And I knew what she meant. We didn’t have much longer as a people if I couldn’t manifest the power to shield us. With our power combined, we might have the strength to cover the plains and keep the Zephyrians out. The wards would repel eagles and infantry alike.
Looking at the map reminded me of what Ama had said before. That the world had once been full of different types of magic.
“Ama, when you said there were magic lines that still exist, how is that possible?”
“I only meant that the world once had different types of magic. Some of those ancient magic bloodlines may have even made their way into the people of this continent through the port cities long ago, but none of them were as powerful as earth magic, so they didn’t matter.”
“So there are others in the world with magic?” I asked, feeling like my entire worldview was being turned upside down.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Perhaps. At one time, yes.” She reached out and touched my cheek. “But you are tired. We can talk about this later. Just rest now.” She pressed a kiss on my forehead and turned to leave.
Thoughts raced around in my mind. Ama didn’t know what the wind power could do—what would she say if she knew what had happened with the Eagle Rider?
“Ama.” I craved that comfort and reassurance only a mother could give, but when she paused and looked back at me, the words evaporated off my tongue. I couldn’t tell her yet. I didn’t want to see the disappointment when she found out I truly couldn’t channel the Earth Mother’s power. For surely what happened with the wind proved that I had no connection to theearth like all the women in my line before me. I couldn’t even begin to fathom the gravity of what this revelation meant.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.”
She gave me that look that told me she knew that wasn’t true, but she must have taken pity on the fact that I was too tired to get into it. “I love you, Zara, and I’m glad you’re here safe.” She laid a hand gently on Shazeera’s neck and then ducked back out of the pavilion.
Without another word to each other, Shazeera and I moved to one of the bedrooms off the main space of the tent and collapsed onto a bed of azure silken pillows. Shazeera lay down beside me on a plush rug, and as I listened to her deep breaths, I knew one thing was true. I would never do anything to risk our bond again.
7
Talon
In the end, trying to get out of bed to speak to the emperor when I had internal bleeding had proved impossible. I took two steps before crashing into the medic like a falling tree. After a thorough scolding, he made me get back into bed and dosed me with a drug that made me sleep.
My injuries made it difficult at times to tell dreams from reality. Too often, I found myself flying on Neo’s back, headed toward the battlefields in northern Zephyrus. One battle stood out amongst all the others, my mind insisting on reliving it many times.
I dreamed of kneeling on Neo’s back, his powerful wings buffeting hard against the air current, each movement reverberating through me. The wind rushed past my ears with a roar, tearing at my hair like some wild thing. We were flying hard and fast back to the battlefields after meeting with the emperor at the palace.
Emperor Altair frequently called me from the battlefields I was supposed to be commanding to ask for my advice. He did this not because he needed my counsel, but rather because I had become something of a security blanket for him, easing his ever-present anxiety. Though lately, even I had been unable to stave off his crippling fear of failure.
We had wasted days I didn’t have at the palace, when I should have been launching another offensive march from the Shendayah River Outpost to capture more ground from the Children of Earth. Slowly but steadily, we were taking over the Mid-Plains and pushing the Children farther south. Eventually, they would have nowhere left to go.
The wind became more turbulent, and Neo pumped his wings harder in answer. Muscles in my legs burned as I fought the torrents of wind that threatened to wrench me from his back. Ropes of tendons stood out in my arms as I held tight to the pommel of the flat piece of horse leather that served as a saddle—though I wouldn’t dare call it that in front of Neo. In truth, it scarcely shared resemblance to a saddle for ordinary beasts, as it was wide and flat and meant for protecting Neo’s feathers. We soared higher, finally breaking free of the powerful current, and I released my hold on the pommel. With the wind no longer roaring in my ears like a monster come to life, I could hear my own heart thundering in my chest as it always did when we soared high above the earth.
Once we reached the Black Forest, we turned to the south and followed the Shendayah River. After half a day’s flight, we approached our southernmost outpost. With towering walls made of hardwood, the Shendayah River Outpost’s rectangular base held three thousand soldiers with room for fifty Eagle Riders. We had ten other bases to house our army of thirty thousand. Even with so many soldiers, we were constantly having to recruit men and women from our conquered lands, as the army was susceptible to the devastating earthquake attacks the Children of Earth unleashed on them.
But as the outpost’s wooden walls came into view, a jolt of surprise went through Neo and traveled through my legs.
What is it?I asked, knowing he could see much farther than I could.
Flying arrows,he said.This outpost is engaged in battle.
My mind raced through scenarios. As I was the one coming with orders to launch an offensive attack, this meant Lieutenant Callum had engaged in battle with the enemy in defense of the outpost.
Let’s get a better view of it,I told Neo.
We soared over the empty outpost as Neo climbed higher and higher, gaining altitude so we could get a full view of the battle. Once Neo was level with the clouds, he glided in circles over the land below.
I took stock of the situation grimly. The first thing I noticed was the enormous fissures in the earth, deep and wide enough to swallow whole platoons of infantry. Our soldiers stood on one side of the opening in the ground, while the Children of Earth’s cavalry stood on the other. They outnumbered us by nearly a thousand soldiers. The armies traded arrows on both sides of the fissure, but for now, it was creating a natural barrier. The ten Eagle Riders had split into five groups of two and were engaged in battles of their own on the other side of the opening in the earth.
How many earth magic wielders?I asked Neo.
One,he replied after a moment spent scanning the battle below. Through our connection, he sent me what he could see. The earth magic wielder was protected from aerial attacks by a copse of trees and surrounded by a small squad of cavalry.
Already lost a platoon,Neo added, scanning the fissures. Soldiers lay at the bottom, broken and bleeding, if not dead already.
