Knight of Wands (A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Novel) (Devices of War Book 2)

by SM Blooding

  Keeley frowned, staring down at the maps.

  Haji watched me, his arms crossed over his chest.

  Oki clasped her palms together, her fingers fanned out, wrapped them around her jaw, blinking.

  Neira didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t twitch.

  Eosif raised his chin. “What does that mean?”

  “I have no idea. But I know what it can’t mean. It can’t mean that I can lead us to war. Yes. I would have been justified to go after Tokarz today. Even if he did have Nix’s permission to destroy her station—”

  “To what end?” Keeley demanded.

  “—he knew the damage would be done to Asim Station. There was no reason why Nix’s station should have been directly over mine. I saw it take off on a different heading. He could have destroyed many people’s lives.”

  “Like he did already?” Ryo asked.

  “Many people have been lost because of this man,” Eosif stated. “Ve all know this.”

  “No,” Yvette said harshly. “We don’t. You three seem to. The rest of us are simply trusting that you know what you’re talking about. There is no proof.”

  “I have some.” Joshua’s voice was barely heard over Yvette’s.

  She stopped talking and turned to him. “What is it?”

  Keeley shifted where she stood. “We didn’t know.” She shook her head. “It’s something so common. I didn’t even realize I was looking at something extremely toxic to all of the jellies until—” She cut herself off.

  “Keel,” I said.

  She raised her gaze to mine.

  “What?”

  She took in a deep breath. “There’s an herb we discovered that works well for purifying the fuel so that it will burn more efficiently. We’ve been using it for at least two turns now, which is the reason I didn’t think anything of it.”

  “Until,” Joshua said, “I reminded her tha’ we don’t have any reason for tha’ on an airship.”

  “That’s when I started looking at it a little deeper.” She winced. “And when the accident happened.”

  “Accident?” I frowned.

  “I tripped. The herb landed on one of the lethara columns at Asim city, and . . . ” She shrugged.

  “That’s what that was?” Oki asked incredulously. She turned to me. “While you were up with the fleet this last week, there was a problem with Asim city. Your lethara seemed to be sick. We thought we were going to have to evacuate the city, but after we hooked him up to Ino’s lethara, he calmed down.”

  “The air jellies, most of them anyway, returned back to normal. But . . . ” She licked her lips. “It was all over the Tokarz Fleet. I don’t know how they kept their air jellies in the air, to be honest. If they react this strongly to it, I’m surprised they’re in the air at all.”

  I processed that information. “I don’t think I care about that as much as whether it’ll bring Iszak Tokarz to justice.”

  “There vere two ships lost with all their crew, El’Asim,” Eosif said. “Ve are long past the point of seeking justice.”

  I stared at him hard. “There is never a point too far to seek justice. Many people were lost to the ocean that night. Many of which we witnessed. It was almost you and your entire crew.”

  “I vill not forget.” His expression reflected an icy will.

  “Good. Then understand that we have to go about this the right way.”

  Joshua glanced down at the paper. “That’s a good idea because if this article is any indication, the people are startin’ to see ye as someone to be feared.”

  I frowned. “Because of something that a piece of paper says?”

  Keeley gave me a don’t-be-stupid look. “Most people don’t know you, only see you from a distance or hear about you from stories. So, yes, Synn. They would believe what a piece of paper says.”

  “You said it yourself.” Joshua stretched his neck. “It’s a brilliant idea.”

  It was.

  “Ve should take control of these papers. Start spreading the stories ve vish to spread.”

  “And kill the freedom of voice the tribes have just now found? That’s a very bad idea, but there’s nothing saying we can’t invite the storyteller along with us so he can see what he’s reporting.”

  Joshua raised an eyebrow. “He’s calling himself a journalist.”

  “The journalist then.” I eyed the paper on the other side of the table. “Perhaps, there are things we can learn about what we’re doing, how we’re appearing , by seeing ourselves through his eyes.”

  “You are serious about dis,” Eosif said in surprise.

  “I am. And I think we start off by inviting the journalist into a gathering of the tribes to discuss the signing of the league agreement you all have been working on.”

  Eosif glanced at Neira. “Ve can organize this.”

  “Good.”

  Everyone was silent for a long moment.

  I looked to my sister. “We have to figure out a way to get the power turned over to the new generation. Quickly.”

  Oki didn’t meet my gaze. Her lips tightened, her fingers flexing on the table.

  “What’s going on?” Ryo asked.

  I watched my sister. “Mother has shown her true colors.”

  “Are you sure they’re her true colors or her way of manipulating you, little brother?”

  My lips tightened at the word “manipulate”.

  “What happened?” Keeley asked.

  I raised my chin. “Let’s just say that she let me know how disappointed she was that I abdicated the power of the League of Cities to you—‘” I nodded toward Eosif. “—and insinuated that she would take the power of the fleet through you—‘” I flicked a hand at Ryo. “—and that she would take the city from me.”

  Ryo’s eyebrows raised. “And what did she want instead?”

  I stretched my jaw before answering. “To attack Tokarz.”

  Eosif let out a long breath. “She wants us to create war.”

  “That doesn’t make sense,” Ryo said. “We have hidden for countless turns to avoid war by her orders.”

  “She sees the power,” Oki said, her voice little more than a whisper. “She is unhappy with me for not taking up the seat of power either.” She gestured toward our brother. “She has threatened to give Ino City to Mokato.”

  “Who is Mo-ka-to?” Eosif asked Neira.

  She shrugged.

  “Our other brother,” Oki answered.

  “But she wouldn’t.” I took a step closer to her. “He is weak and male. She’s probably just testing you.”

  “She’s testing us all.” Ryo rose to his full height. “She wants to poke us to see what our reactions will be. She wants to bully us into taking up our power. I say we do so.”

  I nodded at him and glanced at my sister. “I agree.”

  She raised her round chin. “I do as well. However we do this, it must be swift. I will talk to the Shankara. They are the only other major Family with elders strong enough to oppose the League of Cities.”

  Eosif glanced at us. “And vhat vould you have us do, El’Asim?”

  I met his gaze. “Lead us, Novokshorov. Show the people who have not yet met you what you are capable of.”

  He glanced at the map and nodded.

  “And the knighthood?” Yvette asked, her eyes burning their way through me.

  I met her gaze, realizing that everyone’s attention was now on me. “I’m turning it down.”

  No one responded.

  “There’s too much at stake, and I don’t know all the rules. I only know that too many people see me as nothing more than a chess piece. The queens either agree to sign the treaty without me, or they decide to stand against the greatest league this world has seen. The one that you lead.”

  The relief in the small room could almost be felt, it was so thick.

  CHAPTER 36

  THE JOURNALIST

  When the walls opened, we were met by Mother and her council of elders. Her face was a
mask of supreme power as she stood tall for her short height, her pink robes lending her rounded figure an air of nobility.

  None of us moved for a long moment.

  Eosif took in a deep breath and headed toward Mother. He bowed slightly. “Ino Nami, you grace us with your presence,” he offered in Sakin.

  Mother’s eye twitched. She didn’t know his language in order to return the show of honor.

  “Eosif,” I said in his language, continuing with the only thing I knew, “go eat cats.”

  He fought his smile, bowed and stepped aside.

  I walked to Mother and bowed. “How can we help you, okaasan?”

  Her aging lips pursed, she said in Adalic. “We are here to offer our guidance and council.”

  I clasped my hands in front of me. “Your council is not required. We have combined our own council and are proceeding as we deem appropriate.”

  She took in a lung-deep breath, her gaze lowered. She looked at each of us in turn before looking at me again. “You are not the leader of this council.”

  “But you would find it offensive if the true leaders of this council addressed you in a similar manner.”

  She gave the barest of nods, and took a step back. “Indeed.” She gestured for us to pass.

  I waited for the others to leave.

  Mother waited for Oki. “I assume,” she said in Sakin, “that I shall be replaced soon.”

  Oki raised her head and met Mother’s gaze squarely. “You assume correctly. Have the affairs ready.”

  Mother’s wide nostrils flared.

  I swooped in behind Oki and took up the rear as we all headed toward the elevator platform.

  Eosif and Neira watched me, their eyebrows raised.

  I didn’t know what that meant, but while they worked on convening a council, I had to go find the journalist and have a serious discussion with him.

  Joshua’s hand landed on my arm. “Do you need me to go with you?”

  I smiled at him over my shoulder. It was a tight squeeze with all of us in there. “No. I interrupted your work. I’m sure you would like to get back to it before the next session of council.”

  He nodded and pulled back.

  A small hand slid into mine. I turned and for a microsecond, I saw large, brown eyes, regarding me with understanding, not pity or condemnation.

  Then my vision cleared and I met green eyes, surrounded by pale lashes of fiery red. I smiled at Keeley and ducked my head, watching through the metal grate as each floor passed.

  By the time we made it to the arena area, it was dark. The competitions were concluded and the floor was being cleared for festivities.

  Joshua and Keeley disappeared as soon as the grate lifted, splitting off into two different directions.

  Eosif stopped the rest of us. He looked at Oki. “Do you think ve can schedule a gathering of the council tonight?”

  She looked around. “I can manage that.”

  “Goot. Then please, do so.”

  Oki left.

  He looked at me and Ryo. “You shall have to ensure that the proper evidence is gathered.”

  Ryo nodded.

  “I’m going to find our journalist,” I told Eosif. “See if I can’t open his eyes.”

  Eosif’s gaze remained steady on me. “Evidence first, El’Asim. Journalist later. Yes, it vould be nice to have him on our side, but he is not the key to the success of our league or to our justice.”

  “I disagree, but—” I held up a hand to interrupt him. “You are correct. Evidence first.” I stepped back.

  “Little brother,” Ryo murmured as he followed behind me, “what evidence are you going to gather, exactly?”

  “Witnesses and whatever Joshua has been able to gather.”

  “You should have told him that before you let him go.” Ryo grabbed a group of three boys. “Do you think you can find Joshua Bahrain?”

  The three boys’ eyes widened as they nodded.

  Ryo reached into his pocket and pulled out three coins. “Tell him to bring his evidence to the council this evening.”

  The boys grinned, grabbed the coins, and took off.

  Ryo looked at me with a smile. “That’s done. Now what? I’ll gather witnesses.”

  I took in a deep breath. It was highly probable that the pilots I had inherited were planted by Nix. However, I was certain Captain Rose had seen something. Could I trust her? I would have to try. “I have at least one more. I just have to find her.”

  Ryo nodded. “Who is it?”

  “Captain Rose Primus.”

  He jerked in surprise.

  That was the reaction I’d expected. “If her plane isn’t on the runway, then she should be on Asim Station.”

  His eyebrows lodged in his hairline, he took a step back. “I will have to take care of this one myself.” He walked through the crowd backwards. “You find your journalist.” He disappeared in a press of people.

  I took in a deep breath and searched for kids.

  There was a group of four girls, all dark-haired except for one who had the palest hair I think I’d ever seen. I stepped up to them. “Excuse me. Would you be interested in doing me a small favor?”

  They turned to me. Two of them leaned in and giggled at one another.

  The one with the blonde hair looked up at me. She pulled her cheeks in and glared. “You are The El’Asim. My father has talked a great deal about you.”

  From that tone, it didn’t sound as if her father had anything nice to say about me. “I can offer you a coin if you can point me in the direction of the journalist, Arik Dekklar.”

  The blonde haired girl glanced at her friends. “Offer us two and we will get him and bring him to you.”

  I frowned and reached into my pocket, pulling out two coins.

  She reached for them.

  I held them back. “I will be in the drinking tent just there.” I pointed. “Tell him I mean him no harm. I simply wish to give him a different point of view for his stories.”

  She raised her chin, eyeing me warily. “I will tell him.” She took the coins and walked off with a purpose, which told me she knew exactly where he was.

  I pushed my way through the crowd to the drinking tent. The barman came to my table and offered me an ale. I nursed it, listening as a note of excitement filled the crowds outside the tent.

  I felt someone behind me and turned. He wasn’t wearing a hat this time. His pale, blonde hair shown in the light, his gray eyes piercing as he took a stool opposite me.

  I twisted around to look out the tent with a frown. “Was that your sister?”

  “My daughter.”

  “Oh.” I waved the barman over for another ale. “She’s a lovely child.”

  Arik Dekklar narrowed his eyes. “Thank you.”

  I waited for his ale to arrive. I hadn’t thought this through, per normal. I opened my mouth and closed it again, taking a sip of my ale instead.

  “Why have you called me here, El’Asim? Are you trying to silence me?”

  I raised my eyebrows. “No. I think what you’re doing is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I hadn’t even thought about getting the information to the people.”

  He frowned.

  “But . . . ” Oh, how to phrase this. “I wonder how you’re obtaining your information if you’re not close to the action.”

  He pulled back on his stool. “Are you trying to buy me?”

  My face twisted. “No. I want you to get the best information possible.”

  “You want to feed me the information so that I turn my articles to your favor.”

  “What?” This man was infuriating. I took in a deep breath and put my palms on the table. “No. No. I want you to be in the middle of the action. I want you see what you’re telling. I want you to be able to inform the people of what’s really going on.”

  He sat up straight, and studied me. “So you’re trying to tell me you’re not building an army.”

  I pushed the condensation outside my glass dow
n to the table. “No. But it would appear there is one. That wasn’t intentional. However, you may have noticed that I am not the one in power.”

  He was quiet.

  “I think that your articles . . . ” I glanced at him, seeking acknowledgement that I’d used the right word.

  He nodded slightly.

  “ . . . are filled with the fears that the people are feeling. I think that you write what you know and what you know is what is around you. Because you’re not up on the deck, because you’re not in the council sessions, or listening to what is really said between Nix and I—”

  He flinched, his fingers flexing around his glass.

  “—that you write what you think you know. That’s not a bad thing, but I think that if you really are serious about giving the people the right information, then you should start by obtaining the information you’re writing about.”

  He met my gaze through a heavy frown, his lips tight. “What are you offering?”

  I shrugged. “A free pass to follow the leaders of the council, to follow me, if that’s what you want. Though why, I don’t know. I’m not the leader of the council. Just my tribe. Nothing more.”

  “And a knight.”

  When would people stop trying to tell me I was Nix’s knight? “I am not, nor will I ever be, a knight of the Hands of Tarot.”

  He raised his chin.

  “You can start tonight, by sitting in our council session.” I took in a deep breath. “There might be things that shouldn’t be shared with the public. I don’t know what at this point, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out as we stumble through this.”

  He sat back. “So you’re not mad about what I wrote?”

  I sent him a tight smile. “I haven’t read it, so no.”

  His eyebrows rose, his eyes wide. “A council session tonight?”

  I nodded and stood. “We should be convening now. Or at the very least, relatively soon. I will not be actively participating in the session, or at least, I shouldn’t be too much, so you can sit behind me, ask me whatever questions come to mind.”

  He thought about that for a long moment and then offered his arm.

  I took it and gave it a firm shake.

  We worked our way through the crowd toward the arena. The table was set up, the large letharan trunk rising from the center, pulsating in veins of light.