“Then what do you suggest?”
“Joelle’s reach can’t cross the border.”
Vanya’s refusal was near instantaneous. “No.”
“I’m already in the back roads, hiding when necessary from passing airships, but it’s not completely safe out here. I can’t get the rest I need while guarding Raiah. There are border towns we can hunker down in once we make it north so I can get some sleep. The Ashionens there won’t know who Raiah is. That close to the Warden’s Island, they’ll think she’s a tithe.”
“It’s not safe.”
Soren couldn’t stop the frustrated noise that slipped past his lips. “Nowhereis safe right now, but some places are more defensible. I can take her there, and then we can buy passage on board an airship back over the border to Karnak.”
“The Daijalan army is crossing the border into Ashion under the guise of aid against an incursion of revenants they say the wardens can’t handle alone. Those two countries will be at war with each other before the year ends.”
Soren jerked at that news, even though Vanya couldn’t see him. “When didthathappen?”
“Today.”
“Wardens have handled revenants since the Poison Accords were signed. That’s a flimsy excuse for King Bernard to use to break the armistice.”
“The king is dead. Eimarille is queen and is the one who gave the order.”
Soren’s eyes widened behind his goggles. “What?”
“You didn’t know?”
“I don’t get access to broadsheets in the back roads, Vanya. King Bernard is dead? Truly?”
“As is the Daijalan crown prince. Eimarille rules in both their places.”
Soren went quiet. Once, when he was someone else, he’d known the princess turned queen. He’d turned from that truth as a tithe at the behest of a star god, and all that remained were distant memories that could not matter.
“I’ll cross the border. We’re far enough east that it shouldn’t matter for now,” Soren said.
“Soren—”
“I promised you I’d keep Raiah safe until she could return to you. I’ll take her north and bring her to Karnak a different way. We can’t trust Joelle doesn’t already haverionetkasthere, but I’ll do my best to keep Raiah disguised when we land in that city. But you need to trust me that I’ll keep my promise.”
“That was never in doubt.”
“Good. Now, talk to your daughter.”
Soren handed the televox to Raiah and let her chatter at Vanya for several minutes, knowing they both needed the comfort of hearing each other, even if they couldn’t see each other. Folding up the map, he secured everything in the travel compartment and waited for father and daughter to finish their conversation. Vanya eventually instructed Raiah to hand Soren the televox, and he took it with a soft thank-you.
“Let me know when you reach Karnak. I don’t care what the hour is,” Vanya said.
“I will.” The lull that stretched between them was filled with all the unsaid words trapped behind Soren’s teeth. He thought Vanya could hear them anyway. “Keep yourself safe so Raiah has a father to return to.”
“I’ll be here waiting. I miss you both. That won’t change until you’re returned to me.”
Vanya’s words settled warmly in his chest, and Soren would blame the flush that came to his cheeks on the sun if anyone of note had been present to see it. “We’ll make it back to you.”
“See that you do.”
The soft hum from an ended call disappeared after Soren closed the televox. He tucked it back into his belt pouch and then turned his attention to Raiah. She’d gone back to munching on the remnants of her rock sugar stick but didn’t protest when he picked her up and got her settled back in the ride-along seat. Neither did she put up a fuss when he took the rock sugar stick from her and returned it to the packet for safekeeping while they traveled.
He put her helmet and goggles back on before swinging his leg back over the velocycle. He looked over his shoulder at Raiah, giving her an encouraging smile. “Ready to ride?”
Raiah nodded, small fingers curling over the sturdy leather of the straps keeping her secured. She looked far happier after speaking with Vanya. “Where are we going?”
Soren kicked the stand up and revved the engine. “On an adventure.”
