Page 96 of The Sunlit Man

Silence. Elegy watched the sky, trying to feel the fear the others obviously did from their postures. It was difficult for her because the Cinder King was no longer afraid. He thought he had them.

Then a blast of energy ripped up from beneath the earth, shooting right across the Cinder King’s bow. The ships pulled back in a panic. Since when did thegroundshoot? It was a deliberate message: stay back.

“Fine,” the accented voice said from the pole. “You may bring three people, Rosharan. We’re only listening, mind you, because we’re curious how you got here.”

Another column rose beside the pole, this one much larger, and a door opened on the front. Some kind of…transport device? To carry them down into the Refuge?

“I assume I should bring the Greater Good?” he asked, turning toward the gathering townspeople.

“Bring Rebeke in my place,” Compassion said from her chair, which her grandsons set down on the earth for her. “We should not send all three. Just in case. As you taught us.”

The killer and Rebeke shared a glance, and he nodded, then paused, looking to Elegy. “I’ll need that back.”

Right. She still had the sword. She’d been clinging to it, but forced herself to extend it toward him. The weapon vanished from her fingers, turning to glowing mist, before she could deliver it.

The killer stepped closer, speaking softly. “You might be the only one these people have after this.”

“I don’t understand.”

“If the next part goes poorly,” he said, “try to protect them. I guess that’s all I can ask.”

“Poorly?” she asked, cocking her head. “Why would it go poorly?”

He just gave her a grim look. And that, she knew how to interpret perfectly. A battle was coming. For him.

“You’re going to fight the people who live in the Refuge?” she whispered.

“Not physically,” he said. “Which is unfortunate. Because I’m pretty sure I could win, if that were the case.”

Leaving her with that cryptic statement, he entered the metal tube, joined by Confidence, Contemplation, and Rebeke.

A second later, the tube descended, taking them to the place of safety.

The door opened,and Zellion saw exactly what he’d feared. A large room, capsule shaped, with workstations set through it and monitors on the walls. There would be two more levels beneath this, one for activities, one for quarters. It was big enough for the two dozen people who crewed it—but it wasnogiant sanctuary.

Beside Zellion, the three Beaconites regarded their surroundings with wide eyes, stunned, maybe amazed. They were a technologically advanced people, yes, but they obviously hadn’t seen anything like this before.

It was, indeed, a spaceship. A science vessel. Embedded in the ground of this planet to hide and protect it while the scientists took readings. They couldmaybetake in a hundred and thirty or so refugees. But it would pack the place to the walls, strain their life support.

But…maybe there was another way.

Two people, a man and a woman, stepped up to meet him. They wore small metal ornaments at the sides of their faces, triangular, with red enamel. These were TimeTellers, one faction among the many Scadrian political movements. Theoretically they were neutral in the current conflicts. A group of scientists, seeking to “understand the various mysteries of the cosmere.” And they were absolutely not, of course, an arm of the military working in secret to develop tech that would let Scadrial stay ahead in the increasingly dangerous arms race that currently consumed most of the developed planets.

“Rosharan,” the man said in his own tongue. “Can we speak in a civilized language, please? Do you speak Malwish?”

Zellion shook his head, pretending not to understand and hoping they didn’t speak any of his native languages. At least he could honestly claim ignorance of Azish, having been forced to overwrite the ability to speak that with the local language.

“Very well,” the man said, continuing in the local tongue. He had tan skin and was tall for a Scadrian, even an inch or so taller than Zellion. “Rosharan, have you said the oaths?”

“No,” Zellion lied. “I’m a free man. I’ve got no part in the conflicts. Just want to keep my head down and stay alive.”

“Can you fight?”

“I have a Blade.”

The two Scadrians shared a look.

“How did you get onto this planet?” the woman asked.

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