“Can you run that by us again?” Rion asked through gritted teeth.
“Vairik’s army is only two days out,” Saoirse stated, drinking straight from the bottle. One she’d clearly been nursing all evening.
“Have we heard anything from Fiadh?” Arianna asked, fear spearing through her all over again.
“Not a word,” Raevina stated. “My father has chosen his side.”
“What about the other allies you mentioned?” Arianna asked, looking at Sive. A young female Weaver stood beside her, watching the woman carefully. No one had the energy to argue that she should still be in the infirmary.
“I—” her voice faltered, a first from the woman who usually seemed so confident. “I’m afraid there isn’t time.”
“We could try The Guardians, right?” Talon asked. “Aren’t they supposed to protect The Divine and the land or whatever?”
“The issue is that we don’t know how to contact them,” Eimear said.
Despair spread like a virus, infecting one after another. They were out of time. Out of plans. Out of hope.
“There’s a lake,” Eimear said, her brow scrunched. “On the outskirts. A pool of water is hidden in the trees. Something about it is … different.”
“What does that even mean?” Talon asked, his face buried behind his hands.
“It carries the same sort of ancient magic as the forest. The Fairy Folk favor it.”
Talon’s hands slid down his face. “What does that have to do with The Guardians?”
“I don’t know,” Eimear admitted. “I just see Arianna there.”
“Doing what?” Talon asked. Eimear’s jaw worked. “Doingwhat?”
“Crying.”
“Is that before or after we’re all dead?”
“Before.”
“How do you know?” Saoirse asked, her tone far gentler than Talon’s.
“Because it’s not on fire. Everything …” she gripped the side of her head. “Everything is on fire.”
More silence followed as they absorbed the information. The certainty. Two days. Maybe three if those at the pass could delay Vairik’s monsters. They had mere days to prepare for a war that would change the trajectory of their entire world.
“Do I go now?” Arianna asked.
Eimear shook her head. “In two days.”
“But Vairik will be here then.”
“And that’s why.”
“The last time we listened to you, nothing came of it.” Saoirse shot Talon a glare. “I’m not trying to be rude. We lost warriors. We were almost killed ourselves. Who’s to say Arianna won’t be overrun if she ventures there? Who’s to say she’s not crying because she knows exactly what’s coming for her?”
“Those are things we’ve always had to consider,” Eimear said. “My visions are never fully certain.”
“Have you checked with the youngling?” Alec asked. “Are his visions any different?”
Eimear shook her head. “All he sees is a world consumed by fire. And wings.”
“Helpful.”
