Juli came into sight. The last glow of Star's light rimmed the horizon with a thin line of gold and turned the night sky a dark indigo blue. Lanterns had been lit, and light fractured and danced off the fine sprays of mist thrown up by Corinnda's Hair as the water tumbled and fell on either side of the city.
He landed on the wall, and stayed where he was, waiting for Aidan to come to him.
It only took minutes before the liege was climbing the ladder, Vent right behind him.
“Trouble?” Aidan looked at Taya and then Dix, his features hardening.
“Trouble,” Garek agreed.
Taya awoke in an instant. Her hand lay on the cold floor of a sky craft, and for a stark, terror-filled moment she was thrown back to the day she was first captured.
She went still, playing dead, but then the sound of soft conversation made her aware of Garek's voice, and she heard the boom and hiss of water falling, and she went weak with relief.
She was safe.
She opened her eyes and saw she was lying on a pallet in the pilot's cabin, but she could see through the door to the back of the sky craft. Garek, Vent and Aidan spoke with one another, their voices low, and beyond them, a team of guards stood watch, eyes on the sky.
A sound to her right had Taya turning, and she looked into the eyes of a woman who stared at her with interest.
“I'm Dix, the guard master of Valian,” the woman said. “And you are Taya, the one who calls the shadow ore.”
Taya nodded, and pushed herself up. “You were guarding the way out of Dartalia.”
“I was.” Dix's face was grim. “Until the sky raiders took down every one of us.”
Taya drew in a sharp breath. “Before they got us, or after?”
“Before, I think.” Her gaze was on the small group in the back, and Garek must have heard them because he turned.
Taya lifted her gaze to his, and for a beat he was all she saw, and all she cared about.
Then Aidan put a hand on Garek's shoulder, and he reluctantly turned, said something curt, and then strode toward her.
She held out her hand to him, and he pulled her into his arms for a quick, fierce hug.
“All good?”
“All good.” Her voice cracked a little, and he released her, returning with water pouches for her and Dix.
“What's the delay?” Dix asked.
Aidan flicked a look at her. “We are arguing about who is going to come.”
Dix frowned. “Why is that such an issue?”
“Because we aren't just going to see Susa,” Garek said, his voice low. “We're going to find some sky raider allies.”
Chapter 21
Taya had only been to Valian once, and it had been late at night that time, too.
The low, sprawling palace seemed to flow over and down the hill on which it was built and was lit with colored lights that lent it a magical air.
They set down on a flat area beside one of the big entrances, and while the guards that came out to them looked serious, they didn't look afraid.
They were used to Garek coming and going already, it seemed.
Dix climbed out of the craft first, dropping to the ground before she got to the bottom of the ladder, and striding forward, calling orders as she went.
The guards stared at her for a moment in surprise and disbelief, and then half of them scattered to do her bidding.
Taya followed Garek as he swung down, and Aidan crowded behind her.
Eventually, Vent had lost. He'd been the one to stay behind.
Dix waited for them impatiently at the big double doors into the palace, and flicked her fingers at the two guards who stood behind her. “They'll take you to a chamber to wait. I'll track down Susa, and we'll meet you there.”
She strode off and disappeared around a corner. Taya heard her call out to someone, the sound was muffled, the tone clear.
Dix was on the warpath.
The room they were led to was massive, a multi-level room of stairs and sunken areas with deep couches and low tables.
The windows looked out down the hill to the city of Valian below, and Taya walked over to see the view.
They were offered food and drink and then left to themselves, although Taya guessed the guards were just outside.
It was only because she moved along the bank of windows, to the far end of the room, that she discovered they weren't alone.
An old man sat in a deep armchair, and when her surprised gaze met his, he gave her an impish smile, acknowledging his rudeness at not announcing himself, but not regretting it.
She guessed that the only reason for keeping quiet was because he wanted to hear some unguarded talk.
“I’m Taya of Pan Nuk.” She pitched her voice so that Aidan and Garek would hear her, but kept her tone even and polite. She gave a respectful half bow.
“Danalian Varn.” He rose from the seat, and despite his age, he seemed to have no difficulty doing so.
“I'm sorry we didn't greet you, we weren't aware there was someone else in the room.”
He smiled at her subtle rebuke and dipped his head.
Garek had moved to stand just behind her, and Aidan took up position at her other shoulder.
“Ah, Aidan.” Danalian Varn's eyes sparked with humor and interest. “It has been a long time since I last saw you.”
Aidan blinked. “Councilor Varn. Yes. Since my father last attended a council meeting, which would have been . . .”
“Four years ago.” Varn watched him with sharp black eyes. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
Aidan stepped to the side, and bowed. “Yes. I have written to the council to tell you I've replaced my father. He is ill and can no longer lead.”
There was a long moment when the two men stared directly at each other and said nothing.
Valtor's long descent into confusion and bitterness lay between them. But while some of that was Valtor's reaction to his wife's death, Taya now knew there was reason to suspect that Dartan, his advisor, had helped lead the West Lathorian liege into the pit of darkness and despair.
She felt a little less angry with her former liege, knowing that.
“Has the way the council works changed since last I attended?” Aidan asked suddenly, his voice a little deeper. “I have gone through my father's papers and I cannot see any notification from you or any other councilor authorizing an attack on my state.”
Varn looked away and down, and Taya realized his cheeks had taken on a ruddy hue.
“No. The rules haven't changed. That's why I'm here.” He lifted his head again. “Harven, Kadmine and Favre have not been given leave to take action against you. You know how we work. Your father's . . . illness was well known, but you and your sister are both considered competent replacements, and all avenues are explored before military action is approved. It's what's kept the coalition of the states of the Illy strong all these years.”
“And yet, three armies are currently marching toward my people.”
“Susa has made the same claim, has accused them of violating her own borders to get to you?” He made it a question, and Aidan nodded.
“I saw them with my own eyes.”
“And I.” Garek spoke for the first time.
She saw Varn start, as if he'd forgotten she and Garek were there, and his gaze slid over her and up to Garek.
“And you are?”
“Garek of Pan Nuk.”
Taya saw he was studying the councilor with interest.
“Which state do you represent on the Council?”
“Kadmine.”
Taya drew in a sharp breath. “Then how can you not know what Kadmine is doing?”
“Because they chose not to tell him.” Aidan was watching Varn with almost pitying eyes. “They're going to try to take West Lathor, and then appeal to the council to authorize it retroactively. They might have gone the legal route, and put their plans forward for debate, but I suspect that would have taken too long for them.”
“And what is the rush?” For the first time, Varn looked his age.
“I don't know.” Aidan glanced at her and Garek, inviting their input.
“The sky raiders' ships won't last forever,” Garek said, with a shrug. “Maybe the armies are moving while they can count on their help.”
“It's true the ships are rusting, but that also means they only have so long to collect shadow ore.” Taya slid her hands into her pockets. “Why would they waste precious time helping Habred?”
“Excellent question.” Susa stood just inside the door, Dix and Zek at her side.
“Because,” Garek's hand slid across Taya's back, and curved a hand around her shoulder, “Habred has probably agreed to give them Taya.”
“And with Taya, they can go back to Shadow and find all the easily available ore.” Zek gave a nod.
It occurred to her that even before Garek told Dix what she could do, Zek would have told his liege everything about her. Her ability to call shadow ore had never been a secret here. Zek had been part of the camp on Shadow, had helped in their escape.
He knew exactly what she could do. And there was no chance he would not have given a full account of what had happened on Shadow and on the Endless Escarpment to Susa and Dix.
“How do they know there is easily available ore?” Dix asked.
Zek paused, looked over at her. Opened his mouth, and then hesitated.
“Luci,” he said at last.
Taya drew in a breath. “Yes. When Min and I found the cave with the shadow ore, we didn't keep it a secret among ourselves, and the Cassinyans would have told the story in Luf. Why wouldn't they? They thought they were among friends, not traitors. Habred could easily have heard about it. Passed the information on to the sky raiders.”
A cold drop of fear ran down her spine. She really was being hunted.
Then she remembered the attack on her and Ness. “But they already have something that can pinpoint the ore more accurately than just the general warning Garek gets over the Dartalian Range. Why would they need me?”
“There must be some drawbacks to the system. Perhaps there is something on Shadow that makes it unreliable.” Aidan shrugged. “The fact is, they know there is a place full of shadow ore, and they can't find it, but know you can. Habred has tried to grab you, and so has Dartan, and both those men were working with the sky raiders. Also, in these last attacks, they weren't trying to kill, even though they can. Perhaps they can't risk killing indiscriminately in case they kill you by mistake. I think Garek is right. They're looking for you.”
“Whatever the reason, they put the whole of my border guard on the ground.” Susa's voice trembled a little with rage.
“I wonder why they did it when the armies weren't right there to take advantage of it?” Dix wondered. “We were struck down, but you arrived four, five hours later, and there was no sign of the three armies.”
“They wouldn't want to hit you in view of any loyal Illians,” Taya said. “That would be treachery on a high scale. I don't believe most of the people of Harven, Kadmine and Favre would support taking West Lathor by doing a deal with sky raiders, and I think Habred and the other two lieges know that.”
“There could be another, more mundane reason.” Garek gave a wry grin. “They simply don't understand how long it takes to get from one place to another without a sky craft. They may have known to hit Dix's troops before any Illians could see them do it, but perhaps they misjudged how long it would take the armies to get there.”
Dix gave a strangled laugh. “I can understand how they could make that mistake. I'm becoming very used to sky craft travel myself. But there is a third option.” She waved a hand at Varn. “The Kadmine and Favre lieutenants didn't know West Lathor had a sky craft until we set down in front of them. And they were clearly surprised to learn Dartalia hadn't given them permission to cross into our land. So perhaps, if Harven is the only one of the three in league with the sky raiders, they were more than a little resistant to going back after Susa expressly told them she didn't give her permission. I think they might have developed a serious distrust in their partner.”
“You think the delay is because of internal squabbles?” Aidan sounded satisfied with that explanation. “Favre and Kadmine balking at destroying their relationship with Dartalia, and starting to get suspicious of Harven?”
“Or a combination of all three things,” Taya suggested.
Varn had stood opened-mouthed since asking his question. Now his head lifted with a jerk. “This is the first I've heard of a deal with the sky raiders. The first I've heard of any of this. I cannot believe Kadmine has knowingly gone into a deal with the enemies of the whole of Barit, but if they have been duped into it, I trust they are thinking twice about their involvement.”
“And now, we have to make a decision.” Garek looked around the room. “We can't fight the sky raiders if they intend to rain white lightning down on us. I've brought a sky craft down a few times, and Taya has, as well, but there are only two of us. It's not enough.”
“What else can we do?” Susa's gaze went back to Dix, and Taya knew she was imagining her friend lying unconscious on the ground.
“We do a deal of our own.”
Chapter 22
Garek did not like the nothing that was the space between Barit and Shadow.
He could feel the air getting thinner and thinner as he piloted the sky craft higher, angling toward Shadow as a point of reference, and then they seemed to break free of the last wisps of air and it was as if a part of him went numb.
He glanced across at Taya, standing beside his chair with legs braced for balance, looking out the window with intense focus.
They ran the risk of meeting the wrong sky raiders up here, and even if they met the right kind, Garek wasn't sure of their welcome.
But if they didn't get help, he was sure they were lost, anyway.
Susa agreed with him, and had insisted on coming along. He could see the specter of her people lying strewn around their camp haunted her.
Now she stood beside Aidan, eyes on the stars ahead of them, and the massive curve of Shadow up ahead.
There were two other passengers on this trip; Dix, who had refused to leave her liege unprotected, and Dalanial Varn, from the Illian Council.
Varn stood without speaking, his gaze far into the distance. Garek guessed he was in his seventies, but he was fit and nimble in his movements.
Susa seemed to trust him, even though he must have once been deeply involved in Kadmine's court. Councilors had to represent all Illians. While each councilor was voted on by the people of their state, the understanding was that they ceased to be partisan when they took their place.
Garek hoped that was true.
“What happens if we encounter the group of sky raiders who are trying to harm us?” Varn asked.
There was silence.
Varn turned his head, eyebrows raised.
“We run,” Garek said eventually.
Varn blew out a breath, wheezing out a laugh as he did so, and looked even more enthusiastic than he had before.
He'd asked many questions since they'd made the decision to find the other sky raiders.
How they'd come by the sky craft. What they had done on Shadow. What the sky raiders looked like.
He'd listened, rapt, as various members of the group told him what they knew.
Soon, though, he'd see for himself.
Garek curved away to the left, heading around the back of Shadow. If he'd understood the sky raider correctly before he died, the newcomers where hiding there somewhere.
Anything could have changed in the few days since the explosion, but it was a place to start.
What he didn't expect as Barit disappeared from view, and they rounded Shadow, was that a small, fast craft would race right up to their window.
Everyone went still as they stared back at the reflective black circle that sat at the front of the tiny craft, like some kind of blind eye.
&n
bsp; The craft turned, moving away, then stopped, turned back, and then faced forward and began moving again.
It wanted them to follow.
“We might as well,” Aidan said, quietly. “No matter who they are, they know we're here, and we have nothing to lose.”
Because it was true, Garek followed, allowing enough room between his sky craft and the small vessel for him to maneuver away if he needed to.
They may have nothing to lose, but he wasn't prepared to simply roll over if they were attacked.
There was silence in the cabin as they slid through the black nothingness, and eventually something seemed to appear out of the darkness, a massive, gargantuan thing that made even his people-carrier look tiny.
“Can you tell if this is the mothership of the first lot?” Susa asked.
He shook his head. “This is about twice the size of that one.”
It made sense, because the ship that had been destroyed the other day had been huge as well. It would take something this big to house it.
“So, this is a bigger, better equipped force?” Dix asked.
“Maybe because this second group is bigger and better equipped, the first lot needed a new way to fight them, and they went out looking for shadow ore.” Taya had left his side and she was leaning against the window, looking up at the massive mothership with a tense expression.
He hadn't wanted her to come. Not just because he always wanted her where it was safe, although there was nowhere that was really safe in West Lathor or Dartalia now, but because she could call shadow ore.
The sky raiders had been actively trying to capture her. Now she was going to them.
Admittedly, this was a different group, but Garek had a feeling that they would grasp the value of what she could do as quickly as the first group had done.
And yet, when she had looked at him with a hot, implacable expression, and held his gaze, he had given way.
Because she had a say, too, and she thought she could help in this negotiation.
As she pointed out, they needed every advantage they could get. As she said it, she'd slid two thin needles of shadow ore into a tiny vial of water, corked it and put it in her pocket. The rest of her weapons were in boxes full of water, stacked in the storage area at the back of the sky craft.
Shadow Warrior (Sky Raiders Book 3) Page 14