“Let’s hope not,” said Kieran.
Just then, Ariel and Santiago entered the control room.Ariel said, “Good, you’re all here.I need to tell you something.”
“Woods are haunted?”Briar guessed.
“Hell if I know.The woods aren’t my concern.”Ariel glanced at Santiago, who reached out and squeezed their shoulder as they explained: “After that last attack in the middle of the night, I called a few of my pilot friends to see if they’d be willing to update me on any sightings they might have of Elias’s ships.”Ariel gestured to a map of Celdwyn they’d pinned to the wall beside the controls.They took a tack and jabbed it into the text indicating an airfieldnot too far from their own location.“One of them got back to me about thirty minutes ago—they spotted Elias’s mercenaries about half a day behind us.They seem to be hanging back for some reason.”
“Needed to refuel?”Kieran guessed.
Ariel shook their head.“That’s what I thought at first, but then I got another call.”They took a second pin and jammed it into the map even closer to their location.“There’s a smaller scouting aeroship right behind us.I saw it last night for a few seconds before it ducked into the clouds.”
“They’re…spying on us?”Briar asked.“So they can…what?Strike once we’ve rested?That seems stupid.”
The gears clicked into place in Kieran’s mind.He straightened and shook his head.
“No.They’re waiting to see if we can get the Stave.”
“What?”Briar blinked at him.“Why would they want us to get it?”
Kieran reached down to where Seaweed was curled up near his feet.“Think about it—they were totally unprepared back at the Lake of Whispers.Seaweed decimated them.”
The lake spirit trilled at the sound of her name, hopping up on the table before using Kieran’s shirt to climb his torso.She wrapped around his neck like a scarf.Kieran gently patted her head and added, “They went in blind and failed spectacularly.On the other hand, they did manage to sneak on board the other night.Even if we beat them, that was only a fraction of their manpower.If a scouting ship is watching us, they can launch an attack exactly when we’re not expecting it—and then finish what they started the other night.”
“When we’re not expecting it?What are you talking about?”Briar asked.
“When Kieran gets the Stave,” Delilah realized aloud.She swallowed.“If they wait to attack until we have the Stave, then they don’t have risk losing more men to the magic woodsandthey can take the Hilt at the same time.From there, they just have to convince the Coven to give up the final piece, which I’m sure they feel confident about.After all, Elias is a charismatic businessman—that kind of negotiation will be easy for him.As long as they have the first two pieces when that happens, it’ll pretty much seal the win for them.”
“Exactly,” Kieran said.
“I fear he’s correct,” Santiago said to Ariel, who had begun chewing their lower lip.“What’s our best chance to avoid them?”
“Speed,” Ariel responded plainly.Their eyes fell on Kieran.“It’s up to you, kid, but our best chance might be getting in and out of these woods before they can catch up.But that does mean rushing in without much of a plan.”
“These woods will eat us alive,” Delilah shot back, gesturing outside.“We need something to lead us back once we’re inside, otherwise we’ll get lost out there.”
“Screw that—we have magic!”Briar argued.“I’m sure we can figure something out on the fly.If time is of the essence, we should just go now.”
“That would be reckless,” Delilah reasoned.
Briar threw her hands up.“Maybe we need to be reckless!”
“It’s too much of a gamble,” Delilah shot back.
“Stop it,” Kieran said, holding up a hand to stop Delilah and Briar’s quarrel.“Arguing won’t help.”
“You still need to make a decision, though,” Briar pointed out.“You’re the leader here.What doyouwant to do?”
Kieran froze.If Elias’s men were on their heels and they waited too long, it would be his fault for not diving in immediately.At the same time, if they headed out now, they’d be totally unprepared.And my magic doesn’t work well on the fly.
“Well?”Briar pushed.
“I—” Kieran tried to swallow but found his throat dry.With all his crewmates’ eyes on him, he felt like their gazes were burning holes in him.It made him want to curl up in a ball and hide, but that wasn’t an option.
“Kieran…” Delilah started softly.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Ariel reminded him.
Briar started, “Which is why we should—”
