Page 93 of Flight of Fate

“There is no alliance,” Rochus grumbles, but he can’t get out the last word before Gabrilla and Ed both protest.

“We’re lost without analliance.” Andraya agrees with the too-young human, much to Pouly’s dismay. They have both spent enough time with Crows and fairies to understand what partnering up with our kinds means. “By now, Erina must have decimated the rebels by one-third. Every day, new reports of rebels captured, tortured, killed reached the farmhouse. It was a matter of time until they found us there.” And killed us. She doesn’t need to say that. “Tata checked in on us regularly. We believed it was to keep us up to date about developments in Askarea and what our queen is up to, but we understand now that the traitor must have given us false information. We would have fled days ago had she not told us that Erina’s spies gave up on finding us in the borderlands.”

The hatred for the fairy female boils beneath my skin, making the stream of black ink falling from my fingertips thicken, covering the vials and my boots up to my ankles.

No one comments even though Rochus and Ed shift uncomfortably in their chairs at the sight.

Herinor is balling his hands into fists, a sign he’s struggling to keep his calm. “Tata is an … unfortunate development.” The way he phrases it tells me he’s wondering what choice Tata had to make when allying with Ephegos. If she, too, knows she made a mistake. I can’t wait to go down to her cell and squeeze every last drop of information out of her myself as soon as we’ve settled on a strategy not to lose this war. “That, however, doesn’t change that we need to consider any allies we can get. The Queen of Tavras—yourqueen”—he gestures at the rebels—“is alsomyqueen. The Queen of Crows. Ayna made a choice to go with Ephegos so the Crow King can live to fight another day. Sheknows Ephegos would have killed Myron had she not proposed an offer Ephegos craves more than to kill him.”

I swallow, knowing what exactly it is he craves.

“Seeing him suffer.” Herinor gestures in the air as if his hands could describe better the dimension of evil Ephegos represents. “Knowing Myron is fully aware of what torture she will be going through.”

Herinor doesn’t check for my reaction. We all know this is what it’s all about for Ephegos. Taking what I love and destroying it. Bonus points if he can watch me suffer. The deal with Shaelak was a backup plan. If he got his hands on me before her, he’d have killed me so he can have what’s mine after all, but as long as he has the chance to keep me alive while having Ayna, he’ll always choose that.

“Ephegos is probably taking her to Meer as we speak. Odds are he’s traveling by carriage or on horseback, which has given him a head start we can only catch up with if we shift and fly—or site-hop.” His eyes dart to Tori, who nods his agreement. “But we can’t go after her to save her. Her bargain states clearly she’ll go with Ephegos if he lets Myron live. She swore not to try to return to Myron’s Crow Court if Ephegos let Kaira go as well. We can’t mess with a bargain like this. If we bring the Crow Court close to her, the bargain might interpret that as her trying.” Before any of us can question him, he amends, “And trust me. I would know. I’ve been working around foolish oaths long enough to know when bending rules could cause a drama of epic proportions.”

Rogue cuts me a glance that is half pity, half the determined king I respect and have learned to call friend.

“So what do you suggest we do?” Tori prompts, shifting a carved, black crow on the map.

Royad takes the word. “We work with the rebels to keep Tavras occupied in their own territory while we convince Cezuxto work with us to smother the enemy legions stationed near the Askarean border.”

Even with the vials of magic-sedating serum, we won’t stand a chance without the support of the rebels; he’s right. And Cezux would give us the numbers needed to engage the northern legions in combat long enough to wear them down.

“We fight for the Queen of Tavras, not for Askarea,” Andraya clarifies, but she doesn’t dismiss Royad’s idea either. “Not for the Crow King or the Fairy King.”

All four remaining rebels nod their agreement.

“I couldn’t care less about your rogue Crow.” Rochus runs two fingers along the side of his jaw, probing the salt-and-pepper scruff growing there. “It’s only that he’s involved in Tavras’s politics that puts him on our map.”

“Literally,” Gabrilla amends with dark humor impressing even Silas, waving a calloused hand at the Crow figurine sitting on the path to Meer alongside a carriage and a horse.

No one laughs.

“We never intended to get caught in a war between immortal creatures. But I believe it was clear the day our queen fell in love with a Crow that our rebellion wouldn’t involve only the human lands,” Pouly says, his tone so calm and serene I barely believe he’s human, but when I study him, I see the leader hiding deep down beneath the facade of the guard taking orders. He’s been building this rebellion for decades, has been keeping it alive for the generations serving before him and the generations who will outlive him. And he sees that the war they are fighting is entwined with ours as much as Ayna’s life is with Shaelak’s bloodline.

“We’ll all die fighting battles between fairies and Crows, between Flames and the Guardians know what else.” Rochus sounds more scared than upset, so I don’t growl at him or pickhim up by his collar to shake some sense into him. I’m scary enough merely glaring at him.

“There is no escaping an alliance,” Pouly rolls on. “Freeing Tavras from the Jelnedyn king means freeing Tavras from the traitor Crow who now commands his armies.” His expression hardens with determination as he stares down one after the other rebel until even Rochus lowers his head in submission. “We’ll team up with Askarea, but we’ll fight our battles on Tavrasian soil.” His gaze is on Rogue now. “We’re most effective where we know our surroundings. Only there can we wage guerrilla attacks to bind Tavras’s attention.”

No one challenges him. Clio’s eyes shine a bright jade as a feral grin stretches on her lips. Tori squares his shoulders, ready to leap into battle himself, and Rogue and Sanja nod at each other, pleased with the rebels’ commitment.

“We’ll weaken Tavras from within while you batter their forces from the borders. They won’t know what’s coming for them.” Andraya’s smile is a dangerous blend of victorious and bloodthirsty, but I can see the one thing uniting us all—hope for freedom. Hope for a better world.

And there it is: with the supply of magic-nullifying potion and the rebels’ aid—a path for us to forge through legions of human men and ranks of magical soldiers when we are forced to fight without our powers and, if used right and the gods don’t throw any more boulders in that path, a chance at victory.

“Now all we need is for Cezux to fight at our side.”

At my comment, Clio clears her throat, giving me one of the smiles that aren’t of the Fairy Queen but of my friend before she turns to Andraya, the smile turning conspiratorial and dangerous. “Lady Andraya already agreed she’d help us with that.”

Fifty-Four

Ayna

Watery winter sunpours in through the carriage window, warming my cheek as I chew on a slice of salty cheese while I stash bits of the bread they gave me in my boot and the pockets of my stinking leathers. They haven’t given me a chance to clean up, but at least, my clothes are now dry. The tea they brought in an hour ago has gone cold. I haven’t touched it for fear it could be laced with the drug. Now that my strength is slowly returning, I need to be careful what I ingest.

The bread is what I suspect has the drug baked into it like it had at Erina’s palace, so I’ve hidden it in my clothes for the past two days and dumped it in the bushes when they allowed me to take care of my needs. Instead of drinking the water they provide, I scrape hoarfrost off twigs before I return from the bushes and lick the melting ice off my fingers. It’s not enough to quench my thirst, but it’s enough to keep my strength without compromising my powers. So far, I’ve been getting better by the hour, my powers simmering at my disposal, and my wounds have completely sealed.

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