“I’ll leave it all to you three,” Ducot called to them. “Don’t really want a blind man being an architect.”
“You could do it just fine and you know it, you’re just being lazy!” Graff shouted back.
“Wow, I didn’t actually think he was still close enough to hear me.” Ducot lowered his hands from his mouth.
“Do you two need help?” Alyss asked the two remaining men—the stragglers from Qwint that had followed them. One was red-haired, freckles dotting his pale skin. The other was a tan beanpole of a fellow with a mess of brown hair past his shoulders.
“I think we’re fine on our own.” The red-haired man smiled, self-assured.
Eira had seen the morphi shift multiple times, thanks to Ducot. But she had only seen Qwint’s magic from afar inthe arenas—both during practice in Risen and earlier today. This was her first opportunity to see it up close and without distraction.
The two men first cleared out their house of people to be safe, much like Alyss and Noelle had. Their fellow competitors from Qwint emerged—two women—Cullen was notably absent. Eira suppressed the immediate feeling of relief with the guilt that followed. She couldn’t feel relieved when he didn’t end up with Lavette. If anything, she should feel disappointed.
She shouldn’t feel anything at all when it came to Cullen.Thatwould be best. If she could master the art of numbness.
After a brief moment of deliberation between Qwint’s competitors, some nodding, some pointing in the direction of Solaris and Twilight, they reached a consensus. Each turned the bracelets that lined their arms. What Eira had thought were multiple, separate bracelets turned out to be a single bracer that went from wrist to elbow. Different rings spun around it, locking into place with subtle flashes.
The four of them moved together. Arms faintly glowing—almost like Lightspinning glyphs—they summoned power in what looked like a dance. The female competitor that wasn’t Lavette had a second bracer on her other wrist that she adjusted, assisting with her spare hand.
“Do you know anything about their magic?” Alyss asked.
Eira shook her head. “There was nothing about this in any of the books I read before coming. Though most of my studies were focused on Meru.”
“It’s Carsovia’s magic,” Ducot said, staring in the general direction of Qwint. “An offshoot of Lightspinning by long-ago sorcerers…an evolution, by my understanding.”
“Why is it no longer studied on Meru?” Eira asked, unsure if he would know.
“Lightspinning is regarded as Yargen’s magic, a blessing from the goddess in its purest form. Revered and respected. You know how well Meru handles anything that’s considered an ‘affront’ to their goddess.”
“Not well at all,” Eira murmured.
“Carsovia?” Noelle asked.
Eira had heard the name in the Court of Shadows. “It’s a large empire to the west, north-west of Meru.”
“Another? Just how many are out there?”
“The world is a big place,” Eira said thoughtfully. “Every time it seems like I find a map that captures it all…there’s something more spilled off the page.”
“Carsovia is why we have this treaty in the first place,” Ducot added. “They’re a terrifying state…one which we only have a chance of standing against if the five nations stand together.”
Noelle pursed her lips, the thought of five nations having to ban together to stand up to one clearly sobering her. “Is there a threat of Carsovia attacking?”
“No one is ever sure of that.”
“And that makes it all the more threatening,” Eira filled in Ducot’s unsaid words.
Eira remained focused on Qwint as they moved. With spare hands they shifted their bracers, adjusting the bracelets and with them their magic. This was the power of Qwint, and of Carsovia…it looked like hardened Lightspinning, etched into gold metal, with all the powers of Solaris added.
Frightening, indeed.
“Do you think we should ask the draconi if they would like some assistance remaking their house?” Alyss looked to the only building of the five that had yet to be transformed. It was still the same, basic box as when they’d first arrived.
“We could.” So far as Eira could tell, draconi and their magic seemed to be more practically inclined—strength, force, and some abilities with fire.
“I’ll go!” Alyss started off, clearly eager to be of assistance.
“I wouldn’t,” Ducot said, then paused. “It’s too late, she’s gone, isn’t she?”
