Flames burned atop the circle of pillars which enclosed the Harpy court amid the Great Basin, yet the throne sat empty, the giant obsidian seat vacated.
Stormqueen Aellope, Daughter of Zephyrus, was gone.
Missing for many days now, she had last been seen flying south at great speed, leaving her hastily-assigned escorts far behind, her incendiary final words reverberating in her wake. The whole fiasco had been a gift to Ventora, a greater reward than she ever dared hope for when she sent the interloping Lady Safkhet to Grand Chasm.
Absence in a time of war was itself a gross violation of her duty to the Empire and the Goddess, but that blow was followed by the damning testimony of Masika, one of Queen Aellope’s closest advisors, who had only to repeat the heretical ideas her queen had babbled about in order to complete the self-inflicted sabotage of the monarch’s image – all without Ventora ever needing to involve herself.
With the failure of the scouts to find any trace of the Empress after Southtown, many former supporters of the Queen now looked to the Priestess to lead them, and to Ventora to direct the court. More would follow in time, even if some still clung to the hope that the Stormqueen would return, and somehow make amends for her dereliction.
The recent shockwaves which rocked the mountains had proven a prelude to another round of attacks however, proving that the enemy would not wait for the Harpies to settle their disagreements. Not while Priestess Thessaly was orchestrating the invasion.
If anything, she had been more disturbed than any by what she described as a divine event, and a terrible omen. They were running out of time to bring the nobles and the Empire under her wing, and to prevent disaster, and the Queen was still free, the Pharyes repeatedly failing to capture her or her sister.
Turning away from the balcony and its view across the plateau of the Great Basin, Ventora faced the gathered councilors.
With Aellope gone the courtiers met inside the palace instead, in the more modest chambers where the normal daily business was conducted. Today’s business was far from normal however – this was a war council. One convened by Ventora herself.
The attendees were all harpies of course, but they represented the various factions and regions of the Empire, as well as the diverse peoples they ruled over.
Most present were highborn, naturally, but a disturbing number of the smallfolk had risen up to join them in recent years. They had the soon to be former Queen to blame for that.
“These naga to the north, how many did you detect?”
“It was difficult to be certain through the trees, but by our reckoning they numbered no more than several hundred, moving east, towards the humans.”
Masika gave a relieved sound. “That’s good news. Two hundred is little threat. They were probably a tribal group displaced by infighting, moving out East to find somewhere new to settle.”
“And the human invaders, they were still camped on the hilltops?” asked another noble.
“As of two days ago, my lady, perhaps a thousand strong, and starting to fell trees and make simple fortifications” spoke the young scout.
“How dare they!” gasped Lady Corinna. “We tolerate their intrusions when they restrict themselves to looting and hunting, yet now the ungrateful animals want more still – to establish settlements in our lands too! Their greed is insatiable!”
“The humans have always been treacherous and foolhardy,” Ventora said, with a sad shake of her head. “But it seems they have quite forgotten themselves. They hear of our plight and mean to capitalize on it. If only the Stormqueen had not abandoned us, now, in this time of urgent need, we might not face these new threats to the Empire and our people….”
There were mutterings of unrest at the incendiary words, but no-one spoke out to contradict her openly, or point out that there was no way that the humans could have known of the disappearance of the Stormqueen when they were organizing their invasion.
“Tell me, are the naga still moving towards the same pass as the humans.”
“Yes, my lady. The two groups might well have clashed by now, but with the storm rolling in we chose to return early from our patrol and report what we had seen.”
“You did well,” Ventora declared. “This is welcome news, on both counts. The impudent invading humans may insult us, but they have stopped their advance short of the mountains proper. They may be blooded and sent home by our subjects, but if not they can be dealt with in good time.”
“I’m troubled by the path these naga were taking. If they were fleeing inter-tribe conflict, why make for the pass into the Cyclopean Bones? The lower paths through the Bloodsucking Forest would be easier and shorter,” said Lady Shedet, in her distinctive voice, hoarse and deep, with an impatient tone that belied her years.
One of the eldest among them, like Ventora she had served three Stormqueens now, and though her once-golden plumage had faded to a silvery yellow, her eyes still glittered with the same sharp intelligence whenever the rivals matched wits, and her red scales had yet to lose their vital sheen.
“They may have hoped to avoid pursuers by taking that route,” Masika suggested.
“But what if that were not the case? We also cannot assume the humans will remain stopped at the mouth of the pass. We should send another scout team to keep watch over them both.”
“I don’t know why else they might take that route,” the advisor admitted, “but we’re stretched too thin already. The humans definitely aren’t going to move soon, since they’re settling in and building defenses. It’s not as though the naga could mean to intrude on the mountains either. Even aside from their numbers, if that were the plan there are more direct routes – from their lands in the Northwest there are trails which would take them here directly.”
“Perhaps they detected the human invasion, and mean to take the initiative in repulsing them?” suggested one woman. “Quite impressive of them if so, at last they begin to do their proper duty as citizens of the Empire….”
“Let us not waste time on trivial matters such as the naga,” Ventora directed, before Lady Shedet could disagree. “We have a war to fight. General Jagna, your report.”
The muscular smaller woman stepped forward, green-brown mottled feathers in pristine order as always. She bowed her head with the same deference she had shown the Queen as she took a knee.
That was good; in Marshall Arawn’s absence the woman was the leader of the Valkyries. If she were to pledge herself to a new Stormqueen then so too would those under her.
The report was less good, but nothing unexpected. The Pharyes attacks had all been planned in advance, with the information she and the Priestess provided.
First there came the confirmation of earlier reports; Ramhorn and all its lands had fallen to the enemy.
The town had been destroyed in a catastrophic attack with none but a few Valkyries and nobles escaped, and even the outlying villages had been burned to the ground, the people taken.
Tragic, but the rebels had left them no choice when they made their foolish ‘declaration’ of independence.
It was a humiliating blow for Lady Tanit to lose her roost in that way, but even she had agreed it a necessary sacrifice – with the commoners of the territory united in treasonous rebellion against the Empire and the Goddess Ramhorn had become more dangerous intact and professing independence than it ever could be in ruins.
Ventora feigned dismay all the same, along with her co-conspirators.
Most of the other attacks had targeted the lesser species – more sacrifices for the good of the Empire. Some harpies were killed or captured too, but the nobility and the Valkyries would endure. More than a few smallfolk would suffer if the Empire were to fall.
As Jagna finished Lady Shedet spoke up once more.
“I cannot understand this; the enemy strike wherever we are weakest! How can our Valkyries be outmaneuvered and overwhelmed so easily?!”
“The numbers are against us, my lady,” Masika responded sullenly.
The chief personal advisor to the Stormqueen had taken her departure hard, despite providing such damaging testimony against her monarch. Even now she was staunch in her support of the absent empress.
“The enemy seem more numerous each day. We don’t have the womanpower to send Valkyries to every settlement. Not if… we mean to rely only on the Valkyries….”
A younger, smaller woman hammered a fist into her palm, marine feathers ruffled, her tail thrashing angrily. Behind her several other courtiers backed away from the sharp stringer as it flicked about.
Ventora recognized the troublemaker as Seleucia, the representative from the Rootflood. Once more she wondered at how far awry the leadership in the East had grown, that they chose a lowborn, graceless fisher-girl as their spokeswoman.
“This is exactly why we should be calling on all harpies to fight!” she declared, her small voice shouting to be heard as much as from frustration. “And the other species too! How can you mounters expect to hold an empire spanning the entire range and the forests and shores beyond, when its people are told to fortify their roosts and wait for the enemy to come to them?!”
“Outrageous!” was the immediate cry. “It would be chaos! The commoners barely know how to hold a spear!”
“Assuming they could be trusted at all – we know well how the Naga turned on us given the chance!” another said bitterly. “And all the rumors before the fall of Ramhorn, of the smallfolk conspiring to sabotage the defenses! We arm them and press them into battle and Goddess knows what they’ll try next!”
“Mere rumor doesn’t concern me. The smallfolk seek only to determine their own fates, to rule themselves. Who are we to deny them a voice in how their towns and villages are governed, or a hand in their defense?” challenged Seleucia. “If the nobility rule for the sake of all, why are you so afraid of your own kind?!”
“Fear has no part in it!” insisted Merytre angrily. “You would have ignorant laborers, even base ogres and beastfolk, become warriors fighting alongside Valkyries who trained throughout their whole lives?! The very idea is an insult to their honor and to their years of valiant service to the Empire! It’s an affront to our entire way of life – and to the Goddess herself!”
Seleucia all but shouted back over the rising noise all about, glaring up at her with pure contempt in her eyes.
“If you can’t turn back the invasion there won’t be an Empire! You can’t win with the Valkyries alone; they’re too outnumbered, no matter how strong your faith is!”
“And so we should declare to all, even the Naga, that we Harpies cannot defend our own Empire?!” demanded another outraged speaker. “We would be inviting uprisings, now, at the worst possible time!”
“Nonsense, their homes are under attack too!” shouted one of the lesser nobles among the courtiers. “It isn’t weakness to work together with the peoples of the Empire! They’re all our citizens!”
“My apologies, Lady Corinna, but you really must control yourself, this is not some ogre festival, but the Imperial court,” answered Tanit, the pink-feathered woman looking amused, despite her recent ignominy. “No matter what this child from the Rootflood may think.”
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She paused dramatically, as if daring Seleucia to disagree with her. The girl disappointed her and the hubbub of angered mutterings died away, so Lady Tanit went on instead, gesturing grandiosely.
“As for your scheme, why, it’s simply absurd. Perhaps next you’ll suggest we appoint Valkyries as handmaidens, or invite the miners to hold court with us? It would make as much sense too – would you have our warriors fly at the walking pace of the ogres and beasts? Our greatest asset would be rendered useless. Or are they to exhaust themselves carrying the lesser species to each battle?”
Masika piped up at that. “There are techniques used in the Flight Corps to-”
Lady Tiye cut her off, the darker young woman speaking with a factual tone.
“I’m sure you aren’t suggesting that we have our warriors become couriers, mastering the vocation of hauling supplies rather than honing their skills in combat, Valkyries serving only to deliver the ogres or naga to the battlefield.”
“Certainly no-one is suggesting that,” Lady Shedet interjected quickly.
Tiye nodded, a light and easy expression on her face.
“Naturally, my mistake of course. But even if we were to abandon millennia of tradition and martial prowess to summon the commoners and lesser species to fight independently, we have no target for them to march on.”
The beautiful, night-feathered woman paused for a moment, showing off her natural flair for the dramatic.
“Grand Chasm has heard nothing from the expedition they sent after the enemy, and all other investigations have found only dead ends – or worse yet traps. All these less mobile, less disciplined forces could accomplish is guarding our settlements – which is precisely what Lady Ventora and General Jagna have ordered. All that remains is for us to have faith, in our leaders and in the teachings of the Goddess.”
The general murmur of assent at Tiye’s final words were a song to Ventora’s ears; a tacit acceptance of her faction’s command, couched in a skillful deflection of any further talk of recruiting the lesser species. Now that Lady Tiye had grown bolder and more assured of the soundness of the plan, the intelligent young woman was proving an impressive ally.
Perhaps there would be no need for the Priestess’ final plan… the attack on the Eyrie, which she would valiantly repulse…. If they could secure her control without that grand gesture of salvation it would spare many lives.
Not everyone was placated however. Ventora could see the resistance in the eyes of too many still. Priestess Thessaly might rule through Ventora and her other adherents, but even as Priestess of Nemoi she had yet to claim the hearts of those loyal to the former Stormqueen.
Lady Shedet still had more to say on the report too.
“There’s still the matter of these attacks. The enemy target only those regions we leave least defended, and with impressive timing. A squadron takes flight from a town in the morning, and by sunset the enemy is there, bursting from the earth like plagate swarms to consume everything and carry off our people to Goddess knows where! I cannot believe they are merely lucky. They must have some way to learn our movements.”
Ventora gave her a placid smile, cursing inwardly at the all too perceptive mind still on the side of the old Queen.
“My lady, what is it you are suggesting? I don’t believe any among the Valkyries would ever conspire with the invaders.”
Lady Shedet gave her a hard, sharp look, her tone frosty. “You jump to a strange conclusion, Lady Ventora, I don’t recall mentioning anyone conspiring the enemy.”
“Lady Ventora simply meant that there can be no other interpretation,” Tiye said, jumping in quickly. “So far as I’m aware our witches have not detected long-range magic of any kind we can recognize, and nor do we have reason to think the enemy has magic capable of spying on us here in the Eyrie. So if you believe our plans are being shared with them, then it must be the Valkyries you suspect.”
Ventora nodded, giving the smaller woman a grateful smile.
“It’s just as you say, Lady Tiye. No magic could see so far through rock and sky to observe our dispatches, or foretell our moves before they’re made. If the enemy had powers like those this war would already be over. But there is no other way the enemy could learn of our plans, when they’re known only to the Valkyries, and to we gathered here.”
“Precisely,” Shedet said, wrinkled lips forming a cruel smile. “Our plans are known to we gathered here also, where we discuss them freely among presumed allies.”
“Just what are you suggesting, Shedet?” Lady Tanit growled, plumage ruffling, flight-feathers trembling with indignation. “Such a baseless accusation is outrageous!”
“Indeed, a baseless accusation would be quite outrageous,” she nodded, looking amused. “This accusation is well founded. Diantha, if you would….”
Shedet gestured to a small figure in her shadow.
She stepped forward, a scrawny bundle of feathers and nerves, looking like those of a fledgling despite her middling age. Such was often the case for the smallfolk.
This particular lowborn girl had some passing talent for magic, but been rejected by the Valkyries for her lacking sight and failing stamina. That should have been enough to end her tenure in the palace for good, yet by attaching herself to those in the Queen’s faction she had somehow managed to ingratiate herself, and even earn their invitation to court as an advisor to Lady Shedet.
It was likely due to her similarities to the Witch Laureate, who shared her ignoble birth and possessed a great talent for the supernatural, but to Ventora there was something distinctly parasitic about the way the milk-eyed girl had wormed her way into the graces of some courtiers.
Now the drab, orange and brown dappled girl peered up at Ventora with her gaunt, unnaturally pale face, trying to gather the courage to speak. Her features could have been pretty, Ventora reflected, had she not been so thin, but the clouded eyes with which she peered towards the nobles soured any such potential.
“F-forgive me for contradicting you, my ladies, but… I have some limited ability with magic, and Lady Shedet has asked me to assist her in this matter.”
She spoke with a faint, light voice, yet enunciated her words with enough clarity that none could fail to hear her in the quiet of the chamber.
“There is unfamiliar magic at work, here in the Eyrie. I have seen it; words disguised as wind, moving through the palace carried on the softest currents of the air, so quiet they are inaudible, so subtle they slip past even skilled witches entirely undetected. Someone is… sending secret communications, from within the palace-”
Mutterings of a dozen different reactions drowned out whatever else the girl might have said, as did the pounding of blood in Ventora’s ears at the revelation. The girl, the stupid, useless blind girl, rejected by the Valkyries as worthless, had actually caught wind of the secret communications with the Pharyes?!
That moment of panic was quickly swallowed however. Ventora knew better than to lose her head, or let slip some sign of her dismay. If they knew all then it would be the Valkyries, not the courtiers, bringing her this news.
What was more, the crystalline orb the Pharyes had entrusted to them was of their own brand of magic, and made no use of the winds to commune with the Nacreous throne. Their King Jotunn merely need sit the Hlidskjalf to see and speak with the artifact and its possessor.
Could this be a bluff, to draw some rise, and trick Ventora or her allies into exposing themselves? Or was this girl truly able to see the alien magic of the Pharyes’ relic?
“Now you understand,” Lady Shedet said, “I made investigations, and spoke with many of the witches present in the Eyrie, even Laureate Shukra, but none were aware of a magic such as this, which can cross multiple miles in secret. Nor could those I consulted offer any other explanation.”
“The girl has seen it?” sneered Tanit, incredulous. “My ladies, this girl was rejected by the Valkyries for her blindness! And now she claims to see the workings of hidden magic, which is invisible even to the keenest eyes?! It’s absurd! Lady Shedet, you are being tricked, tricked by a deceitful rejected failure, too weak even to join the Flight Corps! This wretch-” she turned a short finger on the smaller figure “-is a liar!”
Ventora could have struck the fool for that outburst, but instead she had to remain impassive. Perhaps the girl would crumble under the pressure of a noble lady’s wrath – it wasn’t rare for the smallfolk to break down into trembling sobs when confronted with the ire of towering nobility.
Small and frail as she was, Diantha’s jaw tightened instead, a look of defiance coming over her features.
“My lady I… I know what I saw. My eyes may be weak, but in that weakness they have a strength others lack, an insight... a… different way of seeing – sight through essence and of essence. As you can sense mana when it gathers, I can see it, and read it like you would read a book. What would be impossibly faint traces of energy to you are a brilliant, beautiful dance of sparks to my eyes, impossible to miss or mistake. I know too that this is no commonplace spell – the Witch Laureate informs me no records exist of any magic able to secretly convey messages over such distances. Although I cannot say where the spell originates, with time I may be able to track it.”
“Diantha has my every confidence in this matter. I vouch for her honesty as well as her ability,” spoke Lady Shedet, with a finality that made Ventora’s flight-feathers ache.
This was no bluff. They had something real, a lead they meant to pursue to its end.
She would have to stop all use of the orb at once… yet if she did so after the investigation was revealed at court that too would heighten suspicions, especially after Tanit’s foolish outburst – as well as make coordination with the Pharyes completely impossible!
Ventora could see all her efforts and all the sacrifices of the past months about to be put to waste, by a single infuriating, useless blind girl, and she couldn’t think of a single thing to do about it.
“Then we must of course presume her to be correct,” Ventora said, speaking with a measured tone, forcing her elegant features into a demure smile. “This is highly disturbing news. If there is a traitor present in the capital they must be caught and brought to justice at once. But… mana is everywhere atop Skycrown. Even if you are certain this is a new, supernatural form of subterfuge, will it not be near impossible to trace, if the magics are travelling hundreds of miles at a time?”
“I know what to look for now, Lady Ventora,” Diantha answered, a hint of pride in her voice. “It will be difficult, but the culprits can’t hide from me forever.”
From there the court moved on to reports of growing unrest among the smallfolk and lesser species around the Empire, in the face of the invasion and the growing fear and uncertainty. It was to be expected on some level that resentful voices among their subjects would grow bolder in times of trouble, however they were louder and more concerted than Ventora had known in the past.
In many towns the nobles had been forced to break up assemblies by force, and to punish or imprison the ringleaders for their treasonous talk. Worse, in the Rootflood there were people speaking openly of the Empire being abandoned by the line of the Stormqueens and falling to the terrible subterranean invaders, with no repercussions befalling them at all.
“I have even heard mutterings within this very palace among the handmaidens,” Merytre said gravely. “They are talking about injustice and sharing their grudges and resentment against we nobility, as though they were somehow wronged by their own leaders and rulers…. I fear they mean to act on these sentiments, and soon….”
“Nonsense, my good Merytre,” Ventora said, with a kindly smile. “These are merely the dark mutterings of ungrateful, uneducated, powerless smallfolk, with no idea of how we work and sacrifice for their sakes, or the terrible choices and burdens we must all carry while they live in ease and simplicity. But that small, ignorant, weak nature is their own protection too – they have not the strength to commit the graver crime of true rebellion. This is mere talk, words on the wind.”
“I will pray to Nemoi you’re right,” said Lady Shedet.
“As shall I, of course,” answered Ventora. “Prayer is more important than ever now, when we are without the pillar of the royal line. The Priestess has asked that we all join her the evening, and so I hope to see you all there shortly to receive her divine guidance.”
It was only as the court was adjourning their session for the day that it occurred to Ventora to wonder if, perhaps, there was another explanation for the magic which Diantha had detected. What if someone else was sending secret messages within the capital, using more conventional spells?
That would explain how they were detected, certainly, but to hear it told, the magic was unusually sophisticated. It couldn’t be anyone in the Stormqueen’s waning faction either; else Shedet would never have brought it to the attention of the court.
Ventora struggled to imagine who else might be responsible.
~~~
“Well, what’s the answer?”
A moment went by without answer, and Chione spoke again, impatient. “Come on, they gotta have some idea!”
“Some,” Shukra admitted.
As ever, it was an effort to get a fuller explanation from the stereotypically quiet librarian – a significant impediment when she also served as the primary form of communication between the isolated ‘flights’ into which the insurrectionists organized themselves.
Sitting in the confines of the Witch Laureate’s personal room, the three girls were packed in, Shukra on the bed, Agytha and Chione in the two chairs. The cozy space was private and secluded, hidden away in the top of the library, but it was ill-suited to conspiracy if only due to its size.
Steeling herself at the insistent looks on the faces of the others, Shukra spilled out words rapidly, with the distasteful expression Agytha had become familiar with seeing in her whenever she was forced to speak too elaborately.
“She believes the Flight Corps leadership want to support us, but will only do so if the Valkyries stay neutral or join the cause.”
“’Bout right for them lot,” Chione said, rubbing her forehead with her palm. “Don’t ask much, do they? Just get the whole Empire’s military on our side first an’ they’ll be happy to join in!”
“The Corps support the Valkyries closely on long deployments,” Agytha reminded her, “they know better than anyone how important the neutrality or support of the Valkyries will be.”
“Still woulda thought they’d get it better’n this,” Chione said, with a sullen frown.
“Most of the couriers do – they’d join us in a heartbeat if they knew – but we can’t secretly approach every one of the regulars. Winning over the Flightmistresses is our shortcut.”
“Can’t you get Ryta to talk sense to ‘em then? We’re never gonna get the Valkyries to commit to anythin’ when we can’t even talk to the generals an’ captains without getting’ caught. Even the other lowborn members are risky to approach!”
“Sister wants to help us of course, but an ordinary courier can’t approach flightmistresses other than her own. She has to be careful who she trusts too, especially with all the messages she’s carrying out of the Eyrie for us. Even with closed flights, only communicating through Shukra, it would only take one traitor to expose dozens of us at once.”
“Time,” Shukra said pointedly, cocking her head at the other two.
“She’s right,” Chione nodded, the black-feathered girl giving her a satisfied look.
“We dunno how long we have, might have to start gettin’ risky with this stuff if we’re gonna be ready. Nobles ain’t gonna wait forever. If they think they can win they’ll try and take over sooner rather than later. Prolly put Ventora on the throne as a ‘temporary’ ruler, she’s practically runnin’ the Eyrie already.”
“This will all be for nothing if Shukra gets caught,” Agytha reminded them both. “Without you the different flights will have no safe way to communicate. If only… I could have mastered your method….”
Seeing the despondent look on her face, Chione leant over and clapped a heavier hand on her narrow shoulder. “Don’t be daft, Aggy, Shukra’s the only one who can do that stuff, least while Safkhet and the Queen are away. You already done plenty – you’re the one what got a whole squadron of Valkyries on our side already!”
“That was all mother and Maryam,” she answered, shaking her head.
She felt comforted despite her words, and apparently it showed, given the irritatingly smug grin spreading over Chione’s face.
“I suppose that you do have something of a point,” she admitted.
Chione gave her another pat on the shoulder and nodded. “Damn right I do. Always said I were the smart one.”
“After the wonders you’ve worked with the other handmaidens and contacting the ogres in other towns I think you might be right about that, Chione,” she replied, her level tone disguising the deliberate tease.
She was quickly rewarded by the familiar reddening of the other girl’s face. This time she even got her ears blushing, the fiery-feathered handmaiden squirming with embarrassment.
“Traitor.”
It seemed to Agytha that Shukra had grown skilled in managing the two of them just as they had learned to interpret her parsimonious declarations. Shukra’s singular word brought the two back to the moment, and to the serious business at hand, before they could once more devolve into playful bantering or chatter.
“I don’t know anything new yet, but the nobles are meeting right now, so we may have new information soon from our people in the court – Lady Shedet at least is confident there is a traitor, passing information to the enemy.”
“Why?”
“She’s not sure what their motivation is. It’s hard to imagine what any of the nobles have to gain by helping the invaders.”
“Unless they already cut a deal. Like, we help you take the mines, but you leave us in control of the mountaintops, that sort of thing,” suggested Chione.
“That would be ridiculous. Even if Ventora or her kind were willing to share the Cyclopean Bones, how could they trust each other?”
“I dunno how underground machine people think, but they prolly don’t – both sides could be plannin’ to turn on each other after the coup.”
“That… would explain a lot,” Agytha admitted. “But this is just speculation. It’s one thing for Ventora’s faction to try to replace the Queen, but to risk the entire Empire just to seize the throne? Would she really go that far? She has more to lose than anyone now.”
“The enemy’s gotta be getting’ news about us somewhere,” Chione answered simply. “And Shukra already picked up some sort of signal, right? So we know something’s up for sure.”
“With luck, Lady Shedet will be able to learn more.”
“What if she decides its us?” Chione asked. “That witch she got helping her, Diantha, she was askin’ a lotta questions I didn’t like. Seemed like she knew all about Shukra’s magic.”
“Guessing,” the witch insisted.
“What if it weren’t, though? I mean, she got kicked out of bein’ a Valkyrie, but she really knows her stuff when it comes to magic. No fancy Witch Laureate, sure, but what if she can track your spells?”
Agytha was the one to answer. “Then we’ll have to make sure that she’s on our side before she turns us in to the nobles. After how most of the nobles have treated her, I think we have a real chance to convince her.”
“Weren’t we hoping some of that lot still loyal to the Queen might help us too?”
“It’s too dangerous to approach them,” Agytha insisted. “They have a lot to lose, even if they’re good people. Besides, they’d never work with us if they knew some flights want to abolish even the Stormqueen….”
“She did leave us, in the middle of the war,” Chione reminded her, with unusual gentleness in her attitude.
“She’d just found out that Safkhet was dead, and then her sister disappeared too, I… you can’t imagine what that’s like….”
Chione gave a quiet nod, as Agytha’s tail found and entwined itself around hers.
“She prolly still thinks Saf’s dead too. Thank Nemoi that you noticed, Shukra.”
“Are we really certain the shockwave was her though?” Agytha asked anxiously. “That power was totally different to her mana, and far too huge and terrible to be something she’d do on purpose.”
“Come on, you know her! She musta punched a god in the eye or stepped on some ancient monster from the deep an’ ended up kicking it’s ass up and down the Underworld. She’ll prolly burst up outta the ground ridin’ a dragon or somethin’ any day now.”
“I wish I shared your confidence…. Even if she’s really alive, she’s all alone down there. I wish we could do something… anything to help her….”
“Hey, it’s not your fault, girl,” Chione said sternly, taking her by the hand as her tail gave a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever happened to Saf, you didn’t send her to Chasm, and you sure didn’t tell her to pick a fight with an entire army all at once. That was all her dumb idea, an’ when she gets back I’m gonna make sure she knows what a dummy she is for it.”
The trio shared a rare smile, all three recalling the strange human girl who had so briefly entered their lives, yet left such deep marks upon each of them.
“Let’s make sure we’re ready for it, when she does come back. We have to be ready for her, and for Queen Aellope too,” Agytha said firmly.