Chapter Twenty-One
Taavin and Deneyaarrived on theStormfrostlater that day, brought on the vessel by a skiff, and Adela showed them to their temporary quarters. Vi was reminded of theDawn Skipper—two bunks, a table between them, and not much else.
“I don’t want to say I doubted you but…”
“You doubted me.” Vi grinned at Deneya. “I’m not offended. Adela’s reaction was a coin flip.”
“It was, and I’m relieved this worked out.” Taavin crossed to the window, looking out at the sea that was now drifting past them as they moved toward the Dark Isle once more. “What did you have to promise her to get her to agree?”
“Nothing of consequence.” Vi folded her arms and leaned against the closed door.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re lying?” Deneya said uncertainly.
“Consequence is a matter of perspective.”
“She’s avoiding answering for a reason.” Taavin faced Vi. “What were the terms of the deal?”
“We have ten years, or five trips on theStormfrost, whichever comes first.”
“Is ten years enough time?” Deneya asked.
“It all ends soon.”
“That sounds ominous.” Deneya sat heavily on a bunk.
“You still haven’t told us what Adela expects in return,” Taavin pressed.
“As for what I offered her… I offered a way into the Archives of Yargen.”
“Youwhat?” Taavin and Deneya said in unison.
“I had to give her something. But that was all I offered her.”
“That’s all, she says, as though handing the Archives to Adela isn’t anything major,” Deneya muttered.
“You didn’t though.” Taavin took a step toward her. “Did you?”
A smile curled Vi’s lips. “All I promised her was a way in to the Archives. I didn’t guarantee it’d be safe, and I didn’t promise her a way out.”
“You mean to ensnare her.” Deneya was now grinning as well.
“I mean to prevent the world from ending. What the people of Risen do is up to them.” Vi shrugged.
“I’ll make sure the people of Risen are ready to protect the flame,” Deneya proclaimed.
“The flame will be gone long before then.”And you’ll be the one to take it, Vi added mentally.
“If we take the flame from Risen, there’s no more rebirths—no more turns of the vortex,” Taavin said solemnly.
“As I said, it all ends eventually. It must.”
He stared at her for a long moment. Vi could almost feel him reading her thoughts through her eyes. She tried to shield herself from it with an encasement of Yargen’s magic around her.
“You have plans,” he said finally.
“Of course I do.”
“Care to share them?”
