Irini stood to the side of a meeting room. A small Dipinta tree occupied the center of the room, and through a central skylight, light poured down. The tree soaked up most of that light. Irini got very little.
She stood just under the part of the ceiling that was not skylight and kept glancing up, through the edge of the branches. She expected to see Volanter vessels in the sky over Scaldigir, at any time. She didn’t feel the Volanter would wait for the Scaldin’s answer.
She wasn’t sure who her people would choose: the Volanter or the Iruedians.
Irini held her hand up and watched for the thread. It sparkled around her middle finger and tangled up, to eventually head out. Mother Tree knew where. If Irini knew which way lay the portal to Iruedim and which way to the Volanter, she might be able to tell the answer.
She dropped her hand to her side and shook the tangled thread from her finger. Some residual magic clung. She raised her middle finger and wiped the last of the stubborn glitter away. The motion helped her mind banish her circle.
“I beg your pardon.” Alban gave Irini a narrow-eyed look. He gestured to her hand. “I brought you along out of the goodness of my heart.”
Irini’s eyes went wide. “Oh this?” She held up her finger; then, hurriedly put it down. “I was just looking at my thread. I don’t get to pick the finger. It does.”
Alban turned away. He walked a few steps and beckoned. “What did you ask it?”
Irini took the first steps towards the front of the room, where a few chairs and a table rested, in the shade of the Dipinta tree. “I asked it who we’d side with.”
“Let’s talk about that.”
Alban and Irini arrived at the table, and Irini could see the remnants of a meeting, particularly a lunch meeting. Plates sat in a neat stack. The top plate possessed a few crumbs, and Irini’s stomach growled.
As for the people of the meeting, they’d left long ago. Only Sotir and Gavain remained, along with Alban and Irini.
Sotir stood beside the table. He held his staff and wore serenity on his face. Gavain tossed used napkins in a laundry bin, ready for washing. Alban brushed off the table and sat on the edge. He crossed his arms and waited.
“Well, who are we going to side with?” Irini asked.
“No one.” Alban nodded at Gavain to explain.
Gavain drew in a long breath and sighed. “We are going to return to the Volanter and ask for a trial period. One in which we test out both Iruedim’s friendship and the Volanter’s.”
Sotir shook his head slow. “They will not like that. It was their express wish that we cease to associate with the Iruedians. No trial period will be accepted.”
Gavain nodded. “I agree, but I’ll attempt to sell this deal. I have to convey the message of our government, and that is an eight-month trial period.”
Irini swallowed. “So, what does that mean? What happens next?”
Alban stared at Sotir. Gavain did as well.
Sotir rounded the table and stood before Irini. “What happens next is a war – or I should say a continuation of the war we joined a few months ago. Depending on how well Gavain does, we may earn ourselves a few more weeks of negotiation, or we may have to prepare immediately.”
Irini bit her nails. “We can’t get eight months?”
“No.” Sotir laughed, without humor. “They won’t give us eight months. Their goal is to cut off Iruedim. They want to see them fail, and they don’t want to wait forever for the gratification. The Volanter did not come to this decision lightly. They really view us – the Iruedians and the Scaldin – as Volanter. But, they’re blaming all that has happened on Iruedim. The destruction of their sanctuary as well as their rebuff at an attempt to reinitiate contact.”
Irini nodded. “What are we going to do?”
Alban smiled. “We’re going to get ready. Behind the government’s back but not the navy’s. So, we have that going for us.”
Irini looked at the floor. Excitement headed her way. Soon, they wouldn’t be able to protect her from contact with the Volanter. Kat and Chara, the rest of the arcanes and her parents, no one could send her somewhere where she couldn’t be touched. Irini felt a lump in her throat. Every time she got excitement; she couldn’t appreciate it. If she were unbound, things could be different. She could be useful. She could be prepared.
Alban brushed a crumb from the side of his leg. “Discrete communication with Curator Rooks – that’s what we’ll do. I’m hoping she can sneak some of her mages here. Speaking of mages…” Alban’s eyes narrowed. “Sotir, what were you thinking? You took Pan out of the fight.”
Sotir straightened. “I did no such thing. I gave her a break from the familiar. She can still fight, just aboard ship. Trust me. She needed that break.”
Gavain frowned. “Aria did say Pan’s aura was trending towards the scary colors again – blood red, a washed out grey. She was worried.”
Sotir bowed his head. “That made two of us. I trust her aura is clearing up now.”
“I haven’t asked.” Gavain rubbed the back of his neck. “But, when I’m around and listening to their text conversations, I don’t hear anything concerning.”
Alban pushed off the table and stood on his own two feet. “Let me get this straight. You expect me to ferry Pan around and allow her to fight – while pregnant?”
Sotir hummed his acknowledgment.
“Oh joy. Should I put a barf bucket on the bridge?”
“She’s mostly recovered from that bit, but during an intense fight, you might be glad of the decision.” Sotir touched Irini’s arm and drew her closer.
A breeze from a high window rustled the Dipinta tree, and Irini looked up. She stared at the tree and watched its many branches wave subtly, too strong for most breezes to really move them.
“It’s settled then.” Alban pulled the shirt of his uniform down and straightened his silhouette. “I’m going to send a message to our Iruedian allies. See if they can spare some mages. Ships are out of the question.”
Gavain wandered towards the door. “And, Aria and I will try to frame the trial period in as innocent a way as possible. Or, maybe…I have some ideas.”
“What ideas?” Irini stood tall, almost on the tip of her toes, as she tried to catch his fleeting attention.
Gavain glanced over his shoulder and waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t have time to explain.” He retreated from the room, and his steps grew soft as he hurried away.
Sotir cleared his throat and focused on Irini. “I have a job for you.”
Irini felt her mouth drift open.
Alban stopped by the door. He turned to watch.
Irini bowed a little under his gaze. She tried not to look at him and instead, kept her eyes on Sotir. “A job?”
Sotir gave her a small smile. “Yes.”
Alban raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware you could order Irini around now.”
“I have Kat and Chara’s permission.” Sotir’s eyes flicked to Alban but only briefly.
Alban sighed. “I’ll wait outside.” He strode through the door. His steps rang in the hall but stopped some distance away.
Sotir watched the door and waited till Alban got quiet. Then, he faced her.
Irini met his eyes and noticed how much taller she felt. She was outgrowing his assistance faster than she could make use of it. “Did Kat and Chara really give you permission?”
Sotir nodded once. “Yes. I can’t take you from the mining job without their approval. I know you want to do more Irini. Well, I have more for you to do.”
“Like...” Irini’s voice sounded small, barely a whisper. She felt warmth rise in her face, unsure how Sotir found out about her little arcane crisis. She started again. “Like what? I don’t see how I can help, with just my thread.”
“You’re the perfect person for this job.” Sotir stared at her. “Irini. I need you to go to Iruedim. Find Meladee Arai and Evangeline Dyelan. Take them and whoever else you like. Find Camellia’s Pen Pal. We’re going to need him.”
Irini felt her mouth open wider. “I…just me?”
“It’s the perfect job isn’t it? Perfect for a golden thread. And, it’s a big job. It’s more important than anything else we could do.”
Irini drew a shallow breath. “It’s not that I’m ungrateful or anything, I just wish I could be unbound instead. I’d do so much more…”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Sotir held up a hand. “There’s value in being bound.”
Irini looked away and set her eyes on the base of the Mother Tree. She got the impression that Sotir had long since accepted his role, but she wanted to try out more. She only had one life to live. Why should she have to spend it following a golden thread?
Irini exhaled. “Do they know you want to send just me after this thing?”
Sotir shrugged. “More or less. Irini.” He bowed his head close to her face. “Scaldigir isn’t going to approve anyone official, not till it’s too late. And, Iruedim will do the same. But, you can go, and Meladee and Eva can give themselves the authority to go.” Sotir paused. He twirled his staff between his fingers. “Trust me. It’ll be okay. I know you don’t want to be like me forever. I know this is not the adventure you want. But, one more time, follow your thread.”
Irini stared. She wanted to be useful. Here was a job practically made for her thread, and only Sotir saw fit to bestow it upon her. The others would have her wait and waste her usefulness.
Sotir drew a long breath. “Who knows? Once you’re unbound, it won’t be exactly how it is now. You might be surprised. You might miss it.”
Irini frowned and suppressed a sudden frustration. That was the same kind of argument that Kat and Chara made. They only said it because they could never be unbound and make the most of the other circles. It was also the kind of argument that kept Irini from reaching her potential. She was disgusted to hear it from Sotir. “No. I’ll never miss it.”
With an upraised hand, Sotir soothed her. “Alright. Alright. This time will be the last, and it will save our world. Do it for me. For Pan and Aria. For Scaldigir.”
Irini’s heart pounded. “I can do it. I won’t let you down.”
Rooks walked to her office. She had planned to meet Alban in the hangar bay, but she didn’t make it in time. Instead, she got word that he went straight to her office. He was very comfortable on her ship.
The door to Rooks’ office stood open, and she paused in the hall. She heard voices inside: Alban’s familiar baritone and a young, small voice.
As Rooks rounded the corner, she wasn’t surprised to see Alban, but she was surprised to see… “Irini? It’s been many months since we met. What brings you here?”
Alban turned and faced Rooks. “The same reason I’m here. We helped you with your half of the war. Now, we need your help to fight off our coming Volanter invasion.”
Rooks frowned. “I know. I can send you three ships. Fauchard…”
Alban held up a hand. “We just need mages. You can’t spare the ships. Also, the navy sent me here in secret. Scaldigir’s government does not know about this, and neither do the Volanter. I’m going to serve as the go-between, until part two of this war gets started.”
Rooks stood a little straighter, not sure what to think. “We’re going to help you, of course. But, why the secrecy?” She frowned. “Are you on speaking terms with the Volanter?”
Alban cocked his head. “Sort of. The Volanter have come bearing an offer. They want us to cease contact with you and begin contact with them.”
Rooks stared. She opened her mouth to speak. Instead, she drew a short breath. She ran a hand over her tightly pinned hair. Finally, she said. “I guess that offer was convincing.”
Alban nodded. “To the right people. But, the navy and many of the arcanes don’t think the offer is good. We’re getting ready.”
Rooks sighed. She wanted to return the help, and she wanted to do it more than halfway. The Scaldin had brought ships and arcanes to Iruedim’s aide. Now, it was Iruedim’s turn to help, and Rooks was ready to give it everything she had, though Iruedim’s various governments felt a little differently. She wanted to offer ships, in addition to mages, partly because she felt it was fair, mostly because she wanted to be there.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to send a ship or two?”
Alban nodded once. “Absolutely sure. No one expects the ships. It’s the mages we need. Come to think of it, you probably should stay behind yourself. We don’t know if or when the Volanter will try to come through the wormhole and attack you again.”
“If they do, we can catch them between us. It would be a pretty stupid move on their part.”
“Not if they can wormhole their way back here and come up from behind you. You only have a fleet of six. It’s…” Alban shrugged.
“Insane?” Rooks rounded her desk but didn’t take a seat. “If I could have taken more ships from Girandola, believe me, I would have. But, I’ve got these, and the Lurrien fleet. By the way, it isn’t six ships anymore. It’s five.” Rooks bowed her head. She’d lost the Ranseur in the final battle. “I can get you your mages within the day.”
Alban perked up. “That would be ideal. Sotir says we have at least four or five days before they attack. If you get us back within two, we can have our entire defense prepared.”
Rooks frowned. “And, what is that defense?”
Alban smiled. “I’m glad you asked. We’ll catch them towards the middle of our solar system. So far, their potential wormhole locations seem to be far enough from Scaldigir that we can hold them at a distance. We’re going to put debris around Scaldigir, just in case. And, we’ll put a handful of ships on defense of the wormhole and around the planet itself. Everything else will go into the main fighting force, and when I say everything, I mean everything. Scaldigir has fifty-seven ships – forty-eight to offer to the main battle – and we’re recalling all of them home.”
Rooks raised an eyebrow. “Not worried about your neighbors?”
“Less so.” Alban looked to Irini. He gave her a gentle nudge on the shoulder.
Irini stepped forward. “I was wondering if…uh…could I borrow Meladee Arai and Evangeline Dyelan?”
Rooks sat down slow. “That’s a bit of an odd request. What do you need them for?”
“Sotir gave me a job. I’m supposed to go and rescue Pen Pal. Sotir named them specifically.” Irini’s eyes were wide. The white coils of her hair stood out from her shoulders, giving her a somewhat cartoonish impression of apprehension.
Rooks said, “I can relay your message, but I don’t control them. Meladee is technically a civilian, just trying to run a shipping business. Eva could probably give me orders, since she’s a government representative for Lurren.”
Irini stepped forward. “Can I stay, until you get me an answer?”
Rooks looked at Alban.
“She’ll be on her own, unless you can get her back to us. I can’t stay.” Alban shook his head.
“You can stay aboard Fauchard with me, until we get your answer. If you plan to rescue Pen Pal…” Rooks tapped at her computer. She couldn’t remember the exact location or directions for Pen Pal, but she knew she had them. “You’re going to travel from here. My directions start on Iruedim. I could have Inez open the portal for you, but I don’t think I want to spare her for the trip.”
Irini swallowed. A light sheen of sweat seemed to dampen the line between her hair and forehead. “Sotir only mentioned Meladee and Eva.”
Rooks nodded. “Alright. We’ll try to follow his directions to the letter. How are you holding up? Warm?” Rooks couldn’t keep the concern from her face. She couldn’t recall if the Scaldin found Girandolan vessels warm or cold.
Irini touched her forehead and brushed her hairline. “Oh, I just sweat when I’m nervous. I’m a sweaty arcane, sir. I mean, ma’am. I mean, Curator.” Pink blush showed through the grey of Irini’s skin.
Rooks smiled. “I’m pretty comfortable with Curator these days.” Her eyes flicked to her screen and the information on Pen Pal’s whereabouts. Slowly, the smile left her face. “This task Sotir gave you might be very important.” Rooks gave a small shrug. “I just want one of our potential heroes to be comfortable while she waits.”
“Well, if you’re serious about that,” Alban said. “We actually find your ships a bit cold.” He stepped back. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to relay the message to my superiors. I doubt there will be time for me to come back for a visit.”
Rooks was disappointed, but she tried not to show it. “I understand. I’m sorry I can’t give more.”
She longed to join the fight and help the Scaldin as they had helped the Iruedians. Though, she had to admit that the Scaldin didn’t need the ships. The Scaldin would have nearly double the fleet that she used to fend off the Volanter. The mages were needed more.
Alban left without saying anything more. Irini and Rooks shared an awkward glance.
“Let me make those calls for you,” Rooks said.
In the fighter pilot’s meeting room, beneath the glow of strong overhead lights, Irini watched as information seemed to pass between Meladee and Eva, sans words. Meladee raised her eyebrows, and Eva just looked tired.
No one sat at the long, curved table, and every chair stood pushed in. Irini blinked in the bright light. When aboard Girandolan ships, she found it brightest in and around the parking bay, which was where she happened to find herself. Iruedian fighter pilots held their meetings by their ships, which Irini supposed made perfect sense. It also gave her, Meladee, and Eva a place to meet nearby their own parked ship.
In the background, Benham stroked his chin. “Did he say only you three, or could I come with?”
Irini felt her eyes widen. “Oh, I have no idea. I mean I don’t remember…wait, he said I could take whoever else I liked.” Irini let her shoulders relax. “But, if you want, I could ask my thread.” She stared down at her hand.
The bright atmosphere of Fauchard, unlike the dim quarters of Scaldin ships, made it harder to see the glittering thread. She squinted and prepared to spot some gold.
Who can I bring with me? Irini blinked in surprise as numerous threads extended from her fingers. The three strongest went to Meladee, Eva, and Benham. Others went off into the ship and possibly beyond.
Irini looked up to see a smirk of amusement on Meladee’s face and one of skepticism on Eva’s.
“What’s it say?” Meladee asked.
“Oh, he can come. That’s fine.”
Benham clapped his hands together. “Great. I can keep an eye on my Meladee. Plus, I make a good scout.”
Irini looked the group over, from Meladee to Eva to Benham. “So, you’ll help me?”
“If someone can just make these Volanter all go away, I’m in. ‘Cause god knows we can’t do it on our own.” Meladee glanced back at Benham. She mumbled, “These things have got my life on hold.”
Benham nodded along.
Irini turned to Eva. “And, will you come?”
“I voted against freeing Pen Pal. We have no idea of Pen Pal’s true intentions or form. We have only Camellia’s impressions.” Eva’s steady gaze moved from Irini to Meladee. “And, may I remind you that Camellia is in possession of a stalwart sympathy toward all things, be they monster or otherwise.”
Meladee shrugged. “She wouldn’t want us to free Pen Pal if she felt it would destroy Iruedim. She’s not that crazy.”
“She has believed herself one of the monsters for so long, I’m not sure she recognizes when they’re out to do her harm.”
Meladee crossed her arms, and her eyes went wide. “Really? You don’t think she knows when something wants to eat her. You saw her dad.”
Eva remained silent. Her hands rested by her side, calm and gold. Her gaze remained steady.
Meladee inhaled deep. “Look, I know Camellia’s got that whole see it from another perspective thing.” Meladee reached for Irini, with an open hand. “But, this kid says we’ve got to go get the Pen Pal, and…”
“And, you don’t believe in seers. Remember?” Eva countered.
“I believe in that Sotir guy. He’s like the only seer I believe.” Meladee let out a long breath and shifted her weight. “Come on.”
Irini could see from the set of Eva’s face that her chance to fulfill Sotir’s mission was slipping away. Irini knew she needed Meladee and Eva; otherwise, he wouldn’t have named them.
What can I do? What can I do to change her mind?
Irini perked up. “I could just ask my thread. I could ask it if Pen Pal is dangerous, or…” Irini pursed her lips. How could she frame the question?
Meladee frowned and stared at the ceiling. “Usually that spell is a finder, not a question answerer. You ask it where to go, not who to hang out with.” Bit her lower lip. “So, how could we use it in this case?” Meladee made a face at Eva. “To convince you that is.”
“You can’t. If I can’t see the results of the spell, I can’t possibly believe it.” Eva stood straight and unyielding.
And, Irini was losing hope. Sotir painted this job as the most important of Scaldin’s war. She needed to make it work.
In the background, Eva and Meladee bickered. Once in a while, Benham’s deeper voice put in.
Irini blocked it all out. She supposed Sotir picked Eva because Eva lived on Iruedim, worked well with Meladee, and most important, had the skills of an engineer. Iruedim had to have other engineers. She could ask Rooks for one, but that seemed unlikely. Rooks needed her engineers, just in case the Volanter showed up. Other engineers, ones that didn’t work aboard vital ships, were available and waiting. Irini could find another in Lurren, but would Eva let them go? Better yet, Irini could just get an engineer from Scaldigir.
And, if she couldn’t find someone, she’d rather fail where she could hide her face and her shame on her own terms, probably on a mining ship.
IrinI wandered a few steps away and tapped her com. “Have you…uh…left yet?”
Alban answered quick. “No. Why?”
“I want to come back with you. I think I left some things behind.”