Paragons of Ether

by Ryan Muree

  “The guy said the fake arm sounded familiar,” Clove said.

  “Why don’t we just wait until the RCA Series?” Mack asked. “We could nose around, see if we see him, kinda join one of these groups—not Adalai’s—and check during the series. If it’s really all the slaves in one place, then we have to see. If we don’t find anything, then we go back and check Ingini.”

  She sighed. It wasn’t a bad idea, but that would be it. There wouldn’t be another chance to come into Revel and look for him, and yet Mack was right. They couldn’t stay in Revel forever. Every day put them at risk, and it was only Jahree keeping them safe at the moment.

  “Okay.”

  “You want to keep your promise?” Mack gestured at Adalai meeting with some of the members across the room.

  Clove shook her head. “Not if she’s helping Ingini.”

  “Not right now?” he asked.

  “Not right now.” She smiled at him.

  Chapter 19

  Neeria — Revel

  Grier rubbed his face with fresh water from the sink and stared at the scarred sigil on his finger.

  At least he’d gotten it to work finally.

  He hadn’t been able to use it in combat, yet, but the four times he’d used it to rescue over seventy kids in six different Revelian cities had proven useful.

  Everyone had proven useful.

  Lawrence was a really good pilot and air Caster considering he’d never joined the RCA. Dova was getting better at finding these kids from longer distances and seemed genuinely interested in atoning for Avrist’s horrible choices. Even Kylah had been a surprise to him. Her combat was efficient and precise. She’d never faltered or hesitated. She was a fighting machine, tuned to take on whatever threatened her. Just like him.

  The good thing about breaking up secret kidnappings by the RCA was that they didn’t want anyone to find out about it. It meant Grier could keep infiltrating these cities and pulling these kids out, and the RCA couldn’t do anything major to put a stop to it. Of course, they’d increased security and numbers and brought in more skilled RCA, but they weren’t really a match for them.

  They’d done everything so far as quietly as possible, and things were going well.

  There was only one snag in their mission so far: he hadn’t planned on needing to go to Aurelis.

  Some of the children had been confused when they’d arrived. They were surprised he was rescuing them instead of moving them to Aurelis. He hadn’t figured out why the children had thought that, but it seemed logical that the children in other cities might be reshuffled to other locations because of Grier’s success.

  And that posed a massive problem.

  Where and when were they going to be moved? Those kids needed rescuing, too. If he could figure it out, then they’d just go to Aurelis and head off their movement there.

  But his heart ached deep over something else, too.

  Emeryss had never responded to his new messages. He’d sent a few more letters only to get nothing in return, and he just…

  He tried to even his breathing and stared at the bottom of the sink.

  Without a letter sent for months, he knew how it looked. It looked like he had moved on without her, and he wouldn’t blame her for being upset. If he could just see her, just explain it, she would understand. Maybe she’d thought he’d moved on and had moved on herself. Maybe it was too hard to write him back after all this time of not hearing from him only to say she’d found something—someone—else.

  He gripped the sink and closed his eyes.

  She’d understand as soon as he explained it. He had to have faith in that.

  Helping these Scribes was the right thing to do, and she’d always wanted that, too. She wouldn’t want him to run out of Stadhold to her while ignoring these children that needed saving.

  In fact, she’d be furious at him if he put her over them. She’d get that dimple in her cheek when she was mad. Her golden eyes would sparkle with ether. She’d tuck hair behind her ears repeatedly and shout at him with her hands waving.

  He smiled to himself.

  “Lawrence says we’re nearly there,” Kylah said beside him. “Dova says there are no Scribes here, though. So, any reason why we need to make this stop?”

  He’d explain everything to Emeryss, and this burning doubt and fear in his chest would subside. She’d even want to help him, he’d accept it, of course, and things would go back to normal.

  “I have an errand I need to do,” he said.

  He walked back toward the front of the ship and looked through the window ahead. Rocky bluffs, gray skies… He was finally there in her birthplace, in her home, and soon, beside her.

  “Neeria doesn’t have a landing zone for us,” Lawrence said. “I’m going to have to set Fegrin down outside these bluffs, and you’ll have to walk in.”

  “That’s fine,” Grier said. “You all can stay onboard or go to the local town for supplies. I won’t be more than a few hours.”

  Lawrence lowered Fegrin onto a flat section of land just outside of Neeria and opened her cargo hold.

  The wind blew straight into his face, bringing with it the smell of charged air and salt.

  He smiled. It even smelled like her—a summer storm. Except it was almost winter, and he’d hoped she wasn’t too stormy.

  Grier pulled at his jacket and his shirt, adjusting it over his bracer, and stepped out into the grass dotting the cliffs. He’d figured going in full armor wouldn’t bring the best welcome.

  Following the white stone and sand path around the bluffs, he passed the large stone Goddess of Death at the entrance and nodded his appreciation. “Don’t take me too early, please.”

  With every step, his heart raced faster and harder.

  Would she be at the beach or working at some fish rack? He laughed at himself. He had no idea how it worked, but it didn’t matter. She’d show him, assuming he could clarify what happened, and then he’d have to show her how good of a swimmer he could be. Well, after they’d finished rescuing the kids first.

  He was getting ahead of himself, but he couldn’t help it. He’d been imagining her reaction and response, the feel of her in his arms again for nights now.

  A few sea birds cawed from the skies as they floated on the gusts from the sea. The crash of waves caught his attention.

  She might even be at sea fishing with a spear or a harpoon. He’d love to see her use it here.

  The small buildings with multi-colored roofs finally came into view, and it took everything he had not to run through the streets shouting for her. He might be a fool, but he wasn’t about to look like one, especially to her family.

  She’d been nervous about him meeting them, and though he’d liked to tease her about it, he’d taken it seriously. It was important to her, and that meant it was important to him.

  Several Neerians moved through their sandy streets on hollda-driven carriages. They lugged around bushels of seagrass and strings of fish. Carts of blubber and shells passed by him, carrying with it the sharp tang of the open ocean. Children kicked up sand as they ran and played.

  There were a lot more people than he’d anticipated. It wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought.

  He approached the first woman he found.

  She appeared middle-aged with a few wrinkles. Her bare feet were dusted with sand, and her hands were stained dark from a mineral she was rubbing fish with.

  “Ma’am, can you help me, please?”

  She eyed him up and down with one violet iris while keeping the other squinted shut. “With what?”

  “I’m looking for a young woman named Emeryss. Do you know her?”

  The woman eyed him again and pointed out near the docks at the sea. “The Wavetamers are usually out there.”

  Wavetamers? Was it a type of boat? He dipped his head in thanks and headed for the beach.

  On the edge of the ocean, the air was even colder, biting at the bones in his hands. Still, lessons in fishing and swimmi
ng were being instructed in groups for younger children, while the few boats still at the dock bobbed on the sea.

  A young woman with dark, wavy hair and delicate features called out from the beach to a man on a boat. Except for her stature, she looked similar to Emeryss.

  His boots fought with the sand as he made his way to her. She turned just as he approached.

  “Excuse me—” he started.

  Her gold eyes widened as she, too, gazed at him from head to toe. She looked just like Emeryss.

  “Uh,” he continued, forcing himself to refocus. “I’m looking for a Wavetamer? Is it here?”

  The woman put her hands on her hips. “A Wavetamer?”

  He nodded. “I’m assuming it’s a boat or something…”

  She smirked. “Not a boat.”

  He waited for her to clarify, but when she didn’t offer, he wrung his hands together. “Okay, well, I’m looking for a woman named Emeryss, and another woman in town said I could find Wavetamers here. I—”

  “I’m a Wavetamer. That’s my little brother over there.” She pointed to a kid leading one of the classes on the beach. “He’s a Wavetamer. And that guy behind me on the boat is my father. He’s a Wavetamer.”

  So, it was a profession? “Okay, well, do you know Emeryss?”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s asking?”

  “A friend, well, more than a friend, but I don’t know if she would have told you that—”

  “I’m her sister, so I would know if there was someone coming to see her.”

  Grier’s heart leaped. “You’re her sister? You’re her older sister! Issolia, right? She told me so much about you…” He held his hand out to shake hers, but she crossed her arms.

  “And you are?” she asked.

  “Grier. Uh, Grier Rinnegan IV. I’ve come from Stadhold—”

  “Seems like my sister told me that the Grier she knew and loved was going to join her weeks ago—months, even.”

  He shifted his weight in the sand for stability. Was he sinking or was he imagining it? “I know, but something happened, and I have to see her and explain—”

  “Seems she thought you moved on.”

  “I didn’t, I promise. I sent letters, tons of letters—”

  “These letters?” She held up his most recent letters still sealed shut.

  “Yes, but—”

  “Little late, don’t you think?” Issolia curled her lip.

  He’d expected a little pushback from Emeryss’s youngest siblings, but not the older one she’d spoken so fondly of.

  “My mother stole all of my other letters to Emeryss,” he tried. “The ones I’d been sending all this time. Please, believe me, but I sent tons of letters, and my mother kept all of them. I came here to clear it up, to explain. I just need to see her, please.”

  Issolia’s features softened. Her shoulders even relaxed.

  “Who is this guy, Issolia? Is he a problem?” Emeryss’s father shouted from his boat.

  Issolia glanced back over her shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m handling it.”

  “Please, Issolia,” Grier tried again. “I promise I would never hurt Emeryss intentionally. I love her. Just tell me where she is so I can tell her—”

  “My sister, Emeryss Wavetamer, is not here.” Issolia swallowed.

  He looked out at the boats. “Well, then, where is she? Can I see her later? I need to explain—”

  Issolia bit her lip. “She loves you, Grier. She thought you had moved on—”

  “I didn’t.”

  “She grew scared that the RCA would find her here. She left.”

  His heart dropped out into the sand, along with the air in his lungs, and he swore this time he sunk with it. “She’s gone?”

  “She’s somewhere between here and the island of Amme. She’s on a pilgrimage to meet the Goddess.” Issolia rubbed own arms. “Our mother went with her, but I don’t know when she’ll return, or if—” Her voice cracked and hitched. She was holding back from crying.

  Emeryss was going to meet the Goddess? The Goddess of Death?

  “She’s going to plead for help with the fighting. To protect Neeria from the RCA. But some people never come back from the journey, so…” She looked back at her father on his boat. “It’s gotten us all worried. We’re just trying to stay busy…”

  The heart he thought he’d just lost in the cold sand had warmed. Emeryss still loved him—hopefully. Enough to tell her sister that much. And she was fighting, just like he was. She was still trying to find a way to help. And knowing her, she’d succeed.

  He dared to place a hand on Issolia’s arm and looked directly in her eyes. “Emeryss is one of the best Casters I’ve ever seen, and the universe always finds a way to work for her. She’ll come back, better than before, and when she does, please tell her I’ll be in Aurelis.”

  Issolia’s gold eyes swirled with the intensity he’d seen in Emeryss’s. She quickly nodded and cleared her throat. “I will, Grier.”

  If Emeryss wasn’t there, then he had to get back to the ship. They had a few more leads to follow about the kids being moved to Aurelis, and he wanted to be waiting for Emeryss when she got his message.

  “Thank you, Issolia.”

  She smiled and nodded at him.

  He turned back for the path out of Neeria and found Kylah staring at him at the edge of the beach.

  Chapter 20

  Neeria — Revel

  Grier walked past her. “You followed me down here?”

  Checking up on him was too far. His mother had taken his letters, and now Kylah was checking in on him, too?

  “That’s why we went out of our way to make this stop?” She yelled after him, staying at his heels. “You’re the one who said I had to trust you—”

  “I don’t have to explain myself to you.” He hurried up the path.

  “No, but you do have a mission to save these kids that you said you care so much about, and you just wasted several hours of our time, flying out of the way to ask about some girl? Is that the woman you can’t be matched with? We could be in the next city by now—”

  He continued without her.

  “You—you could have been honest with me.”

  Honest with her? He wanted to be honest with everyone, but they were the ones who couldn’t deal with what he had to say. “No. You can’t handle—”

  “Yes, I can. I’m not an idiot—”

  “It’s not about intelligence.”

  “Well, I’m not a spy either. We’re working together, we’re a team. I deserve to know the truth if it affects or changes what we’re doing—”

  “Honest about which part? Huh?” He stopped and faced her. “That I’m in love with Emeryss? That I had to come and speak with her because my mother was trying to keep me from her?”

  “Emeryss?” Kylah’s eyes widened. “But you said… Why did you lie about that?”

  “She’s a Neerian, Kylah, and I had to lie about it for the same reason I can’t explain this to you.” He held up his scarred finger. “If I told anyone, it puts her life in danger because of who she is. It puts me in danger, too. Or do you want me to admit that I’m ready to forsake my entire lineage to be with her and keep her safe? How many truths do you want?”

  Kylah stood still, eyes blinking.

  He was speaking a language Stadholdens didn’t understand. It was near madness to willingly throw away everything he’d been raised to hold onto.

  “My mother would pull out her own fingernails to keep me in line and matched with a Stadholden. She would assassinate the king to keep me from being with a Neerian. I understand that I delayed the mission by a few hours, but this is none of your damn business and you had no right to follow me.”

  She blinked and swallowed. “Okay, but I’m not against you—”

  He turned to leave her there.

  Her hand held him back. “When I told you about us being good matches, I meant to say that while I had been looking forward to the matches, I d
on’t blindly follow orders either, and you have a reputation…”

  He arched an eyebrow at her.

  “You have a reputation for doing things… differently. And since your return, I understood you don’t care about Stadholden traditions anymore. We’re perfect—”

  He wasn’t hearing this again. She could think what she wanted, but he wasn’t going through with his matches.

  “Let me finish.” She stepped in front of him. “We’re good matches because I understand. I was actually volunteered for this mission by my commander because I question his orders… often. Your mother just sort of jumped on it. I’m not going to come between you and Emeryss. I don’t want to cause you any trouble. I am not your mother, so please, trust me and just be honest next time.”

  “How can I trust you?”

  She looked down for a second before her eyes found his. “Because yes, I like you, but you want to fix things, and I trust you. Well, until recently.” She half-laughed.

  He rubbed his forehead with his thumb. His mother had known he’d been writing to Emeryss. His brother had, too. Orr knew she was alive. What would be the harm now that Kylah knew? “Don’t snoop again.”

  “Don’t lie, and I won’t have to.” She grinned.

  He went ahead of her. “That’s not how this works.”

  “Actually…” She jogged to catch up. “If we’re being honest from now on, it was just kind of an accident that I caught you speaking to that woman. I came to get you because we received a headline from the Messenger.”

  He glanced over at her keeping pace with him toward Fegrin.

  “The king and his advisors are going forward with the RCA Ethereal Series,” she said. “It’s being held in two days in Aurelis. The attack on Advisor Ednor was unfortunate, so they said, but to carry on was the Revelian thing to do.”

  It was foolish to continue with the tournament, though. From their perspective, the Ingini were a threat. The REV were a threat.

  Grier scratched his jaw.

  They were in the middle of a war, they’d tightened down all of the grimoire handouts to essential only, and Ingini had tech that could teleport them into Aurelis instantaneously. Granted, they’d destroyed that ship, but recreating a smaller ship or system that could Teleport wouldn’t be difficult.