"Just some dumb birds," someone said with a grunt. The footsteps faded as quickly as they'd come. After ten minutes, Inkarri threw the bush off us. Its tiny prickly leaves had dug into my skin and left behind a strange musk. Roxy made a gagging face.
"You should familiarize yourself with that bush," Inkarri told us calmly. "It's a mingonleaf bush. It carries an odor that confounds Immortals and hides scents from most beasts. My father outlawed it when he became head of the council. It's a forbidden plant, smuggled by only the wiliest traders within Itzarriol. For some reason, it creates an especially noxious smell when it touches the skin of a ruler. None of the hunters we train go near it."
I blinked, astonished she’d told us all that. Dorian plucked one of the leaves and pocketed it. His face was weary, but he actually gave Inkarri a small smile.
"Thank you," he muttered. We headed back into the clearing now that the coast was clear. My comm sparked to life with another message.
"I think you should head toward your right," Arlonne barked. "Are you coming or not?"
"There was a patrol," I reported. "We'll try right." As soon as I said it, Inkarri stubbornly shook her head and pointed ahead of us. It was a ragged hill with little coverage.
"We need to go that way." She sounded confident. I frowned skeptically, remembering how close that patrol had come to discovering us. We would be out in the open on that hill. "If we go around it, we risk stumbling across another patrol. The hunters stick to the forests, where they think people will be hiding."
A tiny surge of suspicion rushed through me. She had made our pact, and she had helped us hide, but what if that was just a ruse so she could lead us into a trap? Allowing others to hurt us might not violate the pact.
"I don't know," I said, eyeing Dorian. He studied the hillside and the surrounding trees.
"I won't betray you," Inkarri said simply. "I'm bound to you by the pact."
I gritted my teeth together, wishing Ruk was here. He was the expert on magical pacts. She’d hidden us from the hunters, but trusting her felt like a risk with this many people in our group. She seems to genuinely care about Sonia, though. That made me feel a bit better. I didn’t think she would put Sonia in harm’s way.
Sonia scratched her neck, eyeing the trees warily. "Does anyone else hear whispering?" she asked.
Oh dear. I pulled Sonia alongside me for a crash course in the side effects of the Immortal Plane. "Ignore them. Fine, Inkarri. We'll go your way. Everyone, keep your eyes out for a skimmer." I glanced to Roxy, who looked slightly surprised. Kane merely shrugged begrudgingly. Inkarri was part of the crew, for now. Half our group mounted our redbills just in case as we climbed up, but it was slow even with the bills, since some of them had been injured in the landing. The vampires looked them over and said even the worst one would be fine after a day or two of rest, but I didn't want to risk straining their injuries.
"I smell the camp," Dorian muttered as a gust of wind struck us. Well, that was something, at least. Sonia trudged along beside me with a stricken face. I remembered my first journey to the Immortal Plane was filled with unpleasant surprises like voices coming out of the trees.
"The landscape sometimes plays tricks on us humans here," I explained to Sonia as we marched along. She nodded feebly, only half listening. When we made it to the top of the hill, we saw Vanim in the distance. Inkarri placed her hands on her hips, satisfied. Where Vanim was, the Coalition camp had to be close.
I called it in to Arlonne, but to my surprise, it was Bravi who replied.
"We're about half a day's journey from the camp, I’m guessing, based on our proximity to Vanim," I told her. "We landed farther out than I thought. Any clues on the easiest way there?" Inkarri shook her head as I glanced her way. She might know the general direction, but it seemed she was lost since we’d left the trees. It made sense, I figured. She likely only led patrols in the forested and mountainous regions outside of Itzarriol. My eyes made out another gushing stream just over the next gentle hill. We'd stumbled across some kind of marshy area. I was absolutely lost.
Dorian leaned into the comm in my ear. "Bravi, we can see two streams separated by a hill."
"Very specific," Bravi drawled dryly. "Any pebbles you'd like to point out to me?" I held back a snort as static suddenly buzzed over the line. At first, it sounded like gurgling water.
“Hello there, newcomers,” someone chirped. It was a woman who hissed slightly as she spoke. Whoever she was, she sounded excited. “My name is Aurora. I’d like to extend my gratitude for rescuing me.”
I gasped. “You’re awake?”
“I’m very awake, with a new set of legs,” she replied brightly. There was a scuffle. “Stop, Bravi, I know how to get them here! Look down at the stream you’re at. Tell me, what color is it?”
I stooped to gaze at the water. With the soul-dim, all water had a distinctly amber tint to it, which reflected the floating souls above. The stormy tear now overtook most of the coloring, but I cupped a handful of the water and lifted it to peer closer. “It’s purple. Very light. There’s only a bit of sediment at the bottom.”
“Is it flowing down to your left or your right?”
Following her question, I glanced from side to side. It looked level to me, so I dipped my fingers in and waited to feel the gentle tug that confirmed it was flowing down a gentle slope to my right.
“Right.”
“Oh, that water’s a good sign. You can always tell where you are if you know how to look at the water around you. I washed my new feet in it yesterday. A fish tried to eat one of my new toes. It took me forever to wobble out there on these confounded things.”
I pulled my fingers back quickly. “Fantastic. Where do we go?”
“Go straight until you cross the second stream. You’ll see a large, steel-colored boulder with some angry-looking orange moss. It’s a special kind of fungus that has hallucinogenic properties, so don’t let the redbills nip at it. If you’re going the right way, the moss should be facing you. Keep going straight until you see a clump of ugly mushrooms. Those are safe to eat, although I don’t recommend them.” She laughed merrily. Dorian raised an eyebrow, his mouth twitching in an incredulous smile. She wasn’t exactly what I expected, but her mischievous, happy nature definitely reminded me of the wildling who originally squirted water on Ruk.
We followed her directions. Sure enough, we found the boulder with the strange moss and kept Drigar from pecking at it curiously.
When we confirmed that we’d found the clump of mushrooms, she gave a whoop of joy.
“I’m glad I remembered so well. I guess noticing everything comes with the territory, since I’ve been unconscious for so long—it all feels new. And oh, Bravi is glaring at me. What’s that? She says I’m wasting time. Anyway, the camp looks a lot farther than it is because of the way the ground slopes. If you can still ride the redbills after your journey, it’s only twenty minutes straight if you turn right.”
Slowly, we arranged ourselves. Two of the bills had bruised wings, so we rearranged the seating arrangements to put the lightest bodies on them. They would last for a twenty-minute ride, thankfully. I mounted Drigar with Dorian, positioning myself behind Dorian so he could recline on me, since I knew he was exhausted. He brushed my cheek, giving me a soft look. Kane made kissy faces in our direction.
“Didn’t you get mad at Lyra for catching us making out?” Roxy piped up from her redbill, which was a slight misrepresentation of what had happened, but it worked. Kane promptly snapped his mouth shut, grumbling, and we took off. They appeared to have no issues being close together. I wondered if the curse pain was bothering Roxy. I hadn’t had a chance to ask, but she seemed fine. Sonia still looked uneasy, but I hoped the camp would be a safe place for her to adjust.
The camp came into sight. My hopes soared as I saw Ruk, Sen, Arlonne, and the others already in the courtyard. It looked like they’d just made it.
“The wildling said she gave you directions, too,” Arlonne c
alled with a smirk as we dismounted. “Were they as detailed as ours?” We sent the healthy redbills off to roost, while two medics attended the two injured ones.
“Probably,” Dorian answered. My eyes searched for Aurora. She stood beside Bravi at the gates. Aurora looked beautiful—although definitely strange—with her catlike tail helping her stand on wobbly legs. She wore a simple tunic with shorts, oddly plain garments on her otherworldly body.
“Processing time for newcomers,” Bravi yelled, and moved us to form a line. Her face froze when she spotted Inkarri. Suddenly, her blade was in her hand. “What is she doing here?”
It took a few minutes to explain, and even after the explanation, Bravi was still grinding her teeth.
“Cover her eyes, at least,” Bravi barked. “We can’t have prying eyes looking at our camp.” It was an excellent idea. I turned to Inkarri, who scowled, looking remarkably like Bravi for a moment. She backed away.
“What will stop you from slicing my head off, if I allow you to blindfold me?” she demanded.
Sonia gently put her hand on Inkarri’s forearm. It looked like a child’s hand, thanks to Inkarri’s sheer size. “I will.” The ruler searched her face, visibly unsure whether she could put her trust into a weak human researcher to stop a crowd of soldiers. Whatever Inkarri found there, she nodded slowly. I wasn’t sure I would have made the same choice, in her position, but I’d take it.
As Ruk dismounted, Aurora walked over, her steps unsure. His lavender eyes watched her walk carefully. He was finally seeing her for the first time after she officially woke up. It had to be painful and beautiful to see her awake, after nine hundred years. His hand reached out, unsure what to do. Aurora decided for them both. She threw herself at Ruk.
“Ruk,” she cried. Ruk’s lavender eyes widened, and his cheeks warmed with happiness as Aurora wrapped her arms around him. He smiled at her. They looked like they were in their own world. She blinked her large eyes. “I have so many questions. Where’s Irrikus? Where are we? Bravi won’t tell me a thing. She just likes to yell at me and tells me to stop asking questions. I told her that she and the others look very different from the vampires I remember. They don’t even know the same songs.”
Bravi stopped glaring at Inkarri to give Aurora a tired look. “Ruk, please get her to stop talking for a few minutes. She hasn’t stopped since she woke up a few days ago.”
Ruk offered her a sympathetic, but amused, smile. He gripped Aurora by the shoulders. “I have so much to tell you. It is a long, odd tale.” In her new form, she now towered over him by a head.
“Odd tales are my favorite. Tell me everything,” Aurora said, and then turned to all of us. “I want to know all about you.”
16
Lyra
Juneau dabbed his eyes with a silk handkerchief. The cloth appeared to have been torn from something, likely from a glamorous object he’d managed to smuggle from his old life. The tears represented his new identity as a member of the Coalition. I gathered with Dorian, Roxy, Kane, and Charrek around Juneau and Laini.
“Should I fall in the line of duty, make one good statue of me,” he requested, draping a hand across his forehead. Even his theatrical antics failed to lighten the situation. Laini studied him silently as we gathered around him, searching for the emotions beneath the surface. Juneau was preparing for his role in the mission. It was a dangerous one, but crucial to our success. He would intentionally get captured by scouts in Itzarriol, under the pretense of attempting to get back to his estate to find historical objects. Since he already had a reputation as a smuggler among the elite, it seemed plausible enough.
Still, I gnawed the inside of my cheek as we gathered to say goodbye. Juneau had valiantly saved us after we were discovered at Irrikus’s party, by leading the hunters storming his house into a trap where Laini attacked them, draining them of their darkness. With his help, Laini, Charrek, and his staff were able to escape from Itzarriol. Irrikus could demand Juneau’s immediate execution. It was a risk that Juneau was willing to take, a testament to his bravery.
“Good luck, Juneau,” I said, trying to crack a smile. Juneau was doing his best to make this easier for everyone. The least I could do was play along. “The scouts might not recognize your famous visage, after you’ve been among us fighters for so long.” Indeed, Juneau’s handsome exterior had shifted from flamboyant and glamorous to rugged and eccentric in his time at the camp.
Juneau smirked. “Fortunately, my loud, annoying voice is usually heard and identified from miles away.” He leaned closer to me and whispered, “Congratulations on your upcoming union. I always thought you were a dashing couple. I only hope to survive long enough to sew your wedding gown.” I grinned, wondering who had passed on this bit of juicy gossip. We had only told Zach and Gina, but who knew? Maybe someone saw Reshi making the ring. I’d known that the rumor was spreading like wildfire by our second day here. If there were dissenters, they were too busy or wise enough not to say anything.
"Be careful," Laini stressed. "Did you make sure to take that leaf Dorian picked up? If you get in trouble, Inkarri said it blocks your scent from hunters and other beasts."
Juneau winked at her. "But I'm trying to get caught."
She sighed, exasperated. "Just take it. You never know when it might come in handy." She darted forward to embrace him. “Please don’t die. I need you to come back.” It felt oddly intimate to watch them hug. Everyone averted their eyes.
And that's our cue to leave. I asked the others to come with me, drumming up some excuse to dart over to the gate to wait for Juneau’s official exit. He and Laini could join us once they’d had a moment. As I glanced back at them, I raised an eyebrow as Juneau slid his arms around Laini. He kissed her. No matter that we were only ten feet away. That was enough privacy for them. My heart softened for her, knowing how hard it was to steal moments together and love a team member.
She found us a few minutes later with a sad glint in her eyes, Juneau trailing behind her. He waved exuberantly at his many "admirers" as he bid them farewell. In reality, they were merely other members of the camp who’d grown used to his antics. Honestly, though, Juneau had become well-liked among the members of the camp despite his status as a ruler. My gaze found Laini. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she'd been crying.
A few maker guards were assigned to escort Juneau on the first part of his journey. It was agreed that sending vampires was too risky. The makers would accompany him to the city’s edge, then leave him on the outskirts. I thanked them for their commitment, knowing that they risked their own imprisonment if they were caught.
"No sad faces. Weep into your pillows at night, like the rich do to save face," Juneau cried as he waved goodbye to us for the final time. "After all, it doesn't sound as if the elite rulers changed things for any of my caste. They might imprison me, but I doubt they'll shoot on sight."
I prayed that he was right. For his sake and the sake of our plan that we’d drawn up, we needed Juneau's capture to go over well. Once he got captured, we expected the Immortal Council to put him on trial for treason. The Coalition in the meantime would receive news from our spy network to keep tabs on this process. Before he left, we’d prepared everything for our main attack, in case we had to respond quickly. Our biggest concern was when Juneau’s trial would eventually be arranged.
The plan was simple. One of our spies would alert us of the date when all the Immortal Council would gather in one place to judge Juneau. That was when we planned to make our move, attacking on several fronts. It would be an ambush to end all this madness.
Juneau set off with his maker guards. When I turned around, Laini was nowhere to be seen. She probably needed to be alone. It was a common theme for some, lately. Notably, Ruk and Aurora had been closeted away for days, hashing things out. She couldn't believe how long she'd been gone. There were tears, understandably, over her family of aquatic wildlings. Ruk had a lot of explaining to do…
Aurora was interesting. She was bright
, energetic, and curious about anything and everything. From the sounds of it, she’d woken up halfway through our trip to the Mortal Plane. Her awkward mannerisms were a bit rough around the edges, but I liked her silly intelligence. Half the camp was smitten with her. Sen found her intensely fascinating, although she seemed alarmed and confused by Ruk's closeness to Aurora. She’d taken to muttering something about Pik and proxies. Was that what she thought Ruk saw Aurora as? A proxy?
Gomez tried his best to acclimate to the Immortal Plane, working with Kono and Bryce to help the troops adapt to this new environment as well. We explained everything we could about the creatures, illusions, and hunters they might face in combat. Fascinated and horrified expressions crossed the face of many a Bureau soldier. I helped give a few pointers along with Roxy, giving detailed rundowns of our fights and what we’d done to account for the disorientation. Bravi brought in Reshi to give demonstrations on our tech. We recreated fighting styles common among the hunters for the Bureau soldiers to learn. Sonia soaked everything in like a sponge.
To my surprise, we even got some information from Inkarri about the revenant controllers. The controllers could see through the gems via a magical link that allowed magic to work in the Mortal Plane, as we’d suspected. She personally knew that the rulers had the capacity to use sway on humans by speaking through the revenants, but she'd never seen them try to use it on a vampire or Immortal. It was likely that vampires and Immortals could resist sway from a revenant, whereas humans were unfortunately helpless to fight it off. That explained the uptick in crime and confirmed our suspicions.
She gave us a list of names that she could remember, although she cautioned that Irrikus sometimes changed hands if he felt someone wasn't performing well enough. Izelde had told us about Milva and Noxin. Inkarri confirmed those two and offered eight others: Izo, Nivia, Bolimer, Kleo, Larnex, Ravena, Korim, and Lexa. To me, they sounded like the names of prescription drugs. Zach started singing them to us to annoy us during downtime, using ridiculous rhymes to help us memorize them. Inkarri warned us that the names might not reflect the current roster but promised that was the latest one she knew of. Hildan from the party had already been disposed of. What a surprise.
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