by Jordan Rivet
Selivia bit her lip. She wanted to reassure Zala that she understood. At the same time, Zala was keeping her from helping her own family. The things they needed smashed against each other like two fighting bullshells. That must have been what Zala meant. Communion wasn’t possible when they had different needs.
Selivia wondered if her big brother shared communion with Dara. They were desperately in love, but Dara’s father was a mountain-sized problem. She had taken Siv’s side to protect him, yet she still felt bad about disappointing her parents. Selivia wondered if it was even something they could overcome. She had always thought love would be enough, but Dara had still been terribly sad and confused the last time they talked about it. The world was a lot more complicated than Selivia had once thought. She wondered if that meant she was growing up.
For her part, she had communion with her sister at least. She didn’t understand why Sora had allowed the Fireworkers to leave the mountain to fight in her name. The treacherous Lantern Maker must have forced her to do it. Selivia felt uneasy over the fact that her sister was going through something she couldn’t fully understand—and possibly making decisions she couldn’t agree with.
She shifted in her chair. She should worry about things she could control. She didn’t know if that included the true dragon yet. She had always felt a connection with animals. Even creatures other people called grotesque were living beings with quirks and personalities. She and the true dragon both wanted to escape the Far Plains. She hoped that would be enough to keep him from eating her for breakfast. The question was whether she could convince him to carry her where she wanted to go.
Shuffling footsteps announced Ananova’s return to the dwelling. Selivia leapt to her feet, upsetting Lightning Bug, who had been snoozing by her ankles. He yelped and darted around her feet in a frantic circle.
“Ananova! Is there any news?”
“The Air struggles,” Ananova said. She went over to Zala and rested a hand on her shoulder. It wasn’t clear whether she meant to comfort or lean on her niece for support. The cheery, talkative woman who had welcomed them to Sunset City was gone. Deep circles shadowed Ananova’s eyes now, haunted by pain and weariness. “It carries so much pain, but it is no longer restricted. Our brothers and sisters to the south have stopped calling upon it for their barrier.”
“Why?” Zala asked.
“We are not sure. The attacks may have stretched farther than we imagined.”
Selivia knew she should be worried, but she felt a burst of hope. “So there’s not a barrier anymore?”
“No, child.”
“There’s something else,” Zala said, studying her aunt. Selivia wondered if Zala had a touch of the Air Sense herself.
“Fodorov and some of the others believe the Soolens are fighting the Vertigonians with a magical substance.”
Zala gasped. “Is that possible?”
“I do not know. But the fighting has been so terrible . . . The Fireworkers didn’t just sweep in and destroy the Soolens, as they should have with their power. They took them by surprise, but now the Soolens are fighting back.”
“With Fire?” Selivia said.
“Perhaps. There are blinding flashes and explosions on both sides. It’s possible the magic clashes caused the barrier to fall.”
“Could . . . could the Soolens defeat the Fireworkers?”
The Vertigonians must have believed they’d win an easy victory. Selivia feared for Sora. Her sister couldn’t have known that the army was in real danger when she let them leave Vertigon. Who’d have thought the Soolens had magic too?
“It is too soon to say,” Ananova said. “I came to find you for a different reason, child. The other Sensors believe you can help.”
Selivia glanced at Zala. Here it was. They were going to use her to protect themselves, friends or not. Perhaps it would work out for the best.
“Help how?”
“The Sensors Circle believes the Amintelles have the power to stop the violence.”
Selivia blinked. The power? Not as a hostage, then? She thought of the song about the “child of fire and rain, betwixt the mountain and the plain.” Could it be talking about Siv instead of her? Or even Sora? They were all scions of both Vertigon and Trure. She could see why the Sensors weren’t sure. But she didn’t have to rely on old songs. Her brother and sister would fix everything.
“Are . . . Are you going to help me talk to my family?”
Ananova gave a tired smile. “We can ask the Air if it will assist us. Now that the barrier has fallen, it should be easier. Come. I’d welcome a distraction from the ash and destruction.”
“How does it work? Do we have to climb the Rock? When can we start?”
“Easy, child,” Ananova said. “We will meditate together. It may take some time.”
“I’m ready.” Selivia clutched Ananova’s hand. “Who should I call first? My sister?”
“Vertigon is a source of terrible pain,” Ananova said. She grimaced, and Zala squeezed her hand. “Communication is difficult there. But we may petition the Air to carry your voice to other realms.”
“Siv, then,” Selivia said. “But I don’t know where he is. Can the Air help me find him?”
“We may ask,” Ananova said.
They ascended the Rock together. They didn’t climb all the way to the ledge where Selivia had seen the Sensors Circle before. All they needed was a flat plane above the hubbub of the city. They found a suitable spot and sat cross-legged on the stone.
“You must be patient,” Ananova said, taking Selivia’s hands in hers. “Empty your mind. Hold only the image of your brother in your thoughts. I will ask the Air to give me a channel.”
“How will I know if he can hear me?”
“You will know.”
Selivia and Ananova waited, sitting on the Rock far above the plain. They didn’t speak, didn’t move. Only breathed. A strong breeze wafted the vibrant smells of the blooming desert around them. The hair rose on Selivia’s scalp. She still wasn’t sure whether the wind carried the Air around or if the substance moved by itself. The way the Sensors talked about the Air giving gifts and speaking and leading, it was almost as if a person directed it. Would it speak to her?
Whatever they were listening for, within minutes, Selivia was certain she had never been more bored in her entire life. Emptying her mind was incredibly difficult. She kept wondering what Siv was doing and whether Dara and Vine had found him yet. She’d ask Ananova to help her talk to Vine next. It ought to be easier because Vine meditated with the Air herself. She could be trying to gather information in the wind just like the Far Plainsfolk! Not that Selivia should be thinking about that right now. Right. She had to be calm.
But every time her mind began to empty, she found herself going over what she and Zala had read about dragons or reviewing the new Far Plains vocabulary she had learned. She wondered if there was any truth to the theory that the Soolens were fighting with magic too. That would be crazy. She thought about Ivran for a bit, but the image of his sneering face only made her blood boil. Next, she thought about the Far Plains dress she was learning to sew and the paintings Fenn had been working on as they settled into their exile.
At one point, Ananova opened her eyes and breathed deeply and pointedly, as if to remind Selivia she should be calming herself. Oops. She could probably tell Selivia wasn’t very good at this. She hoped Ananova couldn’t hear the rather uncharitable things she’d been thinking about her son.
Selivia returned to thoughts of Fenn’s paintings. Her bodyguard had achieved a level of serenity that Selivia found both admirable and terribly dull. She couldn’t stand this quiet existence when there were so many exciting and horrible things going on in the world. But Fenn had found solace in art, turning the colors of the desert into beautiful images that rivaled the paintings on the Rock itself.
Thinking of the paintings evoked too many memories in Selivia’s mind, too many images that weren’t her brother waiting somewhere for her
to make contact. That wasn’t helpful.
So she focused on the colors.
She thought of Fenn mixing her paints to create new ones, how the hues swirled slowly together, becoming something new. Scarlet, amber, emerald, teal. It was mesmerizing, somehow managing to both calm and stimulate at the same time. Pearl, azure, ochre. Burnt umber. Deep lilac. Gold.
Suddenly, a whooshing sound filled Selivia’s ears, as if she’d stuck her entire head inside a tornado. The sensation made her dizzy. She fought for the calm Ananova had talked about. It was the most difficult thing she had ever done. She wasn’t a calm person. The world was a wonderful, exciting place. She loved bright colors and romance and intrigue and adventure. She had no interest in being calm when the world was so brilliant.
She forced herself to breathe slowly, imagining the colors of the rainbow shifting before her eyes, mixing like paint. Mixing and blending, distinct and cohesive, just like her family. She had to do this for them.
The wind quieted gradually. The rush of color surrounded and swallowed her. Then, contact. She still sat atop the ledge, but she sensed another presence now, uttering the deep, slow breaths of sleep. Somehow, she knew it wasn’t Ananova. The person whose breath she heard on the wind was very far away indeed.
“Siv?” she said. “Can you hear me?”
26.
Latch
SIV was deep in a dream. He’d taken Dara to a secluded waterfall on Square Peak. The spring snowmelt had turned the usual trickle into a flood. The water cascaded over a rocky cliff into a crystal-blue pool. It was twilight, and a Fire Lantern rested on a large rock beside the waterfall. The Firelight transformed the water into a flood of diamonds and Firejewels.
Siv stood beneath the waterfall, his feet inches from the icy water. Dara sat on the rocks above him across the stream from the Fire Lantern. The glittering light and soft shadows made her look like an ancient Fire goddess. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.
“Jump!” he called to her.
“I can’t swim.”
“Yes, you can. I’ll catch you!”
“You won’t.” Dara frowned, the magical light flickering in her eyes. “You’re the reason I’m here. Wyla would never have trapped me.”
Suddenly, in the way of dreams, Siv was sitting beside Dara on the rock. Mist from the waterfall sprayed their faces. It was the same silvery shade as Watermight. He touched her sword arm, the one that kept her confined to Pendark. It felt like ice.
“I vowed to protect you.”
“You’ve vowed things before.” She shifted away from him, suddenly appearing on the opposite side of the waterfall. She picked up the Fire Lantern and held it high. “My parents were right about you. They were right about everything.”
Siv shook his head. He’d always known Dara would have to make a final choice: him or her parents. The decision hung like a specter behind their every conversation. But he couldn’t believe she was choosing their side. Not now.
She continued to stare at him, the Firelight playing on her skin, and Siv wished he could wake up. At least he knew it was a dream.
Suddenly, his sisters were there, standing in the icy pool beneath the waterfall.
“Siv, can you hear me?” Selivia called.
“Of course,” Siv said. “I’m right here.”
Selivia looked around, not acknowledging him. Water seeped into her bright-yellow skirt. Sora stared straight at him with solemn, accusing eyes.
Selivia called out again. “Sivarrion Amintelle, can you hear me?”
“Yes. I’m here, Sel.”
“Siv?”
Sora folded her arms and surveyed him. “Honestly, Siv, do you intend to sleep all day?”
“Huh?”
Selivia was beginning to look distressed. “Siv, can’t you hear me? Blast. Why isn’t this working?”
“Siv,” Sora said, still not looking at her sister, “wake up.”
Siv sat bolt upright. He was in his room at headquarters. The first rays of dawn were peeking through the window. The details of his strange dream faded quickly. Dara had been there. What had they said to each other? Something about a choice? And Selivia had been searching for him even though he was right in front of her. What did that mean?
“Siv! It’s Selivia. Can you hear me?”
Siv jerked backward, banging his head painfully on the wall. Latch stirred in the next bed, grumbling softly.
The voice came again. “Siv, are you there?”
He had to be dreaming. But the bump on his head hurt! His legs were sore from yesterday’s training session, too. And that voice . . .
“Sel?” he whispered.
“Yes!”
“Where are you?”
“The Far Plains!”
Siv rubbed the back of his head, wondering if he’d hit it harder than he thought. “I must be going as crazy as a bullshell on a ship.”
“I’m using the Air.” Selivia’s voice was as clear as if she were standing at the foot of his bed. “Or my friend is using it to make a channel I can use to speak to you. Isn’t it magnificent? I’m staying in the Far Plains. It’s the most astonishing place. They have purlendogs and sand dancers and—” There was a muffled sound in the background. It didn’t come from within Siv’s room. “Right, sorry, the news.” Selivia cleared her disembodied throat. “I don’t have a lot of time. We’ve had news from the Sensors in Rallion City. The city has been captured.”
“I thought the Soolen army occupied Rallion City months ago.”
“They did. They were attacked. It’s the Fireworkers, Siv. The Lantern Maker led the Fireworkers off the mountain, and they’re using Fire Weapons in battle.”
“What? Why?”
“They mean to conquer the Lands Below. They’ve already killed Grandfather Atrin. The fighting is dreadful. You have to stop it.”
Siv wanted to leap up and pace, but he wasn’t sure if that would break the connection with his sister. He could hardly believe this was possible. Fire Weapons. What had Ruminor done?
“Is Mother with you?”
“No. She stayed behind in the Stronghold.” Selivia’s voice broke. “I couldn’t get her to leave with me.”
“What about Sora?” Siv asked. “Have you heard from her?”
“The Fireworkers say they’re fighting in her name. But Sora wouldn’t allow that, would she?”
“She must be a prisoner,” Siv said. “That damned Lantern Maker . . . I’m going to help her. I’m gathering resources to return to Vertigon.”
“I knew you’d help!” Selivia said. “But you need to hurry. These Fire Weapons are awful. They’ve already had the most horrible battles with the Soolens and the last of the Trurens. No one will tell me the exact details.” Selivia sounded both annoyed and relieved that she had been spared the gory details. Siv could imagine enough.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he said. “What about you? Are you safe?”
“Oh yes. The Far Plainsfolk are delightful!” Something in Selivia’s tone sounded forced, but he wasn’t sure if that was just the effort of speaking through the Air channel.
“Good. Are you staying with—?”
“Oh dear. I didn’t catch that.” There was a muffled sound. Then Selivia said, “We are losing the wind. This Air communication isn’t always stable. I still have to tell you about the Soo—”
“Sel?” Siv called. “I couldn’t hear that.”
“Magic . . . heard . . . not just . . . might . . . awful!”
“I can’t hear you so well anymore. Can you say that again?”
“Siv . . . connection . . . later.”
“Try to contact me again!” he shouted. “And don’t even think about leaving the Far Plains until I send for you!”
There was no answer. The connection was gone. Siv waited for a few seconds, questioning whether he had hallucinated the whole thing.
“What are you doing?” Latch asked.
Siv jumped. His roommate was sitting up an
d staring at him, his expression stony. Siv wasn’t sure whether or not Latch had heard the other voice in the room or if that had all been in his head.
“Talking to my sister,” he said at last.
“Uh . . .”
“Don’t ask me how. Some sort of Air thing.”
“That hasn’t worked for months,” Latch said. “There was a barrier between Pendark and Trure.”
Siv gaped at him. “How did you—?”
“It doesn’t matter. What did she say? What’s the news?”
“The Fireworkers are attacking,” Siv said. “They left the mountain armed with Fire Weapons, and they’re trying to conquer the Lands Below. They already took Rallion City away from your father’s army.”
Latch’s face went gray in the dawn light. “Are you certain?”
“That’s what she said.” Siv felt queasy at the thought of his people becoming pillagers and conquerors. The power of the Fire would be a catastrophic weapon. This was what his family had worked against for generations.
“Can Fire beat Watermight?” Latch asked, his voice taking on a strange tone.
“I don’t know. But I can’t believe they’d come all the way here. I don’t think they’ll be conquering Pendark anytime soon.” At least not too soon.
“It’s not Pendark I’m thinking of,” Latch said. “It’s my father and his army.”
“Sounds like they’ve already had skirmishes. I’m sorry, but I can’t imagine the Soolens will last long against Fire Weapons.”
“They’ll put up a fight.”
“I’m sure your countrymen are very brave,” Siv said. “But they don’t have magic.”