“Usually, but it’s not rare for him,” Song admitted.
The leader took two careful steps back, watching Moon warily, then turned, shifted to her winged form, and jumped over the railing. The other two warriors followed immediately.
Moon forced himself to shift back to groundling, though it took self-control. Delin had already whipped out his sketch book and plopped down on the deck, drawing furiously.
Chime stepped forward, concerned. “Moon, this isn’t doing any good. Jade can get them to give you back, just be patient.”
“I know, I know.” Moon rubbed his temple. He didn’t regret the outburst; it had felt too good. But it probably hadn’t helped the situation any.
“No, Moon did right,” Floret said unexpectedly. “They should have asked politely, and they knew it. He can’t let warriors order him around like that, especially in a new court.” She tugged on Chime’s arm. “Come on, let him calm down.”
Chime went, reluctantly, and everyone on the deck tried to look as if they had something to do. Moon sat on his heels next to Delin to watch him sketch, and tried to settle his simmering anger. Floret was right. Opal Night—at least the part under Onyx’s influence—wanted him to act like a consort but didn’t want to treat him like one.
After a time, Delin’s frantic scribbles slowed, as he captured enough of the scene to preserve the memory. He turned the book sideways and started to make notes along the margins. He asked, “They treat you badly here?”
“No.” So far, Moon figured he had done a good job of giving back whatever he had gotten.
“But it is not your home.”
“No.”
Delin looked up. “I do not understand how they can take a man away from his wife when he does not wish to be parted from her. Especially when his wife has such big teeth and claws.”
Moon sighed and got to his feet. He had stalled long enough to make his point; it was time to face the consequences. “My birthqueen has bigger teeth and claws.”
“More intimidating than Indigo Cloud’s Pearl?” At Moon’s nod, Delin lifted his brows, impressed.
The others had taken seats on the deck a short distance away. They stood as Moon walked over to say goodbye. “Will you be all right?” Chime asked, still worried. “Maybe they’ll ask us in to eat with the court and we can see you later.”
Eating with this court was more of a punishment than a treat. “Maybe,” Moon said, trying not to sound as grim as he felt. He had to answer several more inquiries about his health and wellbeing before he could shift and jump over the railing.
There were still Arbora and warriors in the greeting hall who politely scrambled to get out of his way, then watched him pass. He heard them murmuring to each other as soon as he turned into the passage. Anyone who had climbed or flown up the outside of the tree for a better look at the flying ship would have had a clear view of the scene with the warriors. Moon hoped they had enjoyed it.
“Moon!”
He turned to see Rise hurrying to catch up with him. She said, “I saw what happened. I’m sorry.”
She was in her groundling form, so Moon shifted too, using the moment to compose himself. “It wasn’t your fault. Is Jade still talking to Onyx?”
“Yes. That’s why Onyx sent warriors after you.” Rise’s expression was caught between annoyance and amusement. “She implied Jade meant to use that flying craft to steal you away.”
Moon managed a noncommittal shrug. He hoped no one said anything about the discarded plan. “Flying boats aren’t very fast.”
Rise hesitated, then said, “Malachite wants to talk to you.”
That was a good sign. Either it was about Jade or what they had discovered at Aventera, or both. Moon hoped for both. Then he heard a commotion from outside the greeting hall. Rise frowned and called out, “What is it?”
One of the Arbora answered, “The Indigo Cloud line-grandfather is back!”
Moon started for the doorway. “That’s not good.”
Rise followed. “I thought he came back with you and Celadon.”
“No, he stayed to scout the country around Aventera, to look for the Fell.” If Stone had returned this soon, he must have found something.
Moon went out onto the landing platform to see Stone banking in. The warriors and Arbora scattered as Stone cupped his wings and dropped down. Rise moved back a few paces, but Moon stayed where he was, swaying a little from the rush of air from Stone’s wings.
Stone shifted down to his groundling form, head turned toward the flying ship. Chime, Floret, and Song stood at the railing. Root perched on top of the steering cabin, waving. Irritated, Stone said, “Whose idea was that?”
“Jade’s,” Moon told him. “Did you find something?”
“She’s here? Good.” Stone looked grim. “I found the Fell.”
Chapter Twelve
Rise rushed to tell Malachite, then returned with word that the queen would speak to them in the queens’ greeting chamber. Jade, Balm, and Celadon were already there, with Onyx and her daughter queens. Lithe, a scatter of older warriors, and more Arbora arrived to represent Opal Night’s other mentors and the teacher, hunter, and soldier castes. They all stayed in their groundling forms, though the queens kept their wings instead of shifting to Arbora.
Stone settled himself on a cushion near the hearth at the center of the room and ignored all attempts to imply he should move to a less prominent spot. Moon sat near Stone, and Jade and Balm diplomatically took a position between Onyx’s supporters and the Arbora.
Then one of Onyx’s daughter queens said, “Should the visitors be here?” She regarded Jade and Balm, her expression critical and faintly suspicious. She inclined her head toward Moon. “And surely this is no place for a young, unattached consort.”
There was a murmur of agreement from Onyx’s warriors. Onyx herself just lazily coiled her tail and didn’t deign to comment.
Moon hissed under his breath. He wasn’t leaving.
Jade smiled and showed the tips of her fangs. “He isn’t unattached. As you can scent for yourself.”
With an edge to her voice, the daughter queen said, “Your claim is still in dispute.”
Jade tilted her head. “Not to me.”
There was a rush of wings from the passage and Malachite suddenly stood in the doorway. Everyone went quiet as she stepped into the room. She sat down, and said, “Line-grandfather. Tell us what you saw.”
Celadon sat forward and said quickly, “Malachite. Before we talk, Lithe should go.”
Lithe stared at her, startled. “Me? Why?”
She must be the only crossbreed in the room. Moon looked around at the other Arbora and saw they were all well past maturity. If any were survivors of the eastern colony, they were old enough to have been born before the Fell attack.
Malachite didn’t hesitate. “We will speak of it later.” Her voice softened a trace. “For now, Lithe, go.”
Confused, Lithe glanced at the other Arbora. They looked worried but didn’t object. She got to her feet and walked out of the chamber.
Malachite flicked her claws for Stone to continue. He said, “I was scouting the plains past the far edge of the groundling city’s plateau late this morning, and caught a strong scent of Fell, coming from the southeast. I went downwind, using the clouds as cover, and followed it. After a time, I saw…” Stone hesitated, as if he was having trouble finding the words. Moon felt his skin start to creep. “Several major kethel, carrying something.”
“Sacs?” Malachite asked.
The sacs were structures made of secretions from the major kethel, who used them to transport large numbers of dakti. The dakti were the smallest of the Fell and the slowest flyers, and carrying them in sacs made the flights able to travel much faster. It was disgusting, but it was nothing unusual for Fell. But there was something in Stone’s expression that told Moon there was more to this than that.
Stone said, “No, one sac. A huge one. Bigger than all the kethel together. Big
enough to hold hundreds—more than hundreds—of dakti.” He shook his head slightly. “That flying island we stayed on last night? You could fit a few of those inside it with room to spare.”
Moon just stared, incredulous. How… What… He forced himself not to interrupt. The room had gone still, and no one so much as twitched a spine as they listened intently.
Stone continued, “They were carrying it with a web, like the boats with the air bladders in the city. Something like that.” He growled in sharp annoyance and all the warriors in the room flinched. “It’s hard to describe.”
One of the female Arbora stood and moved to sit next to Stone. The Arbora flipped through a roll of paper to a blank page, and began to sketch rapidly with a charcoal stick. “Like this?”
“No, on top. It was bigger.” After a few moments, Stone tapped the paper. “That’s—Yes, like that.”
The Arbora turned the paper around and held it up so they could all see. Everyone leaned forward, and some of those in the back moved so they could get a better view. It was a rough drawing of a sac, the size of it apparent when you knew the flying creatures arrayed above it were meant to be major kethel. The bulky sac was suspended below them, slung in a web-like netting.
After a moment, everyone sat back, and the Arbora lowered the drawing. Moon caught Jade’s eye; her expression was bleak.
“But…” Celadon looked to Malachite, uncertain. “What could be inside it? Dakti and rulers?”
Stone gave her a grim nod. “Lots of dakti and rulers. That’s my guess.”
Malachite asked Stone, “The Fell didn’t scent you?”
“I didn’t wait around,” Stone told her. “I don’t know if they mean to come here, or if they’re heading toward the groundlings.” He added, “Probably both.”
It was Onyx who said, “We are well-prepared for an attack.” She glanced at Malachite, irony coloring her voice. “We have thought of little else for the last forty turns.”
Preoccupied, Malachite said, “We will destroy the Fell.” She spoke as if it was an afterthought, as if her attention was on something else, but there was nothing but complete conviction in her voice. A ripple of suppressed tension moved through the warriors, and there were growls of agreement from the Arbora. Apparently the only thing this court agreed on was killing the Fell. Moon felt himself caught in the rush of emotion, a growl building in his own chest.
Onyx said to Malachite, “I hate to admit that you’ve been right all this time, but Lithe’s auguries do seem to be falling into place.”
One of the oldest Arbora, a male with graying hair and skin, said, “This must be an attack on all the Reaches. The Fell have never come to this territory before, not in all the hundreds of turns this mountain-tree has been here.”
“I have a suggestion,” Jade said. She tapped her claws thoughtfully against the polished floor.
Malachite said nothing, just watched her. With annoyance, Onyx made the formal introduction. “Malachite of Opal Night, Jade of Indigo Cloud, who has come here to beg a consort from us.”
Jade flicked a spine at that description. Malachite said, “Well?”
“Your colony is in danger from the Fell. You should allow my consort to return to Indigo Cloud with me, out of danger. You owe this to him.”
Moon stared. “That was your idea?”
Jade didn’t look at him. Moon hissed. He didn’t want to run from the Fell, not now. He knew he shouldn’t argue this here, but he couldn’t help himself. “This isn’t what we talked about.”
Jade’s jaw set, but she ignored him. She said to Malachite, “You would also gain an alliance with Indigo Cloud.”
Onyx’s tail lashed. “From what Emerald Twilight reported, an alliance with your court is nothing to covet,” she said. “And consorts are not trade goods.”
It’s nice that somebody thinks so. Moon growled under his breath, exasperated.
Jade’s spines trembled as she tried to suppress strong emotion. “If they aren’t trade goods,” she said, her voice harsh, “then they shouldn’t be taken from their queens and dragged off to a strange court on a whim.”
Celadon drew an angry breath to respond but Malachite’s voice overrode hers. She said, “A whim.”
The cold fury buried in those two words made Moon’s breath catch in his throat.
Jade’s spines bristled in reflex. She said, deliberately, “Your reasons may have held weight for you, but to me, and to others in my court, it seemed a cruel impulse.”
Malachite’s spines flared. Moon quelled an instinctive urge to bolt for the doorway. Celadon winced, the other daughter queens twitched and Onyx hissed in reflex, then self-consciously settled her spines. The Arbora uneasily edged away. Stone was the only one in the room who didn’t flinch. Jade didn’t let her spines rise in threat, but she didn’t back down, either.
Malachite said, “You took him knowing he belonged to another court.”
Jade countered, “I thought his court was destroyed.”
Moon couldn’t believe they were going to rehash this. He had really thought he had gotten Malachite past this point. “I thought we agreed that was my fault.”
“We did not agree.” Malachite’s gaze didn’t leave Jade. She said, “You had no right to take him, the last consort of my bloodline. You knew he was no feral solitary, and you must have known what he was worth. Even if he wasn’t forced, he knew nothing of his own people. He had no idea what he was agreeing to.”
Moon drew breath to argue that, but Stone squeezed his wrist, telling him to be silent. If Stone had hit him or told him to shut up, it wouldn’t have stopped him. But something about that gesture, and Stone’s wary, closed expression, kept Moon silent.
And he remembered that night in the turning city, when Jade said that he couldn’t possibly come from a bad bloodline.
Jade hissed out a breath. “I didn’t—”
“Tell me I’m wrong.” Malachite’s voice might have been made of iron. “Tell me he thought it meant more than trading himself for shelter and companionship.”
“I explained what it meant—”
“And did you think he understood?”
Silence stretched painfully. Then Jade said, “No.”
Moon wished he had bolted from the room when he had a chance. All he wanted to say was “Understand what?” Then he saw Balm’s expression. She was seated behind Jade, biting her lip, looking down at her hands tightly folded in her lap. Guilt was written over her whole body.
Jade tried to keep her voice hard, as if it was a struggle not to sound defensive. She said, “But I did believe that his court was destroyed. I had no reason to think otherwise.”
Malachite pressed harder. “You knew you were returning to the Reaches, where another court would recognize his bloodline. You knew there was a strong chance a court might claim him, and you needed alliances. So you took him.”
Jade showed her teeth. “I took him because I wanted him for my consort.”
“Then why haven’t you had a clutch?”
Moon heard Stone hiss an under-the-breath curse.
Jade’s spines trembled and her jaw set, the blood drained from her lips so the blue was almost white. She didn’t answer.
In a quiet voice, Celadon said, “We can’t afford to argue like this, not now. We have to deal with the Fell first.” She told Jade, “If you aren’t going to help us, then take your warriors and go back to your court.”
Jade stood. Balm looked up with a start, eyes wide. Jade said, “I’m not leaving without my consort. This is not over.” She left the chamber, her pace deliberate, as Balm got to her feet and followed.
For a long, painful moment no one moved, no one spoke. Moon started to stand and realized his muscles had tensed to the point that his legs had cramped. He managed to get to his feet without stumbling and walked out. No one tried to call him back.
He took the passage that led to the consort’s hall, stopped in a junction where one corridor opened out toward the central well. H
e took a deep breath of the fresh damp air flowing down it.
Feet pattered on the smooth wooden floor of the passage; Lithe hurried toward him. She stopped, her bracelets and the beads in her hair jangling with her agitation. “Moon, why did they ask me to leave?”
She was bound to hear it sooner or later. His voice was thick and he had to clear his throat. “The Fell know that there are crossbreeds here in the court. We think they can hear your thoughts.”
Lithe fell back a step, appalled. “No! That’s not possible. I’m a mentor, I’d know!”
“I don’t know. Someone will have to figure it out.”
Lithe studied him, her expression turning uncertain. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” He turned and went on toward the consorts’ hall, and she didn’t try to follow.
For once, there were no Arbora hanging around in the main room, which was a relief. Moon went through and up to his bower. He sat on the fur next to the bowl hearth, close enough to feel the faint warmth of the stones.
After a while, Stone came in and sat down nearby. He didn’t speak, he just looked at Moon.
Moon felt obligated to say something. “I never fooled myself about why I was in Indigo Cloud. You took a chance on me, and it worked, mostly. But I didn’t need to hear it spelled out like that.”
Stone growled in his throat, got up, and walked out.
Moon watched him go, too startled to react. That wasn’t helpful, he thought.
He realized his throat was dry and drank the tea that someone had left sitting beside the hearth. It was cold and bitter and all he wanted to do was wash it out of his mouth. He went into the bathing room to get a drink from the cool water running down the channel in the wall. It felt so good, he stepped under it and stood there until his head cleared. Stepping out of the pool, he stripped off his wet clothes and changed into the spare ones in his pack. They seemed much cleaner than he remembered, so he suspected the Arbora had been in here, too.
Moon came out of the bathing room and heard soft footsteps on the stairs. He froze, his heart giving an anticipatory thump. But it was Russet who appeared in the doorway. She was alone for once, without her entourage of younger Arbora.