The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow, #1)(54)

“Who are you?” I asked.

“You may call me Diah.” She had the easy bearing that came with knowing your place at the top, and I longed to project the same.

“After the Night Captain?”

Diah nodded. “I represent the Ambriellan rebels. We were contacted by one of your people. I was told you wished to negotiate an alliance.”

“We do.” Despite the confidence I projected, inwardly, I analyzed everything. My posture, my expression, my tone. This was the beginning of Rhodaire’s salvation—or its end. I needed her to hear me, to trust me.

Diah chuckled. “The mighty Rhodaire seeks our help. Now that Illucia threatens your borders, your people. Where were your armies when the Ambriels fell? When Jindae fell? Where were your crows?”

“I—” I stopped. What explanation could I possibly give? My mother had sent minimal support to both kingdoms, and it hadn’t been enough. We’d opened our borders to Jin and Ambriellans fleeing Illucia, gave them food and shelter, but nothing more.

“You abandoned us,” Diah said. “Why should we not do the same to you?”

The nervous tension strung through me snapped, pooling sharp and cold in my chest. It struck me that I didn’t know how to do this. Talking to people, negotiating—this was Caliza’s world, not mine. What could I possibly say that would sway her?

I looked from Diah to Caylus, who had leaned back against the door, his hands tucked behind the small of his back. He looked up, meeting my gaze through curls of messy hair, and I saw that familiar something in them. Something that had led me to tell him about the crows.

Something painful. Something broken.

So many broken people.

This had begun because I didn’t want to marry Ericen. Then it became about protecting Rhodaire. But it was bigger than both of those things. Illucia had to be stopped before they were all that was left.

I drew a breath. “You can’t defeat Illucia by raiding transports in the Verian Hills. Jindae can’t defeat them with their court scattered to the wind. We can’t defeat them with the remnants of our army. Alone, none of us will win.”

I straightened. “I don’t know why my mother refused to send aid to the Ambriels or Jindae, but it was wrong. We had the power to help, and we didn’t. I won’t make her same mistake. Either we work together, or Illucia will destroy us all.”

Diah was quiet for a moment, her depthless eyes betraying nothing. She held my gaze, as if searching for the truth inside me. At last, she inclined her head in the smallest nod. “I require time to consider what you’re offering. I will notify Caylus when I have an answer.”

I nodded, and in a flutter of dark cloth, Diah turned for the door. Caylus moved out of her way, closing the door once she’d passed.

I released a heavy breath. “I can’t tell if that went well.”

Caylus smiled slightly. “Diah is…very critical. She didn’t refuse you outright. It’s a good sign.”

“I hope you’re right.”

One kingdom down; three to go.





Seventeen


A letter came from Caliza during breakfast the next morning. Lighting a candle and setting it on the dining table, I read quickly through the visible text describing how much she missed me before sprinkling black dust over the back of the letter. I held it as near to the flame as I dared, and the invisible ink materialized.

Thia,

The king and queen of Trendell have agreed to host an alliance meeting. They’ll hear us out, but they want to see the crow. They’ve set a meeting date for near a month from now, on the Trendellan holiday of Belin’s Day. We have to hatch the crow by then.

Things here are growing more precarious. Skirmishes have broken out on the border, and the Illucian army has raided as far south as Mycair. We can hold them off for now, but they’re choking our supply lines, and the latest report on crops isn’t good.

We’re running out of time.

Please stay safe.

Love,

Caliza

The letter crumpled in my fist. We’d acquiesced to all Razel’s demands, and yet she was still terrorizing my people.

Kiva plucked the letter from my hand, read it, and then crossed the room to toss it into the fire.

“Well, at least Trendell has agreed to host the meeting,” she said. I’d updated her on the meeting with Diah. Things were finally moving. “The only question is how do we get there.”

“And with a hatched crow,” I said. We’re running out of time.

Standing, I left my breakfast untouched and went to my room to pen a return letter for Caliza, writing in invisible ink that I had a lead on the egg and would update her soon. Then I wrapped the egg in a blanket, set it gently in a bag with a book and sweater to disfigure the shape, and returned to the common room.

Kiva nearly dropped the teapot she’d been pouring from. “What in the Saints’ name are you doing?”

“Taking the egg to Caylus.”

She set the teapot down with a thump. “Did I hit you too hard sparring this morning?”

I rolled my eyes. “You read Caliza’s letter. We’re running out of time. Caylus is with the rebels. If we can’t trust them, this is all for nothing anyways. And right now, he’s my only chance of hatching this egg.”