise Kova
Arwin pushed away from the side of her tub, mirroring Vi’s position with her head lounged back. She stared upward, speaking more toward the ceiling than Vi.
“Sarphos’s brother and I were engaged to be married. He was nothing like Sarphos—strong willed, a fighter, reckless, everything a young girl foolishly dreams—or lusts—about. There are times I wonder what would’ve happened if I knew what I know now, and had been smart enough to fall for the kind and stable Sarphos instead…” Arwin’s voice was filled with longing. But Vi didn’t know whether it was for Sarphos’s brother, or a life that could’ve been with Sarphos himself.
“What happened to him?” Vi asked gently. “Not Sarphos, obviously, his brother?”
“He’s gone now.”
“I’m sorry.” She straightened, moving the thick waters around with her hands, watching the flowers dance on the surface as she stirred up currents beneath. This could be her opportunity. Vi took a deep breath. She just had to find strength enough to be vulnerable… How was it, out of everything she’d done, that was starting to terrify her the most? “I’m afraid I may lose someone important to me as well.”
“Who?”
“My father.”
“You said you were here to find him. Why is the King of the Dark Isle on Meru?”
“Emperor—we don’t have kings on the Dark Isle anymore,” Vi corrected without thinking. Luckily, Arwin didn’t seem offended. “My mother is sick with the White Death. So my father embarked on a journey to Meru to find a cure. He didn’t know then what the cause was.” Didn’t know his journey was hopeless, Vi thought but couldn’t bring herself to say. If only she’d known earlier. If only her father had known. Then he would’ve been safe and sound back with her mother.
“I take it this journey didn’t go well?” Arwin asked solemnly.
“It didn’t… He was captured and is being held hostage.”
“By the Faithful?”
“No, he never made it to Meru. Adela captured him. Now she has him on her Isle of Frost and… I know he’s alive… but every day that passes is another when his life could end. Even when I’m so close to reaching him.” Vi turned to Arwin, surprised to see the woman stony-faced and serious. “Before I do anything else, I have to get to the Isle of Frost.”
“You’re going to the Isle of Frost?” Arwin whispered.
“Yes.”
Without warning, Arwin stood. Vi looked away quickly, giving the woman privacy as she left the tub.
Had she said something wrong? Had she offended her somehow? Vi ran through the conversation in her head.
“Get out,” Arwin commanded gruffly. Vi turned slowly, but the woman’s back was to her as she tightened the bindings on her chest. “We’re going to see my father.”
“Arwin… I didn’t mean to offend—”
“You didn’t offend me.” Arwin looked over her shoulder with a fire in her eyes. “But you have presented me with a unique opportunity.”
Chapter Sixteen
Unique opportunity. Vi didn’t know yet if she liked those words.
Arwin didn’t say anything else as they left the baths, starting up through the palace wordlessly. Vi repeated the conversation in her head verbatim, wondering where she’d gone wrong. Perhaps it was bringing up Adela? Taavin had said that Fallor was a notable outcast of the morphi, and he was in Adela’s service…
Vi suppressed a groan. She should’ve thought of that sooner.
Her mind swirled around the possibilities as they made their way along the spiral staircases of the palace, down to the throne room Vi had been first taken to days before. Just like then, King Noct sat on his large sofa, hands folded over his round belly, watching children play in the courtyard beyond.
“What is it, daughter?” the king asked, slowly drawing his eyes to Arwin. They drifted over Vi as well, pausing. “I see the weapon is becoming a part of you.”
Vi shifted her grip on the scythe. It was less cumbersome than she’d originally thought it would be—perhaps because it was surprisingly light. Or because she could feel the power radiating through it underneath her fingers. Either way, carrying it was indeed becoming more instinctive.
“I don’t enjoy letting it out of my sight,” Vi said quietly. Then added quickly, “I know it’s safe here, but—”
“But that is the right decision. You cannot be too cautious… and the weapon must get to know its new champion. Perhaps Arwin can fashion a sling for you to better carry it with.” At the mention of his daughter, he turned to Arwin. “Why have you come with such a severe expression?”
“Father, there is something we have overlooked—a detail our guest has neglected to share.”
“What is this?” The king looked back to her.
“Well… I had been telling Arwin about my quest to find my father,” Vi started, glancing between the two.
“Yes, one of the reasons that you came to Meru.”
“It’s not that she’s finding him—it’s where her father is,” Arwin said gruffly before motioning for Vi to continue.
“He’s on the Isle of Frost, your highness,” Vi said delicately. “Adela has him.”
“The Isle of Frost…” the king repeated softly. His eyes drifted back to Arwin. “I know what you are thinking.”
“Father, I must. This is my chance.”
“I remain firm in my—”
“Your stance has always been that I cannot go alone,” Arwin interrupted, “and that has been enough, because you forbade my sisters from going with me on my mission.” Arwin took a step forward. “Well, now I will not be alone. I will have a companion on the journey—a companion who is not your daughter and will be going anyway.”
“A companion who also doesn’t know this land. Who is not a warrior like yourself and can’t protect you.”
Were she able to show the king her Lightspinning, he might think differently. But Vi kept her mouth shut.
“I can take care of myself—you know I can. She has the scythe and is improving. At the very least, she can guide the way—I’ve seen her with her maps, father.” Arwin looked to Vi. “You know how to get there, don’t you?”
“I do,” Vi said with slightly more confidence than she felt.
“If you go, you will die at Adela’s hand.”
“Your highness,” Vi interjected quickly before the conversation could take yet another repetitive turn. “I do not fully understand the depth of all you are discussing… But if Arwin wishes to join me, then I beseech you to let her.” Vi glanced at Arwin. The woman had a desperate look to her eyes. Vi didn’t know what she was bargaining for just yet—what had given Arwin this fire—but if it resulted in the help she needed, she would handle the rest as it came. “I must save my father.”
“You must save this world.”
“I know that,” Vi nearly snapped back at him. The only thing keeping her voice level was her years of royal training. She had no idea how she was going to save the world—she was still just trying to save the ones she loved. “But I also know this: Arwin is the best teacher I’ll be able to find for this weapon.” Vi shifted her grip on the scythe. “How will I be ready to fight to save our world if I can’t keep training?”
The king was silent.
“I also know that I won’t be able to focus on defeating Raspian if I’m worried for my father’s life. I want to save him and the world. All my life, I have been trying to reunite with my family… I don’t want to live in a saved world where I cannot.”
Noct pursed his lips slightly. She could tell she was trying his patience. But Vi took his continued silence as an indication that she still held the upper hand on the matter.
“I’ve been told there is a shift around the Isle of Frost—much like the one here. I’m hoping there are tears in that shift, too—tears I plan to exploit.” Vi tried to counter his argument before he could make it. “But I’d rather not risk that chance. I’d rather know that once I sail for the Isle of Frost, I will be able to get to my father. If
you don’t allow Arwin to accompany me for her own reasons, let her come to train me and ensure I can get past the Isle’s shift. Please, I—”
She stopped shy of begging, but only just.
The king closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, he looked out on the courtyard with a sorrowful expression. Vi knew she was asking him to risk his family for her to save hers. She knew it wasn’t a fair trade. Just as she knew exploiting the world’s end was an underhanded tactic.
But Arwin also had her own reasons for going. She could see it on the woman’s face. Even if Arwin’s presence would help Vi, she got the impression it would help Arwin, too. She just wasn’t sure exactly how.
“Did you not tell me we are to help the Champion?” Arwin asked, stepping forward. “Isn’t that why you gave her the scythe and your hospitality?”
“I do not wish to give her my daughter as well.”
Arwin knelt by her father. “You will not lose me, father. But I must put an end to the abominable shift that protects the bane of the seas—the shift that should’ve never been established and is a theft of our magic. I must put an end to the one who betrayed us.”
King Noct looked only at his daughter, slowly lifting his hand. He cupped her cheek thoughtfully, lovingly. Vi’s chest ached, thinking back to the few times she’d been with her own father and he’d looked at her with his heart in his eyes.
“If you take this burden on yourself, if you leave our lands… You know I must make it a royal decree. You will get no exceptions as my daughter.”
“I understand.”
“Then, my royal guard…” King Noct’s whispering voice quivered slightly. “I command you to leave the protection of the Twilight Kingdom to atone for your past transgressions. I command you to venture beyond the embrace of the Twilight Forest. You are to go, and on your way, you will teach the Champion so that she may save our world. You are to destroy the shift which should’ve never been—and you are to ensure it shall never be formed again by killing the one who created it. Otherwise, you will not be welcomed back into this court.”
Vi’s heart pounded so hard in her chest that it rattled her lungs. Breathing suddenly felt harder than normal. Cast out? Succeed, or live in exile? What circumstances were these? When she’d envisioned Arwin coming, she hadn’t envisioned anything like this.
Vi was playing a game, though she knew precious little of the rules.
“Do you understand?” King Noct asked solemnly.
“I understand, my king. And as your royal guard, I live by your words.”
The next morning, Vi woke early. She dressed with more than enough time to get lost in her thoughts before there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Vi turned, surprised to see Sarphos rather than Arwin.
“I hear you’re leaving,” he said as he entered the room.
“So it seems.” Vi leaned against the wall by the window, staring out at the bloody-ringed moon that never left the sky. “Can’t say I’m surprised the King’s hospitality has run short given that I’m responsible for his daughter’s exile.”
“King Noct holds no ill will toward you.” Sarphos set a satchel down at the foot of her bed.
“I wouldn’t blame him if he did,” Vi said gently, giving him permission to be honest.
“Arwin made her choice.”
I did a pretty good job of convincing him to go along with it, Vi thought to herself. She’d replayed the conversation again and again for half the night. Wondering if she’d done the right thing. But Arwin had been eager to go along first. So Vi tried to set the worry out of her mind.
“I prepared something for the road.” Sarphos motioned to the satchel. “There’s some crackers in there that can fill an empty stomach like a meal, a specially woven blanket that will keep you warm even on the coldest nights without being bulky, salves, of course, and—”
“Why have you been so nice to me?” Vi interrupted. “You hardly know me.”
“Do I have to know someone to be kind to them?”
“Too much kindness… too much trust… It will get you hurt, or killed,” Vi muttered bitterly.
“The opposite is also true—but it’ll be a much lonelier death.”
“What would you know about it?” she murmured.
“A lot more than you give me credit for.” He sighed and stood. “I don’t understand everything about you or your world. But I don’t have to, to see that you’re hurting.” Vi opened her mouth about to protest, tell him to stop any kind of diagnosis he’d been performing on her. “Trust me when I say you’re not the only one who’s been hurt by people they loved.”
Vi pressed her lips shut as Sarphos started for the door.
“Look after her, please.”
“Arwin is far stronger than I, she can look after herself.”
“But her emotions get the better of her and cause trouble.” He stopped, and the long pause that followed was what brought Vi’s attention back to the healer one last time. “I’ve already lost a brother, Vi,” Sarphos whispered. “I don’t want to lose a sister, too.”
With that, the man was off and Vi finished readying for her journey alone.
She inspected the contents of the pack. In addition to all Sarphos had promised, there were a few extra changes of clothes, wrapped around vials. It didn’t matter what he said, Sarphos was a fool for giving away his kindness as he did… She certainly didn’t deserve it.
Vi put the journal she’d been working in atop everything else in the satchel, slung it over her shoulder, and strapped the scythe to her back over the opposite shoulder. The strap from the satchel and the scythe formed an X over her chest. But thanks to the undergarments Arwin had gifted her, neither dug in uncomfortably.
Also thanks to Arwin, Vi no longer had to carry the scythe by hand. The woman had taken heed of King Noct’s suggestion and stopped in last night with a special strap identical to those she used to carry her pole arms.
“It looks good on you,” Arwin appraised as Vi met her on the arcade walkway.
“Thanks.” Vi gripped the strap.
“Though, unhooking the strap can make for a slow draw. You may not want to have the weapon wrapped as well, in case you need to get to it.”
They started back toward the entrance.
“If I don’t have it wrapped, it’ll draw too much attention.” Vi patted the fabric covering the blade. She suspected her magic would be the first thing she fought with the moment she was out of the Twilight Forest. Vi was still more confident with a sword in her hand than a scythe.
They walked through the entryway and out of the palace, starting along the same road Vi had now traversed many times. Other than the occasional person who gave a nod or wave to Arwin, there was no fanfare.
“Not much of a going-away party,” Vi said under her breath, tightening the bandanna around her forehead.
“They’re used to my coming and going,” Arwin replied. Vi hadn’t intended for the woman to hear. “I’m usually patrolling the edges of our kingdom, checking the barriers daily. They don’t know that this time I’ll be gone a little longer than normal.”
“Don’t you want to say goodbye to anyone?” Vi couldn’t help but ask. Something about their departure reminded Vi of leaving Norin. A princess quietly departing her Empire… even if Arwin wasn’t technically a princess.
“I said goodbye to my family earlier.”
“Friends?”
“I don’t have many of those.”
“I’m shocked.” The dry remark slipped through Vi’s lips before she could stop it. Arwin looked over her shoulder in what could’ve been a glare, had it not been so obviously laced with pride.
“When did you get a smart mouth?”
“More like when did I get bold enough to share it with you.”
“Don’t get too bold,” Arwin cautioned. Despite the warning, a grin was sneaking its way onto her lips. “Take my hand, I’ll need the physical contact to get you through the shift.
Don’t let go.”
Vi took her hand and refrained from pointing out that this would be the third time she’d passed through the shift. If Sarphos kept their secret up until the end, so would Vi. Even if one very big, Taavin-shaped secret was about to come to light.
Heart racing, Vi closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, allowing Arwin to guide her through. It seemed like a single step now—the transition between kingdom and forest becoming easier each time. Like waking from a dream, Vi blinked into the bright morning light.
She instantly raised a hand, shielding her eyes. She and Sarphos had only ever sneaked out at night. The light of the Twilight Kingdom was perpetually dim, the majority of illumination coming from unnatural sources.
“Your eyes will take a little longer to adjust… It’s been a while since they’ve seen the sun. But don’t worry, you’ll be back to normal in no time.”
Vi had an increasing amount to worry about, none of which had to do with her eyes. Squinting, Vi trying to discern her bearings. But there was nothing familiar. Trees, as far as the eye could see, and not the slightest bit of sound from the stream.
“Where are we?” Vi tried to ask calmly.
“Right near the western edge of the Twilight Forest.” Arwin pointed. “We’re about half a day away from Toris. It’s a small fishing and trading town notorious for being a pirate stopover. We should be able to pick up a vessel there to get us to the Isle of Frost.” Vi didn’t miss the slight grimace at the mention of Adela’s stronghold.
“Can we return to where Sarphos showed you the tear?” Vi’s markings on the trees should still be there. With them, she could find her way back to Taavin.
“Why?”
“There’s something I stashed in a cave near there. I want to retrieve it,” Vi explained delicately.
“Oh, fine.” Arwin rolled her eyes. “Come on then.”
Scooping up Vi’s hand once more and gripping it tightly, Arwin tugged her through the trees. Vi barely had time to close her eyes and hold her breath. Her lungs were on fire in a moment and her ears popped from the shifting pressure. But as quickly as it came, the uncomfortable sensation of the shift vanished and Vi opened her eyes once more to what had become a more familiar stretch of forest. She could hear the stream in the distance, and see the markings on the trees.
