“What? Do you thinkIshould come? If Lesva has been telling everyone I’m a traitor and spreading her version of what happened in the mine… everyone with a bow will shoot me.”
“Yes, sir, a lot of them might.”
“So, naturally, I should attend that meeting.”
“While you were a prisoner of the Kingdom…” Wise raised his eyebrows as if to ask if he ever had been.
Vorik didn’t answer, only gesturing for him to continue.
“While you were a prisoner, General Jhiton came around to the officers to offer a few encouraging words before the battle. He said to promptly follow orders, no matter who gave them, but he also admitted to a few of us that you might challengeChieftess Shi for leadership of the Wingborn Tribe. He even sounded kind of… I’m not sure I’d sayhopeful. He never shows much emotion, nothing like that. But he didn’t sound like he disapproved of the idea. Maybe he evenwantedit to happen and had a reason to expect it.”
As Wise gazed steadily into Vorik’s eyes, as ifhewanted it too, Vorik leaned more heavily against the wall. Of late, he’d felt he had been doing nothing but irking Jhiton, disappointing him. He well remembered the conversation when Jhiton had said that if Vorik had a problem with the tribe’s leadership and where Shi was taking them, Vorik should challenge her. Jhiton had said it would be the honorable thing to do, rather than intentionally or subconsciously sabotaging their missions from within.
Vorik hadn’t disagreed, but he also hadn’t been enamored with the idea of trying to become chief. He’d never had that ambition. Not that it had mattered. He’d never had an opportunity to challenge Shi. In the mine, he’d been forced to take matters into his own hands to save Syla and her aunt. In hindsight, for the good of their people, heshouldn’thave saved Tibby from Jhiton, since that would have stopped the drilling and the mine wouldn’t have flooded. The stormers wouldn’t have lost so much. But could Syla have forgiven him for standing back while his brother slew her aunt?
“Jhiton always spoke well of you,” Wise offered into the silence. “I think he believed you would ultimately do the right thing.”
Vorik closed his eyes. He hadn’t. Maybe he had for Syla, but he hadn’t for his people.
“I wanted to let you know about the tribe meeting,” Wise continued, “in case… Well, it would matter now.”
“What would?”
“If youdidchallenge Shi, and you bested her and became chief, and you votedfora cessation of hostilities, I believe, basedon my calculations and what the rumors are about what various chiefs have said… that would change the outcome of the vote. The vote that’ll be made at the meeting by our tribal leaders. Right now, there’s one more chief in favor of continuing to fight and try to secure Harvest Island for our people for the winter than there is against the idea. But if the Wingborn Tribe vote shifted from for to against…” Wise held out his palm.
“The tribes might split and do what they want, votes regardless. Our people aren’t known for banding together. We’re free and independent sorts and have only been working together because of this greater goal. I don’t have to tell you that.”
“No, but these are unprecedented times, and the mutterings from the men and women in the Storm Guard and Sixteen Talons—” Wise touched his chest to include himself, “—are that if the tribes are split, we wouldn’t be successful in securing any of the islands, not as long as the Kingdom has that weapon that can slay dragons. Tonasketal says thedragonsare having the same mutterings, inasmuch as dragons mutter. He kind of hissed like a snake. Anyway, their numbers are far, far fewer than ours. Their kind aren’t as prolific as humans. The losses they’ve taken so far have also left them less inclined to continue to fight. As much as they love hunting on Harvest Island and long for access to the others, they’re great predators, the strongest in the world, and they’re not as concerned about starving—or being killed by cloud strikers and wyverns—as we are. Anyway, all that is to say that many believe it would takeallthe stormers and their allies to accomplish what Shi and Tenilor are advocating. So, if you became chief of Wingborn, it might make a difference in our collective future. A big difference.”
“Yeah.” Why did Vorik feel numb at the idea?
Because if he returned to his people and became chief, he would have to stay and lead the Wingborn Tribe. He couldn’tremain here at Syla’s side. There wouldn’t be a future together for them.
But… could there have been anyway? They’d been so busy fighting the war and finding what scarce moments together they could that they’d never contemplated a future together. Maybe because neither believed it was possible. As a queen, Syla would have to marry an appropriate lord from her nation, wouldn’t she?
Of course, she would have to reclaim control of her monarchy before worrying about any of that. That, he reminded himself, was in question at the moment. Even if Tibby successfully crafted a shielder—and Vorik could sense magic continuing to grow and fluctuate from the glassworks building—it wouldn’t necessarily change anything regarding who sat on the throne. Theciviliansmight support Syla if she returned a shielder to Harvest Island, but they weren’t the ones who chose their ruler, and they weren’t the ones sending troops to round up moon-marked people and to kill Syla.
“I’ll think about what you’ve said, Wise. But with so many people believing me a traitor now, it might not matter even if I returned, managed to dodge the archers, and defeated Shi in a challenge. Our people might not—probablywould notaccept me as a leader or count my vote.”
“That is possible, sir.”
More than possible. Likely. Of all people, Wise was smart enough to know that. Yet, he’d come anyway to relay this information. With hope.
“You should have challenged her when General Jhiton was still alive,” Wise said. “He would have watched the sky for you—and the space between your shoulder blades.”
“Yeah,” Vorik whispered, his throat tightening.
His brother had always watched the sky for him. And how had Vorik repaid him? By sliding a sword into his gut and letting a mine collapse on him.
Vorik bent forward and gripped his knees, tears threatening. He didn’t want to cry in front of Wise.
“You’d have to have a plan if you returned, sir,” Wise said. “A way to sway the people. Lesva isn’t exactly liked, so don’t assume everyone will believe everything she’s saying.”
Did it matter? What she was saying was… close to the truth. Vorikhadbetrayed their people.
“Three days, you said?” he asked. “Until the tribes vote?”
“Yes, sir. They’re meeting at the new Wingborn cave camp.”
