The Continent (The Continent #1)(10)

I think the lot of us were simply unprepared to see anything macabre at that moment; we were so distracted and enthralled by our first view of the landscape, marveling at the unexpected appearance of the Aven’ei, and then…the bodies. Decayed and frightening and real. Unexpected.

Now, we sit quietly, each pretending not to have been bothered by the faces of the dead warriors. I suppose it is easier to feign disinterest than to admit being disturbed. Even the steward has not spoken, although I suspect it is rather out of deference for the general mood than due to any uneasiness of his own; he must be well accustomed to the grislier sights of the Continent by now. And at length, it is he who breaks the silence by coming up the aisle and announcing our imminent arrival at Ivanel.

I hear a rustling sound and the zipping of what must be Mrs. Shaw’s valise. “I’m quite sure I’m ready to get off this plane,” she says.

“I think we could all do with some fresh air,” my mother agrees.

Mrs. Shaw turns around and looks closely at my mother, who has reclaimed her seat next to me. “You poor dear—are you feeling any better?”

“No,” my mother says. “But the idea of putting my feet on solid ground has cheered me immensely.”

“A good meal with dark wine, and you’ll be ready for a new day,” says Mrs. Shaw with some authority.

The aircraft tips gently to the right and then straightens out again. Aaden looks over at me and gives me a soft smile. “You have a map of Ivanel, I assume?”

“Oh, yes,” I say. “I’m anxious to see it in person. I guess it’s the closest thing to the Continent we can experience firsthand.”

“Yes, and without that pesky war going on to spoil the view, am I right?”

“I—well, I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

He leans toward me. “You ought to. We mustn’t take for granted the security to which we are accustomed. Peace is a luxury, you know.”

“Our people have earned it,” I say. “It took centuries for the Four Nations to set aside the ways of war.”

He nods. “That’s true. But have we really come so far, when a tour of the Continent is so desirable a thing? We’ve traded our swords for treaties, our daggers for promises—but our thirst for violence has never been quelled. And that’s the crux of it: it can’t be quelled. It’s human nature.”

“I have to disagree with you there, son,” my father says, leaning forward from the back row. “I believe human nature compels us to strive for the very thing we have achieved in the Spire: peace.”

Aaden smiles. “Perhaps we do not all share the same nature.”

“Perhaps not,” my father says. “But I think curiosity is to account for any desire to see the war. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“What a quaint idea,” Aaden says. “I was not aware that you were a man of such philosophy, Mr. Sun.”

“I have my moments. Right, Vaela?” He gives me a wink and turns his attention back to the window.

“Philosophy, war, bodies swinging dead from bridges, what more shall we discuss before we even set foot on the island?” says Mrs. Shaw. “Really, I do hope everyone is in a better mood at dinnertime. This is supposed to be a holiday!”

Mr. Shaw leans over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “We shall speak of nothing but sunshine and cheer, my darling, if that is what pleases you.”

“I find that very doubtful,” she says, and sniffs. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Tuck into your seats, now,” calls the steward. “We are ready to land.”

I look out the window to see a flat stretch of land rising up to greet us. The heli-plane sets down with a soft bump and my mother gives a long sigh of relief.

After a few minutes, the door is opened and we file out along the gangway. The air in the hangar is freezing; my lungs burn each time I take a breath. My father puts an arm around me and gives me a little shake.

“Cold, isn’t it?” he says, the breath escaping from his lips as he speaks.

The walkway leads into a large building. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw are at the front of the group with Aaden trailing behind them, and my parents and I are hurrying along at the back. I can hear Mrs. Shaw complaining about the cold from twenty feet away; I’m not at all sure why she decided a trip to the Continent would suit her.

I think we are all relieved when we reach the lobby, which is very grand and, more importantly, very warm. The room is long and wide, with a high ceiling that boasts an enormous glass dome. The whole place is filled with natural light, and the bright and spacious area is a welcome change from the small cabin aboard the plane.

The steward turns back to my father and says, “I’ll just show the Shaws to their apartment and will be back for you momentarily. Please make yourself comfortable while you wait.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, Vaela,” Aaden says, and bows before turning to head down the hallway.

I smile to myself, then wander across the foyer, admiring the tapestries along the walls.

My father puts an arm around my mother and leads her to the other side of the room. In a low voice, he says, “I’m not sure I’m fond of that young man.”

From the corner of my eye, I see her lace an arm through his. “He’s perfectly harmless, Thomas.”