There was a pause. “We want to help you enter the city.”
Callumkal’s whole body went tense. He looked at Kellimdar, who shook his head and muttered in Kedaic, “Playing with us like toys.”
Callumkal said to the dakti, “You have an odd way of helping us, destroying our flying craft, killing our people.”
The Fell said, “That was the Raksura. They attacked us.”
Moon wanted to growl and managed not to. Fortunately, Callumkal and Kellimdar, whatever his doubts, didn’t appear to believe any of it. Callumkal said, “We don’t want your help.”
The Fell said, “But you want to enter the city.”
Jade flicked her spines impatiently. “If you want to help, tell them where the door of the city is. On top of the escarpment? Somewhere on a cliff? Around the base where the water meets the rock? Tell us.”
The dakti made a choking noise, coughed up a dark gout of blood, then collapsed. Most of the Kishan flinched back. After the dakti lay still for a moment, a Janderan approached cautiously and poked it with the butt of a fishing spear. It didn’t move. She said, “It’s not breathing.”
The other Kishan cautiously moved closer. Stone tasted the air, and said in Raksuran, “It’s dead, all right.”
“Abrupt way to end a conversation,” Callumkal said sourly. He turned to Jade. “Will they be back tonight?”
“I don’t know.” She glanced at the sky. “But they will be back.”
“So why did they bother to talk?” Moon asked Stone. Chime leaned over to listen to the answer. “To see if we were still allies with the Kishan?”
“Maybe,” Stone said. “Maybe they just wanted to see how badly we wanted to get into the city.”
Jade had managed to sound skeptical and indifferent about the prospect, and Callumkal had made it clear he wasn’t interested in help from the Fell. But that didn’t tell them when the Fell would attack next, or how.
“They want to keep us here. That’s why they destroyed the flying boat,” Chime said, keeping his voice low. “We could have put all the groundlings on it and taken off downwind, and the Fell couldn’t have tracked us. Now, they have us trapped.”
Balm glanced back, her expression grim. “Hush.”
“They were testing us,” Callumkal was telling the Kishan crew. “Testing our weapons, testing the Raksura.”
Someone said, “But was that all of them? If it was, we can hold them off here.”
Everyone looked at Jade. Her spines tried to rise and she forced them back into a neutral position. She said, “I don’t know. They might have held back part of the flight.”
Balm said, “We need to know where they’ve nested. If it’s nearby, I don’t know, maybe we could get close enough to see how many there actually are.”
“That’s a big maybe,” Stone said. He added, under his breath to Moon, “But it’s a good idea.”
It was a good idea. Moon wondered if Callumkal had a map showing nearby islands, or if there were any flying islands in this area.
Chime muttered, “It’s a good idea but I don’t like it.”
“But why would the Fell attack now?” Callumkal said. “I thought if they were truly here watching, they must be waiting to see if we could open the city.”
Jade said, “That’s a good question.” After a moment of thoughtful silence, it was apparent no one had an answer.
They did this for a reason, Moon thought. The Fell had been tracking this expedition for a long time, watching it, waiting until the flying boat returned. They hadn’t just gotten hungry and taken off to see how many groundlings they could grab. They have a plan. Or they had a plan, and something went wrong.
Moon heard a disturbance in the water, but Stone said, “It’s the other small boat.”
A Kishan posted on the upper deck called out and swung a light around. Rorra hurried to the rail, calling, “Lower the boarding ladder!”
River, Briar, and Song climbed up over the railing without waiting for help. River glanced around the deck, then went to Jade. “The Arbora and Delin are with the groundlings in the boat. Bramble wouldn’t let us fly, she said the Kishan would shoot us.” Fortunately for their relationship with Callumkal and Kellimdar, he said this in Raksuran.
Jade just said, “Good.”
At the rail, Rorra gave Delin a hand up, as Merit and Bramble scrambled over. Both Arbora were in their groundling forms; probably Bramble being cautious again. Magrim and two more Janderan followed Delin up the boarding ladder. Callumkal asked them, “Is anything salvageable?”
“Some of the supplies that were on board, yes, and we were able to find all the levitation packs,” Magrim reported. He looked weary, and his pants and the sleeves of his shirt were dusted with sand, as if he had been digging in the wreckage. “But the ship itself, no. The motivators were torn loose from the hull. That’s what caused it to fall.”
Merit spotted Moon’s injuries immediately and hurried across the deck toward him. “What happened? Let me see.” Bramble followed him, making worried exclamations.
Moon fended Merit off. “No, it’s fine.” Delin had joined Jade, Callumkal, and Kellimdar and was speaking urgently and Moon wanted to hear.
At that point Balm came up and took Moon’s arm firmly. “Jade said to go back inside and let Merit look at you or she won’t let you help anymore. She says to take Bramble with you.”
That was just unfair. Moon said, “That isn’t—”
Callumkal was telling Jade, “Let’s go inside and speak of this. We need the chief navigator and the maps before we can come to any decision.” He turned to Kellimdar. “Will you make sure the crew is prepared for another attack?”
Stone tugged Moon along, and Moon relented, since the action seemed to be moving inside anyway. Maybe he would feel better if he sat down. As they reached the hatchway, Delin caught up with them and said in Raksuran, “I had an idea, while we were under the sand. I think that may be where the entrance is.”
Confused, Chime said, “Under the—You mean the sand underwater, at the base of the cliffs? Where the stairs were?”
“Yes. Stone could see no indication of a door or opening, but perhaps it was even lower.” Delin lifted his brows. “Could Stone dig underwater?”
Stone’s sigh was more than half growl, causing the Kishan waiting in the corridor to edge uneasily away. He said, “Stone thinks Delin needs to make up his mind whether he wants to get into this city or stay out of it.”
Resigned, Delin said, “Stone is right.”
Kalam waited in the corridor, and told them they could have the cabin where the healer had treated Moon. The choice was good for the Raksura, since it was close to the hatchway and the open deck. Moon was about to point that out when he got dumped onto a bench, half-smothered with cushions, and told to stay put while Merit examined his wound.
Delin and Callumkal and the other Kishan headed on down the corridor, but Jade turned to the warriors. “Does anyone need Merit to look at their injuries? Do you need to rest, or can you go outside on guard?”
Everyone flicked their spines in a negative. They were all keeping to their winged forms so whatever cuts and bruises they had would heal faster. Briar said, “I don’t think I could sleep if I tried.”
Root added, “I’m kind of hungry.”
Bramble, stowing their packs under a bench, said, “That I can do something about.”
Jade smiled and gave Root’s shoulder an affectionate shake. “I want Briar, River, and Song on watch outside, on the upper decks. Balm, come with me, and Chime, stay here with Moon and Stone. Root, stay out on that lower deck for now, in front of that hatchway.”
The warriors went out and Jade turned to Stone. “You’re staying here?”
“For now.” Stone dropped down on another bench. “I’m going to take a nap.”
Jade turned to Moon and he said, “I’m staying here too.”
“You’d better.” She stepped close to look over Merit’s shoulder.
Merit h
ad pulled up the bandage and spread a sweet-smelling simple on the slashes that immediately dulled and eased the pain. He asked Jade, “Do you think they’d let me help with the groundling wounded?”
“Maybe. We can ask.” Jade brushed her hand against Moon’s cheek, and then left with Balm. Merit hastily gathered his satchel and hurried after them.
Bramble watched her go, frowning. “She’s worried.”
Chime folded his arms, and his spines flicked nervously. “Should I go out on watch too?”
“No, you should do what Jade told you and stay with Moon,” Bramble said. She stood and went to Kalam, who still waited uncertainly beside the door. The conversation had been in Raksuran, so he would have understood none of it. She said in Altanic, “Can you find us some food? The warriors will need to eat soon.”
Kalam looked relieved to be able to help. “Yes, I’ll show you.”
As they left, Moon’s tense muscles relaxed. His eyelids felt heavy and he had a distinct feeling that it had something to do with whatever Merit had put on his wound. If it made it heal faster, he was all for it. Stone was lying on the bench across the room, asleep or just resting. Chime was still standing there, and Moon patted the bench beside him.
Chime hesitated, then shifted to groundling, and came over to sit on the bench. He slumped a little, his clothes still damp from the swim across the cove. In his groundling form, it was easy to see his eyes were a little too bright and he was trembling. Moon knew then why Jade had wanted Chime to stay in here. He had been all right out on deck, but the reaction was setting in and Jade had seen it.
Moon managed to heave his almost inert body over a little, and said, “Lie down, there’s room.”
Chime winced and rubbed his eyes. “I’m supposed to be on watch.”
“Root’s on watch.” Moon tugged on the back of Chime’s shirt. Chime gave in and lay down on the bench, his back to Moon’s side, but pressing close. Moon settled in and let his mind drift. After a long moment, Chime took a deep breath and relaxed. The corridor was noisy, with Kishan going back and forth, but it was a reassuring sound. Not long after Chime stopped trembling, Moon slid into sleep.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Something’s changed,” Lithe said aloud. She opened her eyes and found herself facing Malachite.
They sat on the floor of the long cabin in the hull of the windship, where the groundlings took their evening meals. Shade crouched nearby, with some of the warriors, the groundling crew, and Niran and Diar gathered around. The food the groundlings had been about to eat still sat forgotten on the low table. Everyone stared worriedly at her, except for Malachite, who just looked thoughtful. Lithe remembered following the others into the room, but not what had happened after that. “I had a vision.”
“It came on you suddenly,” Malachite told her. “What did you see?”
Lithe closed her eyes to capture the images that wanted to slip away. “Something wants them to go inside. Something old. There’s another mentor there and it clouds his sight, he can’t see to warn them. It doesn’t mean to. It’s old and powerful and not like us.”
She opened her eyes. Diar glanced at Malachite, and asked Lithe, “You said something changed.”
Lithe hesitated, trying to sort through the thoughts that were hers and those the vision had brought. Sudden visions like this tended to fade fast. Then she had it. “Something has forced their hand. Will force their hand.” She took a sharp breath, the urgency that came with that fading image like a sudden punch in the chest. “The Fell are there.”
Malachite tapped a claw and Flicker leapt to obey. He brought Lithe a cup of tea and sat beside her. Lithe drank, the warm liquid soothing her throat, and Flicker patted her knee sympathetically.
Niran grimaced in frustration. “We can’t get there any faster.”
“I’m not sure it would help,” Lithe said. She concentrated, trying to tease out the last threads of true meaning. The images were blended with her own thoughts now, obscured with the color of her emotions. “The Fell are near them, watching. That’s all I have. I’m sorry.”
“It’s enough,” Malachite said.
Niran and Diar and all the others looked at her. “It is?” Diar said. She was asking the question the warriors and the other groundlings wanted to ask, but didn’t quite dare.
Malachite stood in one smooth motion. “It tells us they’re still alive.”
The others seemed a little reassured, and Lithe tried to be. But the vision had left a strong aftertaste of saltwater and death, and she was afraid.
Moon woke gradually, listening to familiar voices. He could tell from his sense of the sun’s passing that it was still a few hours until dawn. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, struggling back to consciousness. It took him a moment of staring at the copper-colored ceiling to remember where he was. Chime sat in front of the bench, watching Jade, Balm, and Rorra, who was spreading a fabric map out on the floor. Stone was gone and Delin was asleep on the opposite bench.
Rorra sat beside the map, having to tug her booted feet into a comfortable position. She propped an elbow on one of her knees and said, “Callumkal said he doesn’t wish to put you in danger.”
“I don’t want to be put in danger either, but we have to find the Fell, regardless of what we decide to do next,” Jade said.
Balm seconded, “Even if we decide to run, we have to know where they are. If they have a resting spot downwind of us, or anywhere between us and the ocean, they’re going to overtake us.”
“And if we see how many there are . . .” Jade flicked her spines uncertainly. “I don’t know. If this is a small flight, and they attacked with all their strength . . .”
Balm finished, “It still doesn’t make sense.”
“No,” Rorra agreed wearily.
Moon cautiously sat up on one elbow. The claw slash in his side was a dull ache. He could feel under the bandage that the cut was forming scar tissue. He could also smell dried fish. He sniffed the air, and Chime handed him a bowl of something that looked like chips of gray and white rock. “What is it?”
“Food,” Chime said. “Sort of.”
Moon took the bowl and bit into a chip. It tasted like fish. Terrible fish, but still fish. “Where is everybody?”
“Bramble is taking food to the warriors, and Stone went out on deck,” Chime said.
Rorra marked points on the map with a charcoal stick. “We’re here, and there are three islands nearby, that we know of.”
Moon leaned over to look. The islands were upwind of the escarpment, but to the southeast, and the wind had been strong and coming directly from the south since they had gotten here. He didn’t think they would detect much Fell stench from those islands, not unless the wind changed.
Rorra said, “This area is not inhabited or traveled by any species Kish has contact with. This map was made by the first scouts for the expedition, trying to locate the escarpment. But they weren’t trying to make accurate maps, they were just looking for the best routes, if you see what I mean. They only mapped what they could see from their air vessel.”
Jade tapped her claws on either side of the islands. “So there could be more small islands out here.”
“There could be anything out there.” Rorra’s expression was glum.
Jade exchanged a frustrated look with Balm. “This is going to be even more fun than I thought.”
Chime sat up suddenly. “Oh. The gleaners. Or whatever they were called.”
Moon frowned, remembering their night visit to the floating hive. “The ones who disappeared?”
“Yes, them.” Chime moved around Balm for a look at the map. “We thought the Fell took them to eat them.”
“Right.” Jade’s brow furrowed. “Why else would they take them?”
“Because they can make floating platforms,” Chime said.
Everyone stared at him. “Hmm,” Rorra said, and studied the map again.
Jade nodded slowly, her spines lifting. Balm said, “That might be it
.”
The more Moon thought about it, the more sense it made. He said, “The Fell would know that the Kishan would have maps of the islands.”
“Yes,” Jade said. “And they would want something they could move around in. Like that giant sac the flight looking for the other forerunner city had.”
Rorra’s brows lifted. “Giant what?”
“The kethel can make sacs, to carry dakti. This one was . . .” Balm made a gesture, indicating something round and by her expression horrible. Moon had to admit that was about as close as he could come, too. “Hard to describe.”
Chime’s attention was all on the map. “The hive platform we saw looked like it was just drifting on the current. The kethel could push it, but they would want to keep it out here somewhere.” He tapped the circle of small islands.
“If it was on the other side of the escarpment, the currents are too strong. It would be carried out into the ocean.” Rorra traced a path through the islands. “I think it must be along here. This current makes a circular motion, you can tell by the pattern of the islands. If their platform drifted too far toward the open sea, they could easily turn it back.”
Jade said, “We should check this area first.”
“How can you do this without the Fell being aware of you?” Rorra asked. “If you can see them, surely they can see you.”
“To us, Fell have a distinctive . . . scent.” Jade’s hesitation was probably due to remembering that Rorra had a distinctive scent too. It was an awkward subject. “Stone will be able to tell they’re in the area from a much longer distance.”
Rorra nodded understanding. “So the wind patterns will let you eliminate a large territory with minimal effort.”
That would be the easy part, Moon thought. The difficult part was going to be getting close enough to see anything without getting eaten.
Late the next morning, Moon sat on one of the small boats with Chime and River. Rorra was at the steering lever and Kalam and Magrim were acting as crew. The sky was clear with only a scatter of white clouds, the air warm, the breeze cool and steady, and Moon had nothing to do except worry. It was just as tiring as being in the air searching for Fell, with none of the sense of accomplishment.