Page 333 of Of Empires and Dust

“Shut up!” Lyina roared. “Both of you. This is not why we are here.”

Voranur’s lip curled, but he said nothing further.

“Eltoar, why now? After all these years, why now are you considering handing this power to Fane when by your own admission it is a power no soul should wield. What has changed?”

“Everything…” Eltoar closed his eyes as memories and emotions flooded into him from Helios. Memories of all those who had died across the years, of the first moment he had accepted that the eggs would no longer hatch, of Meranta falling from the sky… of watching Lyina hold Pellenor’s lifeless body in her arms. “Everything has changed, Lyina,” he repeated. “This world was not what we fought for, and now it lies on the brink of collapse. The empire is burning. The continent is in pieces. More than a million souls have been butchered in the past year alone. If this continues, there will be nothing left. Everything we did, everything we sacrificed will be for nothing if we allow that to happen. With this vessel, Fane could end the war. He could bring Efialtír across the veil between worlds.”

“Is that something we want? Truly? What is to say the world we leave behind will be any better than this? Perhaps it is time to step aside, Eltoar.”

“He claims that with the Heart he may be capable of breathing life back into the eggs.” Eltoar looked into Lyina’s eyes, then out the window behind him, where Helios, Karakes, and Seleraine still flew. “To bring the dragons back. If the gods truly did strip the life from the eggs as punishment for what we did, then a god who would give that life back is a god I would follow.”

“Do you believe him?” Lyina asked.

“Does it matter? If there is even the slightest of chances?—”

“Then we should take it.” Voranur cut across Eltoar.

Eltoar turned his gaze to meet Voranur’s, searching his eyes.

“I find little joy in this world anymore,” Voranur said, “save for flying with Seleraine. Perhaps you are right. If it is true that the gods punished us for what we did, maybe it will take a god to lift that punishment.” He stared down at the gemstone, then nodded softly. “If there is even a chance. Just the tiniest sliver, a grain of hope…” He stared into Eltoar’s eyes. “Then you should take it. We owe them that much,” he said, looking out at the dragons. “We owe them a chance.”

Eltoar had never seen Voranur so open before. It stirred something within him.

Lyina sucked in her cheeks as she always did when she was thinking. “And what’s to stop him from killing you when he learns of your theft?”

“It would be a good death if it meant life for the eggs. Though we would not simply lie down.”

Lyina pressed her palms against the table and looked down at the glowing red light in the chest. “Is it worth it? Does one mistake fix another? I’m not?—”

The door swung open, and a soldier all but fell into the room, panting and heaving. He stepped through the ward of silence without knowing, sweat dripping from the top of his nose and streaking down his face. “Commander Daethana,” he said, dragging in deep lungfuls of air as he pulled himself upright. “The beacons near Merchant’s Reach and Greenhills are lit.”

Both Voranur and Lyina’s eyes widened, and Eltoar slammed the lid of the chest shut, releasing the ward of silence around the room.

“How did they get as far as Greenhills without our knowing?” Lyina narrowed her gaze. “When were these beacons lit, Captain? And why haven’t you come to us sooner?”

“I came as soon as the fire rose, Draleid. Only the beacons towards Greenhills lit first, those at Merchant’s Reach after.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Voranur strode towards the captain, looking down at the shorter man. “Are you sure that’s what you saw?”

“Absolutely,” the man answered, trying to avoid Voranur’s gaze. He looked past Voranur to Eltoar. “The beacons towards Greenhills were set ablaze first, near an hour ago?—”

“Anhourago?” Voranur rounded on the man. “They were lit an hour ago, and you are only here now?”

“We… we thought it an accident, Draleid.” The man swallowed, his hands trembling. “We wanted to be sure before we sent word, and then the beacons at Merchant’s Reach were lit and I came immediately.”

Voranur pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away from the captain, looking at Eltoar. “So the elves will lay siege to two cities at once? They seek to split us.”

Eltoar shook his head. “No… that still wouldn’t explain how the beacons at Greenhills were lit first. Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless it is not the elves.”

“The new Draleid? You believe he is that brazen as to attack Merchant’s Reach? With no army in support?”

“No. He has no interest in Merchant’s Reach. He flies for the Firnin Mountains, for the army that marches on the rebel outpost.” Eltoar placed a hand atop the chest. “Leave us, Captain.”

The man looked as though he wanted to say more, but instead he bowed and left.

---