“You always have a choice, we are not the Pillars.” Vi tapped the table. “But what I’m asking is for you to go out of your way to lure him into our trap. If he clings to the edges of the ball, in hiding, you need to do whatever it takes to draw him out.”
“What’re you thinking?” Taavin asked his betrothed.
“That I’m going to make an example of him. You want to kill a snake? Chop off the head. If we get Ferro publicly, then the rest of the Pillars will fall. We’ll maneuver him into a compromising position and then we can take action.”
“Like his father,” Deneya murmured. The Specter was right. Vi’s plan was alarmingly like how they handled Ulvarth. And she knew how wellthatwent.
“There’s also the Champion of Yargen,” Eira said quickly, seizing on the opportunity to remind them of that past failure. “He’stheir leader, not Ferro.” She was so tired of everyone acting like the Champion didn’t really exist, like he was some imaginary enemy Eira had concocted. “Capturing or killing Ferro will only embolden them further because we’ve taken their right hand.”
Vi let out a soft huff of amusement and shook her head. There was a distant glimmer in her eyes that looked toward a time long gone. She had a knowing smile at the mere mention of the “Champion of Yargen.” It accompanied a tired stare at nothing.
“He isnotthe Champion of Yargen,” Vi said softly, confidently. Then she continued, stronger, “Whoever that man is, he’s just a puppet, held up by strings. The more I hear, the more I’m certain Ferro is at the center of this.”
“Listen, please—”
“Eira,” Deneya said with a cautionary note.
One Eira ignored. “Whoever the Champion is—Ulvarth or not—theybelievehe is the Champion.”
“He’s not,” Vi repeated.
“It doesn’t matter if he is or isn’t!” Eira’s voice pitched slightly as her emotions rose. “It doesn’t matter whatwethink, or know, or believe. What matters is whattheybelieve. Even Ferro saw him as the Champion. They want to use the relics to justify him as such. They revere him like a god and no doubt think if they can get the citizenry to do the same they will hold all the power they need. Faith is more powerful than fact.”
“Trust us, we have information you don’t know about. This situation is under control,” Deneya said, a weary edge seeping into her voice.
“Like you had Ferro under control to begin with?” Eira spat.
“Eira…” Cullen took a step closer to her. She ignored the placating tone in his voice.
“You have it under control? Is that why you still haven’t found theStormfrost? Or any other signs of Adela?”
Deneya leveled her eyes with Eira’s. “We have found theStormfrost.”
“What?” The wind left Eira’s sails.
“It’s running off the western regions of Meru, near Carsovia. The ship that night was merely a decoy.”
“A…decoy…”
“They had multiple Waterrunners and Lightspinners on hand to perform the illusion, to keep us off their trail,” Lorn confirmed.
Adela wasn’t anywhere near. She’d never been. She was still half a world away—as close as Eira was to the truth of who she really was and where she came from. As close as she was to avenging her brother.
“The Pillars were using the guise of Adela to mask their movements.”
“How did you find this out?” Eira whispered. It made sense. She’d pieced together that the Pillars likely weren’t working with Adela during her time with them, thanks to Ferro’s mentions. But so much had transpired, there were so many pieces…she’d overlooked it when she’d finally escaped.
“We don’t owe you our ways.” Deneya folded her arms.
“When did you know?”
“We figured it out weeks ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The invisible wounds Eira had endured were being cut deeper and deeper by the minute.
“Because you didn’t need to know.” Deneya frowned. “Because telling you might have risked you running off. Shadows only know what they have to. You’re not privy to all our plans.”
“Enough,” Vi said firmly. The command held a royal tone, one that begged to be heeded…or else. “This squabbling is getting us nowhere. Eira, will you be our bait at the dance? If so, we will handle all the other arrangements.”
