by Frank Morin
The problem was, most of the high lords and ladies would feel the same way. The long discussion would have confirmed Connor’s fears that they were indeed facing a long, bloody conflict except for one vital advantage they hadn’t yet discussed. He and Evander had considered it in one of their long inner dialogues, seated in comfortable chairs in Evander’s secret inner library.
“All of this information is good to know,” he said, joining the conversation for the first time in over half an hour, “but we can’t ignore the leverage we have over everyone. With slate and marble gone, soapstone is the last major tertiary battle stone.”
“Not so major at the moment,” Kilian admitted.
“I’m sure the elementals will settle down eventually,” Connor said, “but if it comes to a fight, we’ll all tempt soapstone. We can’t afford not to.”
General Wolfram leaned forward and said, “You speak of threatening to break soapstone.”
The clever general didn’t look surprised by the idea, and no doubt he had already begun planning how to leverage their forces without Water Moccasins and Spitters. Most of the others didn’t take the news so well. Kilian looked pained, but resigned.
Looking horrified, Rosslyn exclaimed, “You can’t!”
“Thank you for making my point,” Connor said. He understood her fear better than anyone, but he’d already lost all of his tertiaries. Spitters and Pathfinders, Water Moccasins and Longseers were the last of the mighty tertiaries, and they had to feel terrified of losing their affinities too. The fact that no one outside of their core team knew how the others had been broken would fuel fear and rumors.
“I have considered the idea,” Ailsa confirmed what Connor had suspected. “I would prefer not to have to use that leverage.”
“Unless there is no other alternative,” Verena said.
Ivor sighed, looking as pained as Kilian and Rosslyn. He’d already lost marble. Aifric was muttering softly to herself, probably holding a conference to keep the Spitters among her mind sisters from angrily joining the conversation.
Shona’s face lit up and she exclaimed, “It wouldn’t be all bad. Think about it. We could settle the entire war with an even bigger bash fight than Lossit valley!”
All of the Boulders and Rumblers in the room perked up at that. There would be no one to interfere, to cut the bash fight short. Even Verena started nodding to herself, clearly tempted by the idea of joining a massive bash fight brawl.
Hamish chuckled. “Except then the war would last forever. You’d all find ways to keep extending the bash fight indefinitely.”
Shona smiled and spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “I can think of worse futures.”
“As tempting as that future might be, it is unlikely to deliver us the succession we hope for,” Ailsa said apologetically. “Connor is right. The threat of breaking soapstone is a powerful weapon, but threats are less effective than gifts.”
Hamish saluted. “Cake over sticks? I’d take cake any day.”
Kilian rolled his eyes but said, “I concur. Let’s go with cake. We can just as easily spread the knowledge that we know how my mother broke slate and marble, and that we possess the knowledge to restore those affinities.”
That was a good point. Connor couldn’t imagine a high house that wouldn’t be immensely motivated by such a proposal.
“We can do that?” Rosslyn asked, sounding awed.
“Yes, we can,” Ailsa stated. “Understanding this fact is one of the reasons I invited you to join our meeting today. I need you to know all the good we can bring to Obrion. I have also ensured that Lord Eoghan’s spies working among our administration staff have also caught word of this vital piece of information.”
“Already?” Jean asked with a grin.
“There is no time to waste. He will consider it a great coup, but I will carry this same secret to Donleavy and use it to help secure my position there. I leave at first light.”
Connor blinked and sat up straighter, pushing his other worries aside. He hadn’t expected her to leave the safety of the army. She’d just said she expected High Lord Feichin to try usurping the throne.
“They’ll try to have you killed,” Shona warned.
“Some will want to,” Ailsa said calmly. “But they will not succeed. I will assume control as interim regent before Feichin or one of the others can consolidate their hold over Donleavy. I have not worked so hard for so long to prepare this nation for change only to face yet another tyrant.”
She spoke with such conviction, Connor had no doubt she knew exactly what to do to get her way, but even with the leverage of knowing how to restore affinities, the others didn’t look so convinced. It was a bold decision on her part. Usually she didn’t step to the fore and take charge, but worked in the shadows, pulling strings and manipulating everything to her eventual planned outcome. If she felt seizing the throne during the transition was necessary, Connor pitied anyone who tried to stop her.
Because he would destroy them. No way would he let her strode alone and undefended into the heart of danger again. He might be missing most of his affinities, but he had enough to keep her safe.
“I will come with you,” he stated, trying to project the same calm assurance she did. He did not plan to let anyone dissuade him.
“No, my boy, but I definitely need you to help,” Ailsa said. Connor sighed. He knew better than to think he could argue Ailsa into changing her mind. Besides, her plan would no doubt be amazing. Even without obsidian, she was the most brilliant and devious person Connor knew.
So he asked, “What do you have in mind?”
“One of the greatest threats still hanging over every single high house is the threat of their own children rising against them and attempting to murder them if they surrender or embrace our revolution.”
“That’s right. The queen implanted mind bombs in the children,” Shona said in a disgusted tone.
Connor agreed. Verena looked as horrified by that act of barbaric cowardice as he felt. Shona and Ailsa had survived in the queen’s dangerous court with their minds intact, but the queen ensured loyalty of most of the other houses by that implied threat. It had proven incredibly successful too. Who would risk their children?
Ailsa continued. “It is their greatest fear, and our best opportunity to secure their gratitude and willingness to negotiate. If we can free their children from her mind bombs, plus promise to restore the broken affinities, we will not only demonstrate our power, but demonstrate it through compassion. I believe this will do more to secure our eventual victory than anything else.”
“You can do that?” Rosslyn asked, emotion strong in her voice.
Ailsa gave her a compassionate smile. “I believe so, and I think we should start with your children, don’t you?”
Rosslyn nodded, blinking rapidly as tears filled her eyes. She didn’t seem able to speak for a moment, but finally managed to say, “Please.”
Ailsa glanced at Connor and he said, “I’ll do what I can.”
Student Eighteen spoke up. “And I’ll help.”
Ailsa smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, my dear. I had hoped you would volunteer. Together, I believe you two will succeed, and that success will directly help our efforts to stop the war and bring reconciliation.”
Ivor grinned. “And since you’re the one directing Connor and Aifric, their success will secure your control over the throne until we can negotiate our treaties and choose a new monarch.”
“Brilliant,” Shona said. “I couldn’t have orchestrated it better myself.”
That was a high compliment. There was a time when Shona would have plotted feverishly to figure out how to orchestrate rising to the throne. Connor was so glad she had joined their side instead.
“I will have need of your skills soon enough, Lady Shona, have no fear,” Ailsa told her. Connor wondered what she had planned for Shona. She’d worked to subtly influence Shona ever since Shona was summoned to Donleavy. She’d identified Shona as a potential
ally long before Connor had believed it was possible.
Aunt Ailsa would make such a perfect interim regent. Whoever was eventually chosen as the new monarch would have to work extremely hard to keep up with the good she would accomplish.
“I will still need security to ensure my plans are not interfered with too much,” Ailsa added and turned again to General Rosslyn. “If you will swear interim fealty to me, I invite you to choose a thousand trusted soldiers to form my personal guard.”
Connor grinned. Simply brilliant. Ailsa had already sealed Rosslyn to her by promising to free her children, and now she was deftly taking an entire army under her command. She’d have to be careful not to get used to owning an army, though. Jean hadn’t been able to get rid of hers, despite trying awful hard until she realized she deserved it and could do more good with her flights than anyone else.
Rosslyn beamed. “If no one objects?” She glanced around the table, letting the question hang in the air.
Kilian smiled with that roguish charm of his. “Ailsa, you’re brilliant, and Rosslyn, you’re a good girl. I believe you’ll keep your word.”
“Thank you,” she said sincerely.
“Of course, if you betray Ailsa, I’ll destroy your entire house, then hunt you down last,” Kilian said in the same friendly tone.
She blanched, but met his gaze, even though ice began growing over one of his eyes. “On my honor, I will keep Ailsa safe, or die trying.”
“Good.”
Then the ice crystals erupted out of Kilian’s eye, spraying across the table. He winced and rubbed his face. “Curse Water for her pettiness.”
“Just pretend you did it on purpose,” Hamish suggested. He’d woken up at some point, and looked refreshed from his nap. When Connor wasn’t looking, he’d produced a miniature version of Verena’s engine and was using it to power a tiny travel stove. It smelled like he was cooking another of those omelets. They were so good, Connor tried gesturing to him that he wanted one, but Hamish pretended not to notice. He’d been sulking about the loss of glutton crafting ever since the storm.
Shona said, “I have no objection either. Rosslyn is one of the few high nobles I still respect, and I believe she will play an important role in shaping Obrion’s future.”
Rosslyn looked moved by the vote of confidence. Connor completely trusted Ailsa’s ability to judge people, and felt confident she’d just sealed another supporter to her. Rosslyn seemed like a true patriot, one who had served the queen out of duty. That duty should transfer readily to Ailsa as the best option for securing Obrion’s future.
But he still wasn’t going to let her walk into Donleavy alone. “Kilian, will you help me create an autonomous summoning?”
“If Water doesn’t interfere. What do you have in mind?” Kilian asked.
“No offense to you or your troops, Rosslyn, but I want Ailsa to have a little more protection.”
“I’ll be fine,” Ailsa assured him.
“I’m going to ensure it,” Connor told him. “I’ll follow your plan, but you have to give me this.”
“What exactly do you propose?” she asked.
“We’ll create an autonomous summoning, and I’ll give it the commands to defend you and to obey your commands.”
“Can you do all that?” Verena asked. The others looked surprised. Even Kilian looked intrigued.
Connor tapped the side of his head. “With the information I’ve gathered from Evander’s memories, I believe I can.”
“If it works, I will gladly accept the help,” Ailsa said with a smile, then rubbed her hands together and said eagerly, “For now, let’s get to work, people. We have a kingdom to set to right.”
70
The Promise of a Very Interesting Life
Verena accelerated easily into the sky on half thruster, banking gently to take the Swift out over the river. Twilight covered Crann in a gentle blanket, and the city lights were already glowing like a million tiny pieces of limestone.
“I’m glad we can enjoy the view of Crann and not have to plot how to destroy it,” Connor said from the cramped passenger seat right behind her. He didn’t complain about the tight space, and only once had he commented on how much easier it had been to fly untethered with Air. He was coping well with the loss of so many affinities, but it had to be a monumental challenge.
They were headed up to Battalion One, which hovered three thousand feet above, and slightly north of Crann. Luckily the interference that Water and Air were causing among Petralists didn’t seem to affect quickened stones activated by Builders. Verena was tired, but happy with the progress they’d made in the meeting. Without Ailsa’s brilliant planning, she feared they would have still faced months of war, but they might just pull of a surprise peace, and she was more than happy with that.
Connor still tired easily, but was recovering well in both mind and body, and she had no doubt he’d regain his optimistic good humor soon. He was trying, but she knew how hard it was for him.
About halfway up to the Battalion, Verena slowed and lowered the window shields. Up there the air was cool and fresh, the night peaceful, and for a moment they simply hovered, the thrusters’ low humming the only sound. Connor started massaging her shoulders, and she sighed with pleasure as her tension faded beneath his fingers.
As much as she liked positioning him in that back seat so he was encouraged to give her regular massages, she still looked forward to finishing the next model Swift. She was already working on it with a team of Builders on Battalion Two. It would be slightly larger than her current Swift, with two seats side by side. That would make flying together more comfortable.
After a moment of comfortable silence Verena asked, “How are you holding up, Connor?”
He didn’t respond immediately, but continued massaging her shoulders. She wasn’t about to complain. Finally he said, “I’m trying not to think about everything I lost.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to destroy all of your affinities. That would have been too much,” Verena said. Connor had sacrificed so much so many times, she hated that he’d needed to sacrifice even his affinities. If only she’d figured out how to hurt the queen sooner, or if she’d monitored Nicklaus more closely. Maybe Connor would have found a different way.
“Me too. At least the few I have left feel stronger, somehow,” he said thoughtfully.
That was interesting. Verena wondered if he was having a similar reaction to many people who lost one of their limbs, or their sight or hearing. Their other senses often sharpened to exceptional levels to compensate. She knew a woman who had lost her hands and who had developed remarkable flexibility and strength in her legs and feet, grasping things almost as securely as her hands.
He paused, just letting his hands rest on her shoulders. “I lost basic limestone, so shouldn’t be able to manipulate light, but visible light is only a tiny fraction of the energy frequencies, and I can manipulate all that energy. Look.”
She followed his gesture to the left, and gasped in wonder as a plate-sized patch of light materialized nearby. It started as white, then turned red, then pink, the blue, then split into a breathtaking rainbow of colors that flowed into the Swift and shimmered along her control panels. Verena reached out to touch the light. It felt warm against her skin.
“This is amazing,” she breathed.
“Evander and I have been discussing it, and a few other things I should try,” Connor said, and when she twisted to look back at him, he was smiling. “I think I’ll have some fun with it.”
Seeing him smile eased a cold knot of tension in her heart, and she grinned. “I can’t wait to test it with you.”
“It’ll be nice to have some time for pure research.”
“This war can’t end soon enough,” she agreed. “Do you think we can find time to slip away and visit our families?”
“That would be nicer than sending them a letter announcing our betrothal,” Connor agreed. “I don’t think my mother would forgive me if I didn’
t visit, but I don’t think I can leave any time soon. We have all those children to free from the queen’s mind bombs.”
Verena shivered. “You’re right, that’s more important, but as soon as we can after that.”
“All right.” He chuckled and added, “It’s going to be interesting getting our families together.”
She decided to hope everything would go well. She loved Connor’s wonderful parents and enthusiastic siblings. Her father had made great strides in opening his mind to their union, but she hoped he didn’t say anything offensive to Connor’s parents. Hendry was a good man, so she didn’t doubt he’d throw her father out a window if he had to.
“It wouldn’t be such a challenge if someone hadn’t waited until right before a battle to propose,” she teased.
Connor groaned and wrapped his arms around her, moving his face close beside hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I was a fool.”
“I still love you,” she said, turning to kiss him. “Let’s not hold back important decisions until it’s too late from now on, okay?”
“Okay,” he agreed and leaned down to kiss her neck. She shivered with pleasure, so grateful they hadn’t delayed their engagement until it was too late.
Connor seemed to be thinking along the same lines because he said, “Verena, let’s make every day count. I almost lost you, and you almost lost me. We can’t know how long we have, so let’s not waste time.”
She leaned her head back against him, feeling almost overwhelmed with a sense of contentedness. “I agree completely.”
Connor extended one hand past her shoulder, and she was amazed to see him holding a large piece of Althing chocolate cake in a bowl, with a tiny dessert fork sticking out the top. “Then let’s start now by not letting this cake go to waste.”