Fantasy of Fire (The Tainted Accords #3)(12)
I look over my shoulder at Adox with a quirked eyebrow. He thinks for a moment and moves forward.
Hi voice is strong. “Keep this among yourselves for now. I will call a gathering once you’re gone to explain the happenings to the rest of the Ire,” he says. “You leave once the light dims. Take a small amount of food, wear dark clothing and select the right Soar for your location on the pathway.” I make a quiet noise as he gestures the timid group forward to discuss their targets. His last suggestion was smart. The color in the Oscala depended on whether you were closer to Glacium or Osolis. The very center was black, the surrounding islands blocking all of Osolis’s firelight. The tinge of the sky either side of the dark middle was a gradient of yellows, reds, purples, and blues. Red tinges meant you were closer to Osolis, Blue tinges meant you were closer to Glacium.
The rest of the morning passes quickly as Adox works tirelessly to make sure every group knows where they’re meant to be. Surprisingly, I’m approached almost as much to answer questions about equipment and, to my annoyance, the king of Glacium. I keep my information vague, though not always by intention. It bothers me that I don’t know the little things about Jovan that the Ire folk are asking. Is he handsome? Yes, devastatingly so. What does he do when he’s not being king? No idea. I’d guess training, but I don’t really know.
Hamish throws himself down onto the cushion next to me. “So. Close to the king?” he asks, with a sideways peek at me. “Is that why you couldn’t say anything?”
“One of the reasons,” I say, not willing to lie. He studies me for a long time. I don’t meet his gaze.
He sighs. “Then I guess I can deal with that for now. Maybe one day you’ll trust me enough to confide in me.”
“It’s not—” I start.
“I know, I know.” He waves an aggravated hand in the air. “Plus, I had to forgive you after being selected for the most dangerous mission. And with the king’s emissary, too!” He fans his face. I laugh and shove him.
“Whatever,” I say, still chuckling.
“You ready for our ‘mission’ then?”
I shrug. How do I explain to him that the things which should make me afraid, no longer do? “I guess so. It should be simple enough,” I say. He nods.
“And the most excitement I’ve had in my life!” he says with gusto. A few people near us laugh at his eagerness. I notice the blonde woman staring over. She waves enthusiastically when he notices. He gives half a wave back before standing and pulling me to my feet.
The sky is starting to dim by the time everyone is ready. The rest of the Ire are gathering on Adox’s rock. Adox is there too, while I take over the group of thirty on the Meeting Island.
Hamish and I strap ourselves into Soars, side by side. The groups needing to travel farthest are already gone. Before they left, I’d made the leader of each group confirm their first target by pointing to it on the map rolled out on the tent floor. A twinge of nerves hits me as I think of what they’re risking. If this goes wrong, it will be on my shoulders. I asked Adox to do this. It’s times like this when Mother’s words come back to me. She’d always told me I’d be the ruin of Osolis. I thought she’d meant I’d destroy everything through error, but now I knew she’d meant it would be because of what I am. What I can’t hide. I wonder how often my mother had lain awake wishing Olandon was born before me; the position of Tatuma always went to the eldest child.
“You ready?” Hamish asks. I start and look up at him. He’s grown progressively more silent over the last couple of hours. His excitement has turned into a nervous tension. Several had thrown up over the side of the Meeting Island—if I was lucky, it would land on Uncle Cassius’s head.
I borrow Jimmy’s phrase. “I was born ready.”
We set off with three other groups, sticking as close to the passing islands for cover as we dare. Adox hadn’t wanted me to go in the first group. He had a point. My flying ability is nowhere near the level of the others. But I firmly believed the most dangerous mission should sit on my shoulders, as it wasn’t really the Ire’s problem. Hamish was with me because I knew him better than anyone, and partially because he would’ve been angry with me if I hadn’t selected him.
One group peels off after a time without a sound, heading off toward their section of the pathway. Adox wanted to destroy the whole of the pathway, but I’d disagreed. We only needed to cause a major delay to the army. Enough so the Solati’s food supplies would dwindle, and frustration and suspicion would affect morale. No doubt they’d wonder if Glacium had suspected they were attacking all along and had ruined the pathway long ago. My mother would have to call her army back from where she sat in her comfortable throne on Osolis.
Another two groups split from us and fly away together. They’ll separate as they get closer to their part of the pathway. I’m glad Hamish knows the Oscala so well. I have no idea where I’m going.
Our progress as we draw close is slower. We stop at each island and survey the area around us. There’ll be Solati guards with hawk-like vision on overnight sentry duty. The darkness cloaks us well, but the slight sheen of the Soar’s material could catch a scout’s eye if they are paying attention. Our team will start on the supports ten islands in front of the army’s current location. The Osolis scouts will be slightly in front of the army—perhaps four or five islands. We’ll have several islands between us, so the scout’s vision should be obscured, especially with the way the pathway bends and twists.