Page 122 of Salt in the Seas
“I can’t leave these people,” Emeris said. “They fought to rescue me, and you want me to abandon them?”
“They rescued you to keep you safe,” the general amended.
Orra was tempted to search the general’s fate, to know if staying here with the soldiers would mean his death. But knowing his fate wouldn’t allow her to impact it, so it was best left untouched.
“What if we travel by sea?” Rildan suggested. “We can’t go north and risk running into Mayvus, but traveling around the Southern Horn is still faster than traveling across land. We could even watch for Aeliana and the others so we can be there to warn them whenever they arrive.”
“Be where?” Marnok asked. “The west coast is a large expanse of land.”
“I might be able to trace them when they return,” Orra said, wincing at the thought of the magic that would require. “Or we can take Gullet and tell them where to find us. In the meantime, we can maybe catch wind of where Larkos is. They would have made plans to meet up with him on their return. If nothing else so Gaeren can collect his ship.” A faint smile crossed her lips at his connection with the vessel, but her mind was back hundreds of years, relishing herown connection with a ship that had saved her life a hundred times over.
“Maybe you should stay with them instead of going to the Elanesses,” General Nels said. “Asking them for aid reveals our weaknesses and sets us up for an attack on two fronts. It might be better to wait and only contact them if Myndren falls.”
“Then you should keep Gullet,” Orra said. “Send him to Gaeren if Myndren falls so we know what to do.” As General Nels pursed his lips, Orra sensed he knew Myndren’s fall was a matter of when, not if.
“Then we’re not leaving as delegates.” Emeris lifted her chin. “It sounds like we’re just running.”
“We can’t protect Aeliana if we’re under siege here,” Rildan pointed out. “Aeliana is the hope for these people. Reaching her might be a more worthy destination than seeking aid anyway.”
Emeris sighed. “Is it just the four of us, then?”
Orra glanced at Rildan and Marnok, who nodded, and she did the same. “How soon can we leave?”
“We’ll need a day to prepare,” Rildan said, “but we can leave the next.”
“On one condition,” General Nels said.
“Only one?” Orra said in mock surprise. “Name your price.”
Instead of cracking a smile, the lines of his face grew harder. “You send away the winex.”
CHAPTER 46
The next morningdawned without any immediate answers for the prisoners in the hut. Aeliana sensed the tension rising as the day wore on and Nori still hadn’t arrived with food or news. Had she found the starbridges in her parents’ room? Would she help them escape?
“If there’s no sign of Nori or the starbridges by the time they come get us,” Sylmar whispered, “we’ll have to rush the guards. Gaeren and Riveran can get the starbridges since Gaeren’s seen where they’re at. We’ll cover them as best we can before running to the hills in the east. Then we’ll meet up there.”
Velden had Gaeren tear off a strip of his clothing to help him locate Gaeren in the hills with his pneumatic skills, but Aeliana still hesitated.
“What if their verdict is to let us go back?” she asked.
Several others’ faces matched Sylmar’s incredulous glare. “After hearing Riveran killed a sprite?”
“I just wonder if we should give it more time,” she said. “We don’t understand their culture. Maybe Nori is convincing them to wash their hands of us and send us back to Vendaras right now.”
“Waiting for the verdict will make it harder to escape,” Kendalyhn said.
“Will it though?” Velden asked. “We may not have our weapons, but we still have magic. I know I’m biased, but I’m inclined to wait aswell. No sense ruining our chances with these people if we don’t have to.”
Indecision warred on the faces of most everyone else. Holm reached for Iris’ hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Fine,” Sylmar conceded. “We can try waiting for the verdict. But if you see my staff turn molten, we’re not waiting any longer.”
Aeliana wasn’t thrilled that he was going to be the one to decide when enough was enough, but at this point, she didn’t have other options.
When the day stretched into the evening and their stomachs all growled their protests, the door to the hut finally opened, but it wasn’t Nori whose head popped in.
“The elders have agreed to hold your trial publicly in the square,” one of the guards announced.
