We all moved toward the door when we heard Dru calling out, “Make way!”
The crowd split, and Alexandru of the Lupei shot through the gap, his mustang low and stretched out as its hooves pounded the cobblestones of the lane. Dru's cloak, like his long curly black hair, streamed out behind him, painting the picture of a hero of old charging to meet the enemy without hesitation. Elaine's eyes followed him, a small smile at the corner of her cupid's bow lips.
Celeste looked around and spoke loudly. “Good. Dru can reach the Gateway in just over an hour and a half, and the Outrider should arrive by the top of the next hour, the other airships soon after. That gives us two hours to make sure we are not interrupted, and the Commander doesn't attempt anything here while our attention is elsewhere.”
She looked at all the knights gathering before us and then she made some hand motions, pointing north, south, and west. Three two-man patrols bowed and jogged off in the direction the horses were hidden. We would not be taken by surprise.
Elaineia turned to me. “What is this Outrider?”
I tried not to look smug as I teased, “You will soon see, Femeie de Sabie of the Cristea.”
Sarafine gave her a wink at my teasing and wrapped an arm around the younger woman's shoulders and asked as she dragged her to a seat as the knights and some of the Cristea flowed in to fill the hall, “Tell me, Sora, do you not have Carnival here? Hot air balloons?”
We smiled at them then we turned to Corrine as one, as Bowyn and Verna started organizing the squads. I wondered how we would have sufficient forces for both locations.
Then Celeste did what she does best as I spied the children who had found no doubt inventive ways into Journey's End to eavesdrop on us. They had been sneaking in since we came into the hall to speak on the radio. There were dozens of eyes now, peeking from every shadow from the many doors above, and that sweeping circular staircase.
Just like in Wexbury, they were always watching, always finding mischief. I laid a hand on Celeste's arm, and she followed my gaze then nodded one to me. Children did not need to know of war, even though we hoped there would be no bloodshed.
I stepped away from our group and stood with a hand on my hip, looked around at the spying eyes, and made the quick hissing, ticking sound the Mountain Gypsies made to call the children to them. I was pleased to see that was still used in the Westlands, even after all the centuries of separation.
At first nervous and hesitant, the other children followed the children who lived in the great hall to gather around me. My smile bloomed like a rose when its petals sought out the nourishment of the sun. There were thirty children at least. I rasped out, “Children, I want to teach you a special game of hide and seek. Would you like that?”
The eyes of the little ones widened as they nodded in excitement as I extended my arms and moved them through the air, causing mists to blur and settle around me, mesmerizing them. The older children tried not to look fascinated by my display and just nodded like wise old souls for the younger ones.
I gave a knowing look to Mother Corrine and Celeste, then nudged my chin to Verna. We could keep little ears from hearing contingencies that may be unsavory in the planning. At the same time, Verna and I brought the children off into the Village to teach them the “hiding game” taught to all children in the Keeps. It was how we taught our young ones to prepare for invading forces overrunning the Keep while making it seem a game.
Elaine came with us, infinitely curious as to the real reason I pulled the children away, reminding me that she was little older than a child herself. I was amazed at how good she was with the children, and they all seemed to adore and look up to their Sora, especially her little brother, Adam. It reminded me so much of Jace and me.
All the while, something inside of me was standing on edge, an ominous foreboding from the West. And I knew... my vision was almost upon us.
***
We stood on the deck of the Outrider, and I smiled at the wonder on Corrine and Elaine's faces as they plastered themselves against the window to watch the world as they have known it, pass below us. I know it was the same look I must have had when I first flew with Bex.
I furrowed my brow as I wondered when I had lost that wonder. I still feel a measure of excitement and wonder, but it is more akin to when I ride with Goliath when I give him all the rein he wants. I mourned for the sense of awe that we lose as we get used to the incredible things around us and without even realizing it, and we start to take them for granted.
I looked out across the lush forests in this impossible crater of life and told myself that if we all survived this mission, I would not take the miracle of it for granted for as long as we are in the Westlands.
The Mother and Sora of the Cristea band insisted upon being at the negotiations as it was the future of their people which hung in the balance, even though we wished to keep them safe back at Journey's End. I was there as their escort, as they would not be present after the initial meeting and negotiation. Celeste would stand as proxy for Corrine.
As we approached Domed Mountain which dominated the center of the crater, I could see the rim of the far side of the crater on the western horizon. I glanced at Sara who was already sketching a roughly egg shape on the map. The sheer scale of New Home before me belied the fact that it was barely a quarter the size of Wexbury.
I got that same pang of sorrow as I looked at the map. The proximity of the Westlands to the realms of Sparo was deceptively close. I thought of the short distance, less than the width of the Lower Ten between them and us. That small distance which took months to cross by ground, at the cost of hundreds of lives, on their faith that there was something more out there. That belief paid out, and they have lived centuries, a people apart, yet so very close.
I exhaled then caught movement below. My smile bloomed, and I pointed down at the wide cobbled road that reminded me so much of the Ring back home. The two Mountain Gypsy leaders joined me to watch the Knights of Sparo, who had left almost immediately when Celeste started planning contingencies for the parlay.
One and a half squads rode in two columns, streaming through the forest, even from this distance we could see the light of the day reflecting off of their armor. I felt the same small thrill I got as a young girl upon seeing the Knights who protected our realm ride past. They rode toward danger, not knowing if an ambush or peace awaited them.
Down to the last man and woman, they all volunteered to accompany Celeste to the meeting, and they had to draw straws to see who was left behind to guard the village. And their courage always made pride swell within me.
Odd, I once only had that pride for the Knights of Wexbury, when I had I started thinking in terms of Sparo instead of my own home realm? I think from my new perspective as Templar, I saw all of the Altii and the People as one, though us Templars stood outside of both. Is this how George and Rain felt all the time?
All I knew was that when our mounted Knights showed at the parlay, Commander Stein would see the might we could bring to bear. I glanced over as the Condor slid in beside us and smirked. The armored airship accompanying us would make just as telling an impact. The Condor was there for a show of force as well as to evacuate our knights back to Aratreya if negotiations did not go well. We needed to match the kind of speed the tanks and transports of Avalon were capable of.
The Falcon was in reserve, off on a separate mission should we fail or are ambushed.
Corrine looked down upon the men on horseback as we slowed our speed to trail them. She shook her head. “We had become too complacent in our peace and forgot that in the volatile world this Earth has become, not to take anything for granted. We've lost many of our fighting skills. They faded as did the numbers of the touched until there were none who even remembered.”
It sounded as if the Cristea were blaming themselves for the evil others would do. I shook my head. “No... you were right to. Peace itself is a volatile thing, Mother Luna knows that we aren't very good at it back in Spar
o. I envy that you were able to find peace the rest of us may never know, and that above all else makes the Cristea stand above all others.”
I added a little more forcefully, “It is evil men, doing evil things that have caused pain to your people, through no fault of the Cristea. Remember that, and do not let your values slip because of such men. It is good that shall prevail this day.”
Then I staggered, falling through the floor and through the land below. I was whisked to the north and found myself running again in that same vision. As the world exploded around us in the field as people ran past me toward the mountains, I was running at a tank as it belched death from its mouth and black billowing smoke from behind.
There were broken bodies around. I looked around, it was another field of grain. I could see Aratreya over the treeline behind me, recognizing Journey's End standing like a sentinel above it all. I knew where we were now and... the world exploded around me. My entire world was pain pain pain as I spun through the air like a broken doll. I landed hard, rolling along the ground before staggering to my feet. I was in such pain, and I could feel my exhaustion, I had used up virtually all of my power.
My blurred vision cleared and I saw three other tanks, motionless in the field as knights fought. I turned my focus to the remaining tank just to see an Avalonian woman standing no more than ten yards from me with her long gun pointed my way.
The flash barely registered before nothing. It was like before, it was such a profound nothingness, and I was aware of my own awareness swallowed by that darkness. She had killed me. And those guns were so swift with dealing out death that I hadn't felt it.
The last of my awareness was gone. The lack of anything had me sitting up from Celeste's lap, screaming in the most intense panic of my life. I would die on that field of battle, it was a surety with the intensity of the vision, I knew no decision I could make would change it this time.
I felt a cold calmness of acceptance that numbed the pains of my injuries from the vision. If this were to be my end, then I would do all I could to ensure that the Cristea would continue on after I was gone.
I looked up at Celeste with an almost pleading look at the concern that shadowed her face, her brilliant emerald eyes questioning. I shook my head. “Just the vision again.” I looked around at all the other concerned faces, then back at her. I cupped her cheek and whispered, “You're so very beautiful, and I love you with all my heart.”
She smiled, her eyes reflecting a fear that she didn't look as if she understood. “Laney?”
I struggled to my feet with her help, and I smiled brightly at her. “It was just the same thing. Running in the field. This time toward the enemy. I guess I didn't have anything left to tell me.”
Corrine had her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “The Sight. Only in stories and song... I... never did I think I would witness it.”
Elaine was just staring at me. Dru placed his hands on her shoulders from behind and said, “Sora Laney's Sight is unmatched. When she learns to control it as Mother Udele can, she will have no equal.”
I felt my cheeks and neck heat as I blushed at the rare praise from our Alexandru, and I buried my face in Celeste's shoulder. I could feel her chuckling silently, I was going to miss that so.
I peeked out from my shelter and then stood taller.
Bowyn pointed. “There.”
We all moved to the window. Down below about two miles from our men was a tank, and one of those scouting transports and what looked to be six or seven men all looking to the sky.
I smirked. Celeste was right. They surely weren't expecting this.
Chapter 17 – Parlay
We looked at the Avalonians as we approached and Celeste looked down at the radio on her belt. Mine was with the Falcon. She furrowed her brows and said, “These dials and other buttons must allow them to speak without being heard by us since that is the third patrol vehicle with them and we didn't hear them called back. Unless they were already back at their base.”
She was right. We had heard some chatter on the radio, but nothing pertaining to troop movements.
Dru was looking through his spyglass then nudged his chin to the mountain above the meeting place. Celeste put her hand out as I dug mine out of my tool pouch and she looked and nodded, handing the spyglass to me and I looked to see a black plume of smoke moving. It was a two-wheeled conveyance. He stopped and then pulled a long gun out and moved to a rock outcropping above the site.
I handed my spyglass to Verna, and they all passed it around, each taking a turn. It was like an archer sniper, taking the high ground to take out the unsuspecting enemy. Only I figured their guns would be far more deadly than an arrow.
Celeste was on the radio. “Commander. Have your sniper withdraw before we land. We are under a banner of truce.”
She waited but got no response. She was about to speak again when Elaine blurted, “He's moving.” We all looked and watched as the man got back on the two-wheeled conveyance and made his way down the mountain to his comrades. My girl looked at the radio dials again, nodding to herself.
She had to be right, it had to be like the many lines we ran for flashes. Each wire was for a different letter. They must have many invisible lines running between these radios. Who knows how much they have been planning over them that we could not hear.
We lowered our altitude as our knights rounded a bend to stop a hundred yards from the Avalonian group. With one last look around, Bex landed the Outrider on the roadway behind them. The Condor barely able to land at a wide spot in the road that had a small meadow by a stream coming off the mountain running through a culvert below the roadway.
We all checked our gear then opened the door, Celeste warning Corrine and Elaine. “Stay behind us at all times.”
We marched past our knights who had moved to form two rows across the road, unflinching as the enemy aimed their guns toward us all, the giant cylinder of the tank panning across the group. As we moved past, all the knights drew their swords and held them at the ready. It was a well-disciplined show of strength.
They all held their line as we continued our advance. Palms low at our waists, facing forward as protocol demanded of Parlay. I could hear the reassuring clopping of armored boots from Verna and Bowyn behind us.
A tall silver-haired man who had the bearing of a knight stepped forward in front of the others. Most of the guns were trained on Celeste and me now, as we were at the forefront of our group. We stopped in front of the man, and Celeste gave the customary greeting. “Salutations, Avalon.”
The man looked her up and down, but his eyes kept flitting toward me as white mists poured off of me. Then he growled out, “You're Celeste?”
I blinked, didn't they know proper protocol?
She just inclined her head and asked, “Commander Stein?”
He crossed his arms across his barrel chest and nodded back. She cocked an eyebrow, and I asked for her, “You have a photography to verify this?”
He furrowed his brow, then looked at me again, obviously distracted by me and the great airships towering behind us. Then asked, “A photography? Do you mean a photo? Damn savages.”
Celeste sighed. “Your papers man. We are here in good faith and want to ensure you can speak for Avalon in this. I would thank you not to disparage my wife or I may be forced to ask for satisfaction.” Her hand rested on the hilt of her blade to enforce her words. A gun swung toward her, and I sighed as I clenched a fist and the metal of the gun crushed.
The others started to swing their weapons toward Celeste, but the man held up a fist and the others relaxed. Celeste did the same and Alexandru lowered his bow as Bowyn and Verna lowered their blades now pointed toward the commander. When had they all drawn their weapons?
The man eyed the swords as they were sheathed, then he snatched the useless gun from the other man and looked between it and me. He asked Celeste, “Her? How was this done?”
She exhaled in exasperation and stated the obvious. “Magic, of cours
e. Now can you prove you are the Commander here or not?”
His eyes never left me, the steel grey of them unnerving in their intensity as he absently pulled out his folded leather coin purse and handed it to her. He asked as she scrutinized a card in the purse, “You five are not dressed like the... knights with you.” He said the word knights in a tone that carried disbelief.
Not answering the implied question, Celeste handed the purse back as I said, “You would be correct.”
The man absently put his purse in a pocket as he looked between the both of us and asked, “Who should I be addressing? Which one of you is in charge?”
Celeste was enjoying this game. She gave a sly smile and said, “Why, Mother Corrine is in charge here in the Westlands, of course.”
She moved a little to the side so he could see Corrine and Elaine behind us. “But she has given us leave to negotiate in her stead. We lead the expeditionary contingent from Sparo, together. I have given you my titles, and this is Countess Laney of the Techno Knight Order, daughter of Lady Margret of Wexbury, Sora of the Lupei, and Templar of Sparo. For the purposes of Parlay, you can address us as Celeste and Laney.”
He nodded, his eyes still on me. “What trickery is it this little one... Laney, is doing? How is this done?” He motioned his hands in a blurring sweep back and forth indicating the excess magik of the people drifting off of me.
I asked, truly curious, not knowing why we had even thought the warriors of Avalon to have been the Great Wizards, “Do you not have magic in Avalon?”
He nodded and said, “But this...” He held up the useless gun before throwing it to the side. “Is not some entertainer's cheap parlor trick.”
Then he furrowed his brow and tilted his head like he was trying to dredge up a memory as his whispered, “Sparo.” He turned to the man who was apparently his second. “Didn't that other woman the north patrol picked up say something about Sparo?”
Other woman? They knew of Sparo? My blood chilled. They had taken someone from Sparo... how long before they sent tanks to our realms?
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