Page 18 of Earthbound

Lettle had been stupid to hide the extent of the prophecy from them. Furi was glad she was far away, less likely to bring harm to Rayan in the meantime.

He could die of a broken heart, Amnan said pointedly. The obeah lay by her feet, grounding her as he always did.

True, she admitted. Sometimes when she looked at Yeeran, the pain was so great she thought she might die of it too.

‘We should let them in,’ Rayan said.

‘You understand what that will mean? Elves walking in Mosima?’ Furi said.

‘That is nothing new,’ Yeeran said coolly.

‘If they will not concede as Yeeran says, then what choice do we have?’ Rayan said.

‘We negotiate harder.’

Yeeran put her hands on her hips, making it very clear what she thought of Furi’s suggestion.

‘The people will revolt, we cannot guarantee the elves’ safety,’ Furi said.

Rayan shook his head, but his expression didn’t change. ‘Mosima isn’t the place it was four months ago. Golan’s work with the Free the Light Initiative has changed the mood in the city. Even with the army at our door, the Mosima is stable.’

How would you know? Furi wanted to shout. Rayan had barely walked the streets since Lettle left. But she knew he was still close with Golan; more often than not the fae would join him to dine in his rooms. She wondered if it was Golan’s closeness to Lettle that made Rayan seek his company.

Rayan’s voice dropped to a near-whisper. ‘We need to end this, Furi. We need to get back to the real battle: the curse, and what it means for the obeah.’

Furi scowled. She had spent the last few months pushing everything about the curse from her mind. While the boundary stood, they were safe. Amnan was safe.

‘Lettle will be in Caperly by now,’ Yeeran said, and at the sound of Lettle’s name, Rayan roused more than he had all day. ‘She might have learned more from the grimoire; perhaps soon she’ll be able to undo the curse entirely. We cannot take the risk of the boundary failing while an army camps at our door.’

The curse, Afa’s grimoire, Alder–all of it–was too much. What the truth could mean, and the ramifications of it, were far greater than any one war.

Furi paced around the table, the map of the continent swirling in her vision like a whirlpool. The others watched her, and eventually she came to a decision.

‘One elf only–Motogo.’

‘No,’ Yeeran said. ‘Two at least. Their general, Malak, I think he has more sway within the coalition than he has us think.’

Furi didn’t want to concede, but Rayan looked so worn out from the conversation that she too wanted the debate to be over.

‘Fine.’

Yeeran sagged with relief. ‘When?’

‘One week,’ Furi said.

Rayan’s eyes snapped to hers. ‘That will coincide with the Flare festivities.’

‘Exactly. Let us welcome them the best way we know how–with a banquet. Let them see that we do not cower from their siege.’

The celebration happened once a year, when a pocket of sun that shone through the cavern ceiling touched the Tree of Souls. She hadn’t intended to hold a royal celebration this year. Not just because of the threat at the boundary but because the Flare Feast was the anniversary of her mother and aunt’s murder.

It is a good thing that you are to be occupied that day, Amnan said.

Yes, though I don’t think my mother would approve of elves entering Mosima.

Amnan stretched outwards, his claws scratching against the flagstones. Elves didn’t kill the queens. Nerad did.

He was right, the realm had seen plenty of violence before the elves marched on Mosima.