Circle of Shadows (Circle of Shadows, #1)(14)

The warriors sprinted for the doors.

Outside, the wind howled, toppling topiaries and ripping branches off the trees. The councilmembers began weaving their way through the flooded garden toward the highest point on the isle, Constellation Temple.

Another typhoon wave roared and crashed down on them. It knocked Glass Lady off her feet, sending her careening into a broken lamppost. Thick splinters from the wood beam pierced into her torso. Salt water swallowed her whole, and she struggled to surface while blood blossomed from her wound.

No. Despite being in her mid-sixties, she was still strong. She kicked frantically and pushed with her arms. Her lungs burned. She found the ground beneath her and shoved up, breaking the surface of the churning water and gasping for air. She’d deal with the injury to her side later.

The waves kept coming.

Finally, the taigas made it to Constellation Temple. Battered and soaked, the councilmembers tumbled into the temple and climbed the stairs quickly, straight to the observation pavilion at the top.

“Commander,” Strategist said, his gray beard looking like a drowned squirrel. “You’ve been wounded.”

Glass Lady glanced at shards of wood still protruding from her side. She waved him away. “Later. There are more important things right now.”

She turned to the ocean in the direction from which the waves came, expecting a wide swath of water that swelled and grew like a wall.

Instead, the waves came from a single point in the sea.

“It’s not a storm,” Glass Lady whispered.

“What do you mean?” Scythe asked.

Glass Lady squinted at the ocean. Was that a black spot on the water? “Someone find me a spyglass,” she said.

Strategist ran down the stairs into the temple. A minute later, he returned and placed a telescope in her hand.

She focused on the point from which the waves seemed to emanate.

“Daggers!” she cursed. “There’s a ship out there.”

“They’ll never survive the typhoon,” Bullfrog said. “Should we attempt to rescue them?”

Another wave rose to monstrous heights and sped toward the island. It slammed into where the dining hall had been.

Gods help us. That was no Imperial Navy ship out there, nor was it a merchant or even pirates. It was nothing Glass Lady knew how to handle.

She turned to the councilmembers and shook her head. “There’s no way we could save that ship. Besides, they don’t need rescuing. They’re causing the waves.”

“What? How?” Strategist asked.

She tried the spyglass again, but visibility was poor. “I don’t know. But the waves are originating from that ship. We have to get out of here. Whoever and whatever that is out there, this is an attack, and we have no way to fight it. We’ll cast sailfish spells on ourselves and swim from Haven Cove.”

It was the most direct path from Isle of the Moon to the shores of Kichona, even though the waters would be rough.

“Rough” was an understatement.

Glass Lady kept an eye on the mysterious ship as the taigas evacuated. But she couldn’t see much through the typhoon. The wind was so violent, it was hurling water high into the sky. And the massive waves kept growing and coming for the island.

“Commander?” Strategist said. “We need to go.”

She hesitated for a moment, paralyzed by not knowing what it was they faced.

“Commander. Now.”

She blinked. Nodded. They sprinted for the cove.

When they arrived, Bullfrog turned to her. “What are we going to do about this? How do we fight a threat we don’t even understand?”

“Just focus on swimming right now.” She gave him a stern look, even though he was also a councilmember. As if acting unafraid would actually make it true.

Bullfrog either didn’t pick up on Glass Lady’s fear or he was too well trained to question her. He put both fists over his heart. “Yes, Commander.”

The Council cast their sailfish spells to help them hold their breath longer underwater and swim faster. Glass Lady forced herself not to look back at the ship. And they dove into the vicious, frigid sea.





Chapter Six


Kichona’s empress was up late, perusing a report on the projected wheat and rice harvests, when a messenger rushed into her study.

“Your Majesty,” he said, huffing to catch his breath, “the commander of the taigas is here to see you.”

“What? Why?” Aki rose from her desk, alarmed. Glass Lady was a meticulous planner. She had come to Rose Palace unannounced on only one occasion before.

“All I know is it’s an emergency,” the messenger said.

“Have her brought to the throne room. I’ll be there soon.”

He nodded and ran off to carry out her orders.

Aki hurried out of her study. As she stepped into the corridor, Imperial Guards surrounded her and strode with her.

They reached the throne room, and Aki settled into the velvet cushions that had once belonged to her father. The moonlight sparkled brightly here, focused through the crystalline prism of the ceiling like a celestial beam upon the empress’s head. Sometimes, the effect was a reassurance, reminding Aki her reign was blessed by Sola, the sun goddess. Other times, she felt unworthy of the spotlight, as if she were an imposter. It was her father who was supposed to be sitting on this throne.