“Yes. If you watch closely, you can see the Twilight Kingdom, now and then, in the shifting air.”
Sarphos stared intently at the air between the trees, but Vi’s focus was on the leaning tree itself. It was almost entirely blackened, large splits exposing liquefied innards that glowed with red lightning. The tree looked as though it had been rotting for weeks since she had last been here—not mere hours. She bet that had they arrived a day later, it would’ve collapsed entirely.
“So it’s true,” he whispered. Sarphos must’ve seen the kingdom while Vi was distracted by the progression of the rot. “You can catch glimpses.”
“Believe me now?”
“I still don’t believe you could’ve made it through that and survived.”
“It wasn’t an…idealexperience.” Vi’s hand went to her watch. Without it and whatever power it held, she likely would’ve died.
“Well, then, I think our business has concluded.” Sarphos adjusted the satchel on his shoulder.
“You won’t tell anyone about Taavin?” Vi dared ask. It was too much trust to put in a single man, especially when Sarphos had every reason to betray them. She needed to move Taavin as quickly as possible. But Taavin couldn’t be moved yet… Her mind began to whirl around possible solutions.
“So long as he doesn’t harm my people.”
“Give me your word.”
“You have it,” Sarphos said with all the sincerity in the world.
Vi wanted to believe him.
She wanted to take him at his word. She wanted to go back to the days when promises meant something. But they didn’t any longer. A vow wasn’t good enough, not when he had so much to gain by outing them. If she were in his shoes, Vi couldn’t be certain she’d honor it.
That meant she had to ensure his silence another way; she had to keep him in her sights.
“Sarphos, wait,” she called after him, just as he had taken a few steps.
“What now?”
“You’re going to report this tear to your king, aren’t you?”
“I am,” he responded cautiously.
“Take me with you?” Vi did her best to phrase it as a question and not a desperate plea or command. The only way she could get him to agree was to endear herself to him, truly convince him it was in his best interest, or both.
“Why do you think I would take someone in league with the Voice to King Noct himself?”
“Because I have more knowledge than you on these tears—their cause and how we may be able to stop them.” Vi held out her hands. “Because I am unarmed and no threat in the Twilight Kingdom.”
“You had that strange fire magic before.”
“Firebearing. It’s called Firebearing.” For a brief second, Sarphos looked almost intrigued by the notion. “It’s a discipline of magic on the Dark Isle and is in no way like the Faithful’s Lightspinning.”
“It didn’t feel like Lightspinning…” He stroked his chin. “You really are from there?”
“I really am.”
“But there is nothing on the Dark Isle. It is a barren wasteland.”
Vi chuckled. “I thought much the same of Meru.” She braved a smile, hoping it came off as casual. Hoping he believed they were finding an easy rapport and she wasn’t just looking for a way to keep him in her sights. “Take me to your king, let me tell him of my lands myself.”
Sarphos twisted the strap of his bag. Vi wondered if his thoughts mirrored her own—twisting and turning over the various options before him. As she waited, Vi tried to keep her expression light, even though she was already working two mental steps ahead.
Taavin had mentioned a shift like the one around the Twilight Kingdom protecting the Isle of Frost… If she continued building this relationship, perhaps she could ultimately convince Sarphos—or King Noct—to help rescue her father.
“Oh, all right, come on then.” Sarphos grabbed her hand. “But don’t blame me if Arwin kills you on the spot.”
