Architects of Ether

by Ryan Muree

  And she would, too.

  Clove went to leave, but Kimpert reached for her through the bars. “Dimmur kids were never smart enough to shut their damned mouths! The grimoires will end this, Clove!”

  “Are innocent people going to die?” Clove yanked her arm free but didn’t look back. “And are you going to make money off of their deaths somehow?”

  Kimpert narrowed her stare. “This is war—”

  Clove walked off toward the bridge with Jahree and Urla in tow.

  “You’re about to ruin everything, and it’ll be your fault!” Kimpert shouted.

  A traitor was selling their grimoires to Ingini, and now they had something else to worry about.

  Emeryss and the others made for the bridge, too, leaving Kimpert and the mining foreman behind in their cages.

  Chapter 14

  Pigyll — Ingini

  Clove closed her eyes and wiped her face. The tears wouldn’t stop. The hate, the anger wouldn’t stop.

  At least they’d given her room.

  She sat perched on the back of Pigyll, watching the stars.

  A hatch opened somewhere behind her, and the thudding of footsteps on the metal approached.

  Jahree grunted and took a seat next to her. “It’s not that bad at night.”

  She sighed, it wasn’t that bad normally, but maybe to a Revelian her land was barely passable. “Is Ingini really that bad?”

  He sighed. “It’s more desolate than I’d imagined. It’s like everything must be clustered in the cities. We have people and towns everywhere. It’s yellow here, too.”

  She made a face at him. “Yellow?”

  “The air.”

  “More like green? And that’s only in some places. It’s because we’re near the mine. Or if you’re near the swamps in the south, and sometimes the cities on bad days can get a little… Okay, so it’s only the northern coast that’s pretty clear.”

  He drew up his knees and smiled.

  “Is Revel really that much nicer?” she asked.

  “Beautiful. Everywhere is breathtaking. Green hills, rolling plains, jagged coastlines with clear beaches. Clear skies, greenery everywhere. But it’s a mask.”

  She looked at him.

  “It’s a mask. Just like Kimpert, we apparently have someone working to destroy us from the inside out. Letting people go without, go hungry, die in silly wars…”

  “Who do you think Silverfox is?”

  He rubbed his face with both hands. “I have no idea. What do you think is the big deal with the Goliath?”

  She blinked. Was it worth telling him? If Kimpert was right, even if it made people rich in Ingini, would it be worth hiding it from the enemy?

  No. It couldn’t be worth hiding, because of Cayn… Cayn was still alive. And whatever the Goliath could do, if it killed tons of people, she didn’t want Cayn to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  And who exactly was the enemy?

  Jahree looked at her. Eyes the color of rich soil, a softness to his slight smile.

  He certainly wasn’t the enemy, and he deserved to know what she feared about the Goliath.

  But telling him would be telling the other Revelians, too. And Adalai, she hated.

  Still, had the shoe been on the other foot this whole time, Clove would have taken them captive, too.

  She would have turned them into the authorities at once, not even given them the chance to speak. It wouldn’t have been her problem to deal with. They’d been tortured for information, killed, used.

  They could have done the same with her, but they’d kept her on. Jahree, especially, had worried about her, looked out for her. He wasn’t what she thought Revelians were.

  “Any ideas?” he asked. “Because I’m at a loss. What can an airship like that do?”

  “Shoot,” she said.

  He looked at her.

  “The cannon in Fort Damned, the laser, it had miniature versions of itself. Remember?”

  He nodded and winced. “Yeah, about that—”

  “You took it off Pigyll. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

  “We might have sold yours in Revel. In my defense that was before we knew we were going to Ingini though.”

  She shook her head.

  “Mykel and I got a great deal on it.”

  “That doesn’t help,” she said. “But I’m thinking if the UA mounted a bigger one on a bigger airship, then…”

  His eyes lit. “A cannon on an airship.”

  “Mine was stolen off a transport to a UA base. I bought it off the underground market in Luckless.”

  “Luckless.” He scoffed. “These names sound depressing. You’ve got yellow-green air, a desolate country, and these horrible names.”

  She shrugged. She kinda liked them. Felt real. Felt accurate.

  “Then I guess that’s what the Goliath can do, right? That makes the most sense?”

  She nodded. “That’s my best guess.”

  “You didn’t have to tell us about the Goliath.” He stretched his legs out and yawned. “You didn’t have to tell us anything.”

  She knew that. And there was no telling what was ahead of her or what Adalai would do next. But she wanted Jahree to keep up his end of the deal, and he wasn’t the bad guy in all this. He was the only one caring about helping her.

  She also wanted the war to end, her brother back, and her little place in Nilkham. And there was no way any of that would be possible with a never-ending war.

  “So, why did you tell me?”

  She picked at the hem of her jumper. “I trust you.”

  After a brief silence, she met his stare, and he smiled. “That makes me feel better. I know Adalai can be a pain in the ass, but we’re not all bad.”

  “Neither are we.”

  “I know.”

  He was too intense, sitting there that close, and yet she couldn’t pull herself away.

  Maybe it was because of how nice he’d been in a terrible time, but everything with Jahree felt simple, easy. It felt like they understood each other.

  The pause lingered.

  “My brother might be dead, but I don’t want to give up hope just yet. I survived. He could have, too. If I help you, and stop this war, or stop it enough that I can get him back, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  “If that’s what you think is on that ship, Adalai will want to stop it even more,” he said.

  She groaned. “I hate to say it, but I think she’s probably right.”

  His warm shoulder brushed hers. “I won’t tell her that if you don’t.”

  She chuckled.

  “You still hate us?” he asked with a smirk.

  She grinned. “Let me think. You locked me in a cage…”

  “I got you healed up.”

  “Adalai tried to torture me…”

  “I kept you fed and gave you water.”

  “Oh, gee!”

  “I made sure you were comfortable, keeping the temperature in the cargo hold warmer.”

  That had actually been pretty nice, but she couldn’t let him go that easily. “Are you kidding?”

  “I got you the room after we did Warstory.”

  “Which was still tricky of you.”

  “Hey, I’m just a military guy trying to do his thing.”

  “Your people made me go into that mine.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut. “Can I blame Adalai for that one?”

  She smiled again. “I would have done worse to you, honestly.”

  He laughed.

  “I guess I don’t hate you after all.”

  He lifted his fist in a short cheer. “Yes!”

  “But I reserve the right to kill Adalai eventually.”

  He nodded, though she wasn’t sure he believed her.

  After Adalai had kidnapped the foreman and Kimpert, Clove had put Cayn’s gun back in its hidden panel by Pigyll’s ignition switch. She didn’t trust herself not to kill Kimpert while the others slept. And she was a bigger threat
than needing the gun to kill Adalai though Adalai definitely had a few screws loose.

  “You know,” Jahree said, “I was pretty poor, too. Joining the RCA put food on my family’s table.”

  His family? “You’re married?”

  He shook his head. “My mom and dad, and my little brother. Marriage, commitment—That is the last thing I want. The world’s too crazy.”

  Exactly. He understood. Why couldn’t Mack? “Why bring a family into something that’s already a mess, right? What does marrying get you exactly? Promises can’t always be kept. People can hurt one another, obviously. The world is insane. I agree.”

  He knocked her shoulder with his own. “We’re not that different, yeah?”

  They weren’t.

  And in a different time, in a different situation, maybe she and Jahree…

  She shook it off with a sharp inhale. “Joining the UA helps us stay fed, too. I wanted to join for the money, but my brother was always against it. He was the best shot I’d ever seen, but he’d only kill if he absolutely had to.” She ducked her head. “He was an escort instead. He liked sex more than killing things.”

  Jahree’s eyes widened. “Smart man. That’s not the worst thing, right? Whatever makes people happy and pays for food.”

  She giggled.

  “Look at you, joking with me, telling me Ingini secrets…”

  She scoffed. “I confessed I didn’t hate you, but you never said if you hate me.”

  “I thought it was obvious.” His voice dropped an octave, his tone genuine. Just like that, he was intense all over again, a sensation overwhelmingly larger than life.

  “So, you do hate me?” Sarcasm was easier than being serious, especially sitting this close to him.

  “More like the opposite of hate.”

  Her eyes bulged, her heart dropped. What did he—?

  “I mean, you know, not the opposite opposite of hate, but yeah. I’ll shut up.”

  She laughed. “So, neither one of us is the worst person we’ve ever met.”

  He sighed. “That’s a safe answer. You’ve apparently met someone who skins people. Do I want to know?”

  “Absolutely not. It’s worse than it sounds.” She shook her head, shoving Trent out of her thoughts. Though, she liked him a tiny bit more knowing he was stealing from Kimpert that whole time.

  Can you guys come back inside? Adalai wants to discuss tomorrow.

  Clove had heard it clear as day. It was distinctly not her voice but was also not said aloud. “What in the world was that?” She spun looking for the source.

  “It’s Sonora.” He stood and stretched.

  “That’s why you guys look like idiots staring off into space sometimes?” Clove nodded. “I get it now. It’s a total invasion over your current thoughts.”

  “But it’s saved our asses a time or two. Come on.” He offered his hand to help her up, and she took it.

  Back on the bridge, the door leading to the cargo hold had been shut.

  The others stood leaning against the walls and the chairs. Vaughn was laughing, holding his sides.

  “It’s not that funny,” Sonora said.

  “Yeah, it is. You all were yourselves just multiplied. I mean, it’s hilarious. Grier pulling out random weapons. Sonora crying—”

  “I had good reason—”

  “Then Adalai becoming a mega-bitch, and Clove—” His eyes fell on her, and his mouth snapped shut.

  “And Clove what?” she asked.

  Emeryss shrugged. “I was telling them how terrible the mines were. That you were right. I never want to go back in again.”

  Vaughn wiped the corner of his eye. “Except she made it sound awesome, at least to witness.”

  Adalai stood and shoved him over. “Until you have a massive headache and you’re puking up black tar. We ready to discuss this?”

  “What’s there to discuss?” Sonora asked. “They have an airship that Kimpert believes is bad enough that it could end the war. Can we even trust her? What if she’s trying to save herself?”

  “She’s telling the truth,” Clove announced. Adalai hissed, but she ignored her. “That guy, Mack, at the mine, he told me the same thing. It’s an X-Class ship—”

  “X-Class?” Jahree asked. “Are you sure?”

  “He said bigger than Super S,” she continued. “Enormous. And I think they want to strap lasers to it.”

  Gasps and groans went around the room.

  “How do you know this?” Adalai squinted at her.

  “I don’t know it for sure, but…” Their eyes on her were distraught but encouraging. “For lack of better words, the laser in Marana was… successful. They had made miniature ones with mounts prepared on them for airships. They were much much smaller, but that’s what I had on my ship.”

  Sonora’s face paled. “They’re going to strap that laser from the wall on an airship?”

  “It’s the only thing I can think of.” Clove took a deep breath.

  “Why tell us?” Adalai asked, arms crossing.

  Adalai didn’t trust her. Well, she didn’t trust her either, but Adalai didn’t have a choice.

  “Jahree promised he’d help me find my brother. I don’t like Revel, but it’s not like I’m a fan of Ingini either. It’s hard to live and survive. But all of us normal people, who work hard and do what we can, we still lose our loved ones. If I can’t stop this war so I can live my damn life, then so be it. But I want it to cost Kimpert everything, and I want my brother back.”

  Adalai looked at Jahree for a second before looking at Urla and Emeryss. “Okay, then let’s come up with a plan.”

  “You’re not suggesting that we actually do something about this airship, are you?” Emeryss asked. “How? We don’t even know where it is or—”

  “Sufford,” Clove said. “It’s in Sufford. Underground. The tracks we were at in the mine with all the crates probably would have led us right to it.”

  Both Emeryss and Sonora shook their heads.

  “I’m not going back in there,” Sonora said.

  “That’s one way in. Sufford is a town. I’m sure there are other ways to get into it,” Clove said.

  Grier bent forward over the chair he’d been leaning against. “So, what? So, what if we find the airship? What in Goddess’s name are we going to do with it?”

  “Destroy it,” Adalai and Vaughn said in unison.

  “I don’t want to see that laser on an airship,” Sonora said.

  “I don’t think I can stop something like that if they did,” Emeryss added. “Entire shields around cities? No way.”

  “But our side would shoot the airship down as it tried to cross the border,” Jahree said. “A ship that big wouldn’t get very far. Especially if it moved in near Stadhold. Keepers would help shoot it down on their end of the wall.”

  Grier nodded.

  Adalai paced the floor between the rows of chairs. “If you had a laser that could destroy everything in its path, you wouldn’t worry about walking in the front door. But I’m fairly certain they don’t want the library destroyed, especially if they’re stealing grimoires. They’re not going to go for Stadhold. They want Aurelis, I’m sure.”

  “Think of their attacks,” Urla said, resting on her cane. “They’ve been picking off the border towns—Delour, Marana, Kularn. To make it easier to get in I suppose?”

  The bridge fell silent.

  “A ship that big would just go over it,” Clove said.

  They looked at her.

  “I know you don’t believe me, but I was at Fort Damned when it started. I was there having my airship unloaded by the UA. They were calm, collected. Nothing was going on, and then suddenly, the alarms went off, everyone scrambled. I was told to get out as fast as possible. And I did. I pulled this airship up and out as quickly as I could, and we were already surrounded. Revel was already on top of us.” She glanced at Adalai. She wasn’t looking at her, but she wasn’t ignoring her either.

  “You said there was
a Super S-Class ship there in that fight,” Mykel said, lounging back in a chair. Adalai’s fake pink animal thing played at his boot laces. “But there was nothing that big registered to be in the area that night. We all know when they’re moving the bigger ships in.”

  “But it was there,” Clove said. “It was massive and incredibly high in the air. The other ships were tiny. They zipped around and shot at UA fighters. And this ship…” Clove shook her head. “At the time, I thought it looked like a spiritship to bring the dead. It had fog around it and all these clouds. The Casters on it were generating the storm, or I thought so anyway.”

  Adalai’s head turned to Vaughn and Jahree.

  “What? What is it?” Clove asked.

  “That’s what we do. It clouds an invasion,” Vaughn said. “It’s part of the surprise.”

  “And they didn’t tell us,” Mykel said, staring at the ground.

  “They didn’t tell you because it was going to be right on top of you in the middle of an advisor’s wedding,” Grier said.

  “So now you believe me?” Clove asked.

  “We would have heard about it,” Adalai said. “There are only so many Super S-Class ships that we have. We wouldn’t have just used…” Her voice trailed, her gaze darted. “The guppy flyers to pick up Emeryss weren’t late. They said they were on time, but it didn’t make sense.”

  “They flew in with the rest of the air fleet out of Aurelis,” Sonora said.

  “And they weren’t taking me to Neeria, or Stadhold,” Emeryss said, eying Adalai.

  Adalai shrunk back a little. “They were taking you to Aurelis…”

  “Or the invasion,” Grier said. “General Orr didn’t tell you he was attacking. He didn’t tell you he wasn’t taking Emeryss to Stadhold. He put all of you on the ground underneath the invasion.”

  Jahree looked at Adalai. “And if they flew high enough, Sonora wouldn’t have heard them. We wouldn’t have noticed.”

  Adalai rubbed her forehead. The rest of them looked sick to their stomachs.

  “So, maybe the UA’s plan is to do the same,” Clove said. “To bring this laser-using airship too high to be detected by even Revel.”

  Mykel clicked his tongue. “If Ingini and Revel are working together behind the scenes, as Kimpert says, then why attack each other? Why not just make it look like war, and you never have to waste the resources?”