Page 75 of Circle of Shadows
Glass Lady opened her mouth to object. But Empress Aki held up her hand to silence her.
The empress looked at Fairy and Broomstick with grief already in her eyes. “This could be a suicide mission.”
A quiver fluttered through Fairy’s chest. But then she held Empress Aki’s gaze for a moment, before laying herself prostrate again on the ground. “Like I said, Your Majesty. We serve you and Kichona. Whatever and however you need.”
Chapter Forty-Two
As soon as Broomstick had a moment alone, he snuck into the dispatcher’s office in Warrior Meeting Hall.
I can’t believe we’re doing this.
But of course he could. This was what they’d trained their whole lives for. Fairy had already been worried and itching to do something. And now the future of the kingdom was at stake. On top of that, their friends were out there. They knew from Wolf’s dragonfly that Spirit had been captured.
Still, Broomstick’s hands shook as he prepared the tiny scroll and composed a new message to Wolf. Hopefully he was still at Tiger’s Belly and would receive it.
Wolf,
Fairy and I are headed to Copper Bluff in Dassu Desert with Empress Aki for negotiations with Prince Gin.
Please meet us there.
—Broomstick
He couldn’t write the truth, that Fairy would be bait, masquerading as the empress. He couldn’t risk the message being intercepted. But he needed Wolf there. It wasn’t just for support. It was because, if there was going to be any way out of this, they’d need as many of their heads together as possible.
And they’d always said that if they were going to die, they wanted to die fighting together. All four of them.
Maybe it was better that Sora wouldn’t be there. Maybe she would be spared.
Broomstick rolled up the miniature scroll and secured it to a dragonfly.
“Gods-speed,” he said, as it dashed out the window to the Society outpost at Tiger’s Belly. “Gods-speed to both you and Wolf.”
Chapter Forty-Three
The pearlescent orange-and-black buildings along the Striped Coves’ coastline glimmered in the midday sun. As the center of Kichona’s tiger pearl industry, the ocean-side city was always bustling, full of diving outfits harvesting the gems, jewelers creating world-famous baubles, and wealthy trading companies taking the goods abroad and bringing back chests full of gold.
But rather than catch the city unawares, the ryuu found something was already waiting for them when their ship pulled into the harbor at the Striped Coves. An enormous wooden sign with a letter tacked to it. It was clearly marked in large script: “Prince Gin.”
Hana leaned so far out over the railings to get a better look, she nearly fell over the edge.
“Virtuoso,” Prince Gin said, as he strode to the gangplank. “Come with me.”
As usual, he took his time. He was the one with the upper hand; he didn’t need to rush. Hana matched her stepswith his, practicing the gravity of power.
When they reached the sign, the prince charmed the letter to untack and open itself. It remained suspended in the air as they read it.
Dearest Brother,
What a surprise to find you have returned to Kichona.
I understand you have been poaching my taigas, to which I, of course, object. I have ordered the Society to take precautions and evacuate outposts you may be tempted to take possession of.
I also request that you cease and desist your activities, and that we meet for peace talks and negotiation. I am sure we can come to an acceptable compromise.
Please meet me at Copper Bluff in the Dassu Desert in three days’ time. Bring only yourself and one warrior.
Your sister,
