“Be careful,” Deneya said solemnly. “Getting close to the royal family without having eyes on me took me years. You’ve ascended swiftly and publicly… They’re already whispering about you.”
“I’m not worried,” Vi lied. In fact, she was suddenly very worried. This whole time her eyes had been on Fiera, at the expense of noticing who had their eyes on her. “I have this under control.”
* * *
Vi hefted the Sword of Jadar overhead and brought it down in a vertical slice. She slid her feet to the side, dancing around an unseen opponent, drawing the blade in a side slash. She stepped back, shifted her grip, and thrust forward into a lunge. Her movements were slow and deliberate, more meditation than combat.
Soon enough, Deneya would arrive to go over the list of Knights she’d procured. And before then, Vi needed to speak with Taavin.
She went to put the blade on the table, pausing. The vision of the Champion splitting the staff remained ever-present in her mind.How had he known how to do that?Vi tried to push the question from her mind, uttering, “Narro hath hoolo.”
“You’re back here again.” Taavin looked around.
“Yes. I’ve been doing just as you asked for the past two months and laying low.” She stared at the sheathed weapon on the wall. Despite herself, the memories of the last Champion still lingered. “Taavin… do you think there’s a way to manipulate the crystal?”
“Why do you ask?”
“My last vision… the last Champion split the staff. Do you think I could split the sword?”
“We’re trying to preserve Yargen’s power, not split it,” he needlessly reminded.
“What if—”
They were interrupted by Deneya emerging through the flames at the entrance to the small room. The woman’s bright blue and purple-rimmed eyes darted between them.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“It’s all right. Tell me what you’ve found?”
“You’re not going to like it.” Deneya frowned. “The Knights of Jadar are picking right back up where they left off. Nearly all of them.”
“How so?”
“They’ve been gathering at Twintle’s house at odd hours.”
“When?”
“In secret, at night… I’ve reason to believe they’re meeting right now.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Vi started for the flames. “We should go and see what they’re—”
Taavin stopped her by grabbing her hand with his ghostly grip. Vi swung around to face him. Her heart began to beat faster, already knowing what he was about to say.
“No.”
“But—”
“No,” Taavin said more firmly. “Our goal is not the Knights of Jadar.”
“The Knights of Jadar are trying to take the sword. They’re likely plotting it right now. Knowing what they’re scheming will only help us.”
“She has a point,” Deneya muttered, and Vi liked her that much more for it.
“You know why you can’t.” Taavin leveled her a look that told Vi everything.
She couldn’t, because her rebirth wasn’t yet assured. She hadn’t given the watch to Vhalla Yarl yet. So there was no guarantee of a new Vi Solaris, a new Champion, if she failed.
If she failed.
