Amanti’s lips quirked. “Is that what we’re calling it?” She moved to the table, her keen eyes scanning the maps. “What’s the plan?”
“Aurelia wants to seek an alliance with the river people,” Rydian said, his tone carefully neutral.
“Patamoi’s court?” Amanti looked intrigued. “That’s... actually not terrible.”
“Thank you,” I said pointedly.
Rydian shot me a look. “I didn’t say it was a bad idea.”
“You didn’t say it was a good one either.”
“Children,” Amanti interjected dryly. “Can we focus?” She tapped the map where the river territories wound like a ribbon, cutting between Summer and Autumn. “The naiad have stayed out of Heliconia’s reach, which means they’re one of the few courts she hasn’t corrupted or manipulated. Their warriors are trained in water magic—defensive primarily, but it can be devastating in the right circumstances.”
“Their princess was friendly to me when we met in GreyOak,” I told her. “I think the king might be open to working with us.”
“And you trust her?” Rydian asked. “Based on one conversation?”
I thought about Nali’s directness, the way she’d looked at me without artifice or agenda. "Yes," I said simply. “I do.”
Amanti studied me for a long moment. “If you think the princess will listen, then it’s worth pursuing.” She glanced at Rydian. “Wedoneed help. You know it as well as I do. If you’re not going to let her open the gates, we’ll have to look elsewhere.”
Rydian’s hands flattened on the table. I watched the battle play out across his features—the tactical mind weighing options against the protective instinct that wanted to keep me locked away from danger.
Finally, he exhaled.
“If we do this, we do it right,” he said. “Crossing the Broadlands is risky enough without a bounty on our heads?—”
“Wait.Ourheads?” I interrupted.
He paused. “Callan banished me as well as you,” he explained quietly.
“I didn’t realize…” But of course he had. The black eye had been the evidence of his wrath against his brother. But he wouldn’t have let it go at that.
“The point is,” Rydian said when I remained quiet, “we need to stay on this side of the river, and we’ll need to travel in two groups. A scouting party goes ahead at all times to scan for bounty hunters and Obsidians.”
“Slade can shadow-walk ahead to scout,” Amanti offered.
“Shadow-walk?” I echoed.
“Slade’s gift allows him to slip between folds in the shadows of the world,” Rydian explained.
My mouth fell open a little. “As in, he can teleport?”
“Not exactly.” Rydian shook his head. “It involves a physical effort from one point to another, but it’s incredibly fast, like stepping through folds of darkness.”
“That’s incredible,” I said.
“It’s also limited to darkness. And short distances. But it’s useful,” he admitted.
“Does this mean you’re coming with me?” I asked.
His eyes found mine, and something in them made my pulse quicken. “There was never any scenario where I would have let you walk out that door without me, Furious.”
His words, the utter conviction in them, sent shudders through me.
Amanti nodded approvingly. “When do we leave?”
“You’re coming too?” I asked.
