“Sowelan’s vessel – ran away?”came a small voice, from the Sterlingdale priestess.
“She could be anywhere,” another elderly priest whispered, a hand over his heart.
“She could be,” Saros agreed.“But as long as Soliz is up in arms looking for her, we’re in a position of power.They thought they had a god to match ours – and what gifts fate has given us to have theirs immediately escape them!”
The Archpriest sobered, his tone assured and commanding.“But our goddess is right.”His smile warmed and eyes crinkled, an admirable actor, as his gaze fell again upon Kai.“We do not want to lower ourselves to the same barbaric level as our enemies.”He paused for effect – and from the way his audience, sans River and Kai, leaned in, it was effective.“I will call for a parley.”
More hushed questions and whispers, some shocked, others angry; Saros clicked his tongue like an indulgent parent and raised both hands, signalling for everyone to quiet down.
“I know,” he said fondly.“I know.It is more than they deserve.Sowelan’s worshipers expect us to war with them, but I will not see any more of my people slain.”
“What will we do, then?”called one of the officers.“They’d hardly surrender.”
“I am willing to give them that chance.They’d be smart to, especially if – ” he laughed.“ – they’ve actually lost their Sowelan!”
A dozen questions rose and fell, fears and worries allayed, dissenters shot down.All the while Penina’s mouth opened and closed like she wanted to say something, ask something.Her eyes flitted to River and she flinched, evidently not expecting him to have been looking right back.
Subtly, River shook his head.Do not ruin this,he willed into her.Lina is safe.Ione is safewithher.
Paling, Penina averted her gaze.
“I hope you’ve enjoyed your time off, Menon,” Saros’s voice lifted above the clamouring.“Soon, we will meet with the high priests of Soliz – and with Sowelan, if they can come up with their god in time – and I’ll be damned if we suffer another sky attack.”His tone sharpened.“Weave more ice wards this evening.As many as you can suffer.Do you understand?”
Loathing seemed to ripple over him, but Kai mustered an easy, “I’ll clear my schedule.”
“Good of you,” Saros answered, sighing.To the others, he held open his arms.“Soon, we will parley with the Archpriest of Soliz, and we will give him a choice: surrender, or die.And for their sake, I hope they’re smart about it.”He faced Kai, the light from the lamps hanging above them making his eyes too bright, lupine.“Because there are not enough ships to save them all.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kai
In the coming days Caelos grew busier than ever, the dormitories filled until entire families were relegated to single rooms and shopkeepers slept in makeshift beds beneath their market stalls.With rumours of war reaching a fever pitch and the parley with Soliz fast approaching, hundreds of people had filtered in from all around the country, hungry mouths and grabbing hands.And between all the noise, the wards, the ceaseless, gnawing presence of Lina somewhere else in the shrine, Kai had had a searing headache for three days.
He took refuge at a table in the quietest corner of the banquet hall for lunch, glad that without the veil of alcohol making him seem friendlier than he was, people had finally copped onto the fact that he did not want to be spoken to.Before him, a bowl of grains, pickled vegetables, and a sad little square of mackerel went ignored, his stomach in bits from Menon – he imagined – growing increasingly pissed off by Sowelan’s proximity.
He picked at the fish, guilty that he didn’t want to eat while fresh food was being rationed.His stomach protested and he choked down a mouthful of Saros’s newest prescription, liquorice tea.
“This will settle your stomach,” Saros had said, thumping a mug in front of him.“Drink it and get a hold of yourself.”
Kai could not, of course, tell Saros the wildly dangerous reason why Menon was doing backflips within him – so as far as the old man knew, Kai was just a little brat.Which was true, according to River, but Kai liked how River meant it.
He hated liquorice, but Menon was evidently placated, allowing him to enjoy a rare empty moment in a room full of anxious energy.Most people kept their heads down, focusing on their paltry meals;Leviathosiregaled children with bloody stories as Hilo and his men suppressed laughter at Nalu, trying and failing to barter with the cooks for more fish.Cynthia shadowed a harassed-looking Penina and Ronan Artem with a winning smile on her face, all kind words about Lina, the good and upstanding Menon-follower.
Kai’s attention snagged at last on a regal form dressed in indigo.If the liquorice tea had shut Menon up, the sight of River put Her right to sleep: as River slinked alongside his table, eyes on Kai and wearing a faint, secret smile, Kai nearly forgot the throbbing migraine.
River carried a tray with three bowls, playing dutiful son to the two parents who followed close behind, and who looked less pleased to see their son cavorting with divinity.
“Mam, Da,” Kai greeted River’s parents, disregarding Dian’s painedDian is fine, thank you.He nodded at the bowls of glorified slop.“How’re we enjoying today’s culinary adventure?”
Reka squared her shoulders, still every bit a guard captain despite retirement.“We’re more than thankful for it, Holiness,” she said tightly.She nodded towards a table at the end of the room where most of the newcomers from Sterlingdale and Eastwick sat.“If you’ll excuse us, the rest of our family have just arrived in.”
With an apologetic look to Kai, River touched his mother’s arm.“Go and meet everyone, Mum,” he said, half-pulling her past him.He handed his father the tray and ushered him after Reka.“I’ll be there in a moment.”
Irritation prickled his skin as River’s parents departed with a neutral bow.“I understood Ineen’s parents hating me,” he said to River, “but I dunno what yours’ve got against me.”
River sighed, sheepish.“We were both… very bad last week.I’m the only one to blame for drinking myself into such a state every night, but to them, you’re a – ” He made air quotes.“‘corrupting influence.’Anyway,” he finished, unbothered, “they’re also upset because, ‘But what about grandbabies?’”
Kai snorted, glad for the subject change, something lighter.He’d heard more in recent days about his conduct, drinking himself half to death, getting into fights with his brothers’ crewmen, needing to be dragged to his room every night by River or Hilo or both.He was ashamed enough as it was and unhappy that it had cemented Reka’s and Dian’s opinions of him.
