Rooks rethought her assessment of the gentle Scaldin, when they called to attach the decay spell to Pen Pal’s offered ring.

She tried to raise her voice over the calls of the other navy officers but couldn’t succeed. They argued back and forth about the decay spell and how long it might take. Some wanted a more instant death for the Volanter. To Alban’s credit, he said nothing. He sat with his quiet pod of arcanes: Pan, Sotir, Aria, and Irini. And, of course, Gavain, Aria’s ambassador husband.

Rooks turned to Inez and gestured to the chaos around them. Inez just shrugged. She had a mess of papers before her, all showed circles, akin to the one that Pen Pal made.

A lull in the conversation approached, and Rooks straightened. She prepared to speak and add something other than instant death to the Volanter’s possible fates.

“Suppressant,” Sotir said, into the near silence.

True silence followed his declaration.

“The thing we should share between all Volanter is suppressant.” Sotir used his staff to stand. “If we suppress them, we can choose who to kill and who to leave alive.”

“Sotir, if we suppress them, it’s only going to last so long.” Alban didn’t get up. He delivered his warning from his chair.

“And, they’ll still be inside their ships and their enchantments,” Rooks added.

“That’s true,” Ivo said. He crossed his arms and seemed about to say more.

Inez shot out of her seat. “I can copy the spell and make a version that depowers their enchantments. Then, we really could use the suppressant, and we could…”

“Leave some alive to trouble us later?” an officer asked.

“Leave some alive to join us now,” Sotir offered. “It’s a slaughter either way. Why not give them the chance to change their minds?”

“So, let me see if I have this straight,” Ivo, the leader of their gathering said. “You want to depower their ships, suppress their arcane abilities, then offer them a chance to join us?”

Sotir inclined his head. “Not a lot will take it. But those that do will help replace what we’ve lost.”

Alban raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure we want those kinds of replacements, Sotir. Besides, what do you do if some on the ship want to join us while others don’t?”

“We only save ship by ship. So, if one ship doesn’t surrender, all the inhabitants can’t be saved.” Sotir leaned upon his staff.

Rooks held up a hand. “They can flee and come back stronger.”

Sotir shook his head. “No. They can’t. You see. They are so confident that they have me outread this time, they will bring all of their ships – all of their people, including the single vessel that carries Volanter children and parents. They won’t be able to return easily. They made this gamble because they know they’ll win.”

Rooks frowned.

Another officer said what was on her mind, “So, they think there’s nothing we can do?”

Sotir smiled and nodded. “That’s right. They’re coming in the course of half an hour. They’ve done their final read, and at the time of their final read, this spell was hiding away on Iruedim, where their magic couldn’t reach it. They don’t know what we have.”

Ivo stared hard at Sotir. “What’s stopping them from doing another read on the future?”

“They need at least four hours to make a deep read. My circle works very differently in its unbound form,” Sotir answered. “They might perform a minor read in the moment, but by then, they’ll all be here. It’ll be too late.”

Ivo folded his hands. “Alright. Let’s consider this. How will we make the suppressant idea work? We don’t have a lot of time.”

Inez, still standing, interrupted all who tried to speak. “The spell is a spiral. Any spell or object that we place in the center will travel down the chain. The chain represents the Volanter. That’s how the spell touches everyone. All we have to do is place the spell – near to the Volanter as we can. Then, we put the suppressant into the circle’s center. And, I mean that literally. We can put some real suppressant in the center of the circle while it floats in space.”

Murmurs passed around the room. Rooks had no one to murmur to, so she thought to herself that it sounded good, very good.

Ivo held up a hand. “So, the spell can reach them through their enchantments?”

Inez nodded.

Ivo continued, “But, we need to disable those enchantments first because even if the spell penetrates, we can’t allow them to hide in their fortresses, till the suppressant effect wears off.”

Inez tilted her head. “The spell will go through. They just need to be in the radius of effect. I don’t know how well they can hide with our magic hammering their shields, but I think we can use Pen Pal’s spell twice. Once to disable the enchantments. Once to suppress the Volanter.”

Ivo leaned forward. “How does it work to disable enchantments?”

Inez bit her lip. “Well, that’s a little harder.” Inez rifled through some papers. She found the one she wanted and held it up. The drawing showed a modified circle, based on Pen Pal’s original. “This is a chain spell for inanimate objects. I can’t make it more specific, so we’d have to make sure our ships stay away.” Inez pointed to the middle of the spiraling circle. “We could stick a binding circle in the center of this one. That should kill the enchantments.”

The Scaldin shared many glances, all around the room.

Rooks didn’t meet anyone’s eyes. She was too busy staring at Inez and feeling glad that she’d given this spell writer a chance.

“Okay, we’ll suppress them.” Ivo stood up. “We need to back them into a corner, bunch up their ships. Then, we get ours clear. I imagine we only get a handful of tries at this, and it doesn’t sound like we have much time to prepare. Everyone to your ships.”

Inez trotted ahead of Rooks. Rooks got ready to pick up the pace, when Alban grabbed her arm.

“When this is all over, what are you going to do?” Alban asked. He stood close to Rooks’ shoulder.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

She laughed. “Back to doing my job. Hopefully, it’ll be more boring than usual. And, I might order a few new ships to be built by the Scaldin. What are you going to do?”

They continued to walk for the hangar.

Alban set a brisk pace. “Someone will have to guard the wormhole and ferry Sotir back and forth for any of his readings within the solar system. I’m volunteering for that job.”

“Oooo, very safe. Nice choice.” Rooks grinned.

“It is very safe, and since I’ll be nearby, I can help entertain you.”

Rooks put a hand to her chest. “Entertain me?”

“I can’t imagine that a lot happens out by Iruedim, once you lack a major enemy threatening your home soil.”

Rooks smiled. “That would be desirable at this time.”

“But later, a bit less so.”

Rooks felt the smile leave her face. “You’re probably right about that. I was actually thinking it might be in our best interests for our two peoples to explore together. Make other wormholes and look for resources on the other side.”

“Other wormholes…not the one that you planted here, right?” Alban gestured vaguely above their heads.

Rooks had no idea where the wormhole really was as she was aboard a Scaldin ship. “I don’t think we’ll mess with the wormhole ever again.”

“Good. I…”

Someone called to Alban.

“On my way,” he shouted. “See you later.”

Rooks watched him go and imagined what he might have to say.

“No more dragon.” Back aboard the Ischyros, Pan strolled, arm in arm with Aria on one side and Sotir on the other. “I think they’ll hardly need me for this. It’s just as you were hoping, my dear.” She put her head to Sotir’s shoulder, but only for a moment. “I’ll come through this with my goodness intact.”

“You have to help initially,” Sotir said. “And, your dragon will be the one to stick the suppressant in the circle. It’s the lowest risk. Even if it dies, it can’t be gone forever.”

Pan frowned. If only she could erase it. “So, I have to be the one to make them helpless? This is going to do wonders for the complexion of my aura.” Pan turned to Aria and found her looking back. “How many people do you think I’ll have to noblely unbind to get the gold back?”

Aria drew a long breath. “I think that the gold you have now could be all you ever need. You’ve done a lot for Scaldigir and for me.”

Aria hadn’t said anything more about Pan’s secret nanite treatments. Pan was glad of that because she’d injected Aria in the stomach while Aria lay under a sleeping enchantment. Details needed to remain secret, but as far as Pan could tell, Aria was ready to let the big detail pass. It wasn’t deserved, but if someone healed Pan while she slumbered through it, she would bow her head in thanks no matter how underhanded the act.

“I’ll unbind you first,” Pan promised Aria. She turned to Sotir. “Then, you.”

“No, you won’t unbind me. Being bound to the time reading circle gives me too valuable an advantage. I can’t be unbound.” Sotir stared straight ahead.

Pan wanted him to look her way, so she could glare at him. She said nothing, but at some point, she would tell him that he didn’t know what he was missing. Of all the self-sacrificial bullshit, giving up the chance to touch more of the Volanter’s magic was the biggest.

Aria cleared her throat. She’d seen something in Pan’s aura for sure, likely unflattering.

“Uh…Pan?” Irini’s voice came from somewhere behind them.

Pan stopped and turned around. “Yes?”

“Can I be unbound second?” Irini clasped her hands, as if pleading.

Pan frowned. If she had volunteers to test the unbinding circle, she should certainly test one before Aria. What if she did it wrong? “How do you feel about being a test subject?” Pan asked of Irini.

Aria double-took, but Pan ignored it.

Irini pointed to herself. “You want to test the spell on me before you use it on Aria.” Irini nodded. “I’m willing.”

Aria said, “Now, just a minute. Irini has her whole life ahead of her. If you get it wrong…”

“I don’t think I will.” Pan glanced at Irini. “You’re alright with being the test?”

Irini took a deep breath. “I would like to serve as the test, especially if it will help Aria. Aria gave me the only job I’ve ever felt good about.” Irini’s eyes darted to Sotir. “Sorry.” Then, Irini drew herself up. “And, when I’m unbound, I’ll be able to do more.”

Pan touched Irini’s face, but she looked at Sotir. “See, she has the right idea.”

Sotir took Pan’s arm. “Come on. We need to get to the bridge.”

Aria did not need to get to the bridge. She grabbed Irini and held her back. “Let’s stay out of the way.” Aria wanted to address Irini’s little sacrifice, but she let it pass. She rather wanted to get the second version of the unbinding spell. Shame passed through her aura in sickly yellow.

Irini’s aura showed strong shades of anxious yellow, a dim shade of blue, and a hint of gold. “I don’t want miss any more of these battles. I missed all the fighting on Iruedim.” Irini tugged her arm free. “I’m going to the bridge. I want to learn about the other circles.”

Aria couldn’t see through Irini’s aura to the girl beneath. “Alright. We’ll go together. Stick with me because I could use the guidance.”

Aria could only see so far in front of her face. The rest of the hall gave way to bright, colored fog. Aria felt Irini take a firm grasp on her arm. She jumped as another arm took hers on the other side. A sideways glance showed her the colors of Gavain.

“Era is ready. She actually wants to place the suppressant, but we’re letting Pan do that. Era gets to be a distraction.” Gavain began to walk forward.

Irini too. “This is it. This might be my last day.”

A flutter of anxious yellow came not from Irini, but from Gavain. It was the last color Aria saw. She closed her eyes against the aural light and let them guide her.

“Your last day?” Gavain ventured.

“This is the last day I have to be bound,” Irini said. “Pan is going to set me free. Maybe, even tomorrow. I’m serving as the test subject for the circle, before Pan uses it on Aria.”

Aria peeked one eye open.

Gavain’s aura puffed blue relief, but he said, “Oh, Irini. Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yes.” Flutters of gold passed before Aria’s eyes.

She closed her open lid tight again.

“Two years ago, I thought my thread was wonderful. But, it’s been kind of boring, and that last job was just awful. When I’m unbound…” Irini never finished the statement.

But, Aria understood. She would hold off on unbinding, possibly till after her daughter was born. But, as she walked the halls, essentially blind, she felt ready too. Aura reading and her experience of it would always have a place in memory. She wouldn’t hate it, but she was going to love being unbound.

“What’s the first thing you’ll do when you’re unbound Irini?” Aria asked.

“I’ll learn another circle. Maybe fire starting or something else, like the levitation-telekinesis circles. Maybe, I’ll meet my familiar.”

Aria said, “I’m going to read to my daughter.”

Camellia never got a hold of Sten. She never got a hold of Meladee. She knew the battle on the other side of the wormhole was about to start, but she wouldn’t go. She held Valerian, and Florian walked at her side.

Time already found the egg and seeped into the space where the lock used to be. Now, Florian could see the hole and the beautiful place beyond. He wanted to see inside and wandered through the hole. Camellia followed, with Valerian in arms.

Florian made it halfway to the tree before he turned around, noticed Camellia, and double took. “Why did you follow me?”

“It’s harmless. Besides, I thought you might like the company. For when you see it.” Camellia strolled ahead. She had the Dipinta tree in sight.

Florian followed. “Is that your Pen Pal?” He stopped at the edge of the roots and grabbed Camellia’s shoulder to stop her as well.

“That is.” She glanced at the fallen branch and the com device. She wanted to go closer and put another branch to the pad.

Florian held her back, and the more she studied the tree, the more she felt Pen Pal had already flown away. The tree lacked something. It seemed duller. Its breeze grew still. It was on its way to the final season of its life.

“We can chop open more of the branches. See what he wrote. We probably should.” Camellia’s eyes traveled over the tree’s canopy. “Before the rest of his lost time gets in here and turns them all to dust.”

“I’ll call the others in here. They’ll go wild. Archaeology on speed. But first, let’s take a moment.” Florian crossed his arms. He no longer held Camellia back, but he didn’t need to. “It’s an impressive burial.”

“He was alive for it too,” Camellia added.

Then, she took a moment of silence to appreciate the impossibility.

Meladee shrugged. “Let’s just go. We can help put an end to this whole fucked situation.”

Benham had given up trying to talk about Eva. He was a wise man, who knew Meladee well. She wouldn’t talk about it. She wouldn’t think about it. At least, she would try.

“Yeah, alright. We’ll use Mountaineer.” Benham strode to their three parked ships.

They took up three spaces on Lurren’s southern landing zone. Faustina didn’t get much flight time these days. She was a pleasure vessel. Halfmoon needed a rest, like the person who’d resurrected her. Mountaineer seemed like the only ship they could touch.

Meladee followed Benham to the small craft, painted in jet black.

There was nothing to do but move as far and as fast ahead as she could.