Reness broke away, chuckling. “This means your toes are mine,” she teased.
“Yes,” Hanstau. “My toes are yours, as yours are mine. But perhaps we could keep that under the bells.” He shook his head. “I must tell you that I am not fond of that ear thing your people do.”
“Your people wear rings?” Reness asked.
“Yes,” he said. “A nice plain gold band on the ring finger.” He splayed out his hand and pointed.
Reness leaned in, joy in her face and desire in her eyes. He could feel the heat of her body on his skin. “How do you feel about toe rings?” she asked slyly.
“So, you have had some time,” Heath, Warden of Xy said. “What have you learned?”
Amyu rose to her feet. They—the warrior-priests-in-training—had all agreed that she would speak for them.
Heath had called this senel at their camp, still close to where she had found the airions. The cows had been moved out, and she’d heard more than enough about the precious-bloodline-of-milk-cows to last her a lifetime. But Heath had soothed hurt feelings with bright coins, and other cows and sheep had been brought in to feed the airions.
So they had established their camp, and set about learning to fly.
They had all gathered around the main cook fire, with the airions around them, curled in sleep. The warcats were scattered about, apparently sleeping too, but Gilla kept a watchful eye on them. They could not resist trying to kill the airion’s tails whenever there was so much as a twitch.
Heath gave her an encouraging nod across the fire.
Amyu took a breath, and began. “Flying is not as easy as it looks,” she said. “Even with the saddles you brought us, it requires power to stay on the airion. The saddles help, especially if one loses their concentration.” She glanced at Cadr.
“I tried,” he offered. “On a horse, keeping one’s balance is easy. But airions,” he put out a hand and dipped it around in the air. “They do not stay level to the ground.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Amyu continued, “There are other risks to being buckled in too tight, or having a girth snap. Too easy to tumble right off, and while they try to aid us,” she gestured toward the golden airion. “You can fall far in a short time.”
Heath frowned. “And if you were fighting wyverns?”
“That’s another problem.” Lightning Strike leaned forward. “Fighting on a horse there is only what is around you and under you. But with these creatures, there is also up.” He shook his head. “We have had some near misses.”
“But up is an advantage,” Amyu pointed out. “And we can use the sun to our aid.”
“How?” Heath asked.
The entire group started talking then, using their hands to try to describe moving through the sky, using the sun to blind the enemy.
Heath nodded. “I think I understand. What other problems?”
“Throwing a lance in mid-air,” Amyu said. “We have tried using trees and stones as targets, and it is much different.”
“And yet?” Heath asked, a hint of a smile on his lips.
“It is wonderful,” Amyu said, still amazed at what the sky offered. “Dangerous and wonderful.”
Heath nodded. “I am having more saddles made, and Atira is creating more lances. Do not rush this,” he cautioned. “You are all of us that use the power. We will need you all.”
“No,” Amyu said, catching Heath by surprise. “We need to rush this. To push ourselves.”
“Why?” Heath asked.
“We don’t know,” Lightning Storm said “But we all feel this sense of dread. That we will be… are… needed.”
“But you can’t tell me why?” Heath asked.
“It could be the wyverns,” Lightning Storm suggested, but he looked at Amyu.
“I fear for Joden,” she admitted. “Like sensing a storm on the horizon.”
Sidian stirred by the fire. “We’ve no skill at augury,” he admitted. “But both I and Mage feel it too. We have scryed the Heart, and nothing has changed. The wyverns seem only intent on feeding their young.”
Heath stared into the fire, then looked up. “Continue to train. Go at the pace you feel best, but try not to take unnecessary risks.” He rose to his feet. “I end this senel. The watches are set. Let us seek our beds.”
Everyone rose, and did just that. Gilla called the cats to her tent, and they loped behind her, with only a few last lingering looks for moving feathers.
Amyu paused, and stood watching the flames. If she thought of Joden, and she did more often than she cared to admit, her heart would race with an urgency she didn’t understand.
She lifted her eyes to the night sky, and the stars peeking through clouds. “Be well, beloved,” she whispered. “For I fear the dawn.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
The messenger horns blew shortly after the nooning.
Joden was riding next to Lara’s wagon. He jerked his head up to see four riders coming down the side of the road. The warrior in the lead was tall and straight in the saddle, his long hair flowing in the wind.
“L-l—liam,” he said to Lara.
Lara stood as the wagon stopped, reaching out to balance herself on the shoulder of the driver. “Keir just left; he will have heard the horns.”
Out of the corner of his eye Joden saw Marcus disappear deeper into his hooded cloak, and sink to the bottom of the wagon. Anna gave him an odd look as she tried to see who was coming.
“Warprize,” Liam pulled his horse to a halt beside the wagon, just past Lara. “Simus approaches the border. He sent word that he is coming, and that his army would remain at the bottom of the embankment. He will come up the switchback trail.” Liam was speaking to Lara, but his eyes were fixed on the cloaked figure in the wagon.
“Keir’s not far,” Lara said, signaling for her horse. “He will be here shortly, I imagine.”
Liam nodded, still staring at Marcus.
Anna noticed. “Are those two still arguing about military tactics?” she asked Lara.
Lara ignored her as a warrior brought Greatheart over.
“What is that?” Liam asked, staring at the saddle.
“Never mind.” Lara climbed into saddle from the wagon. She took the reins just as Keir rode up at a gallop with Prest and Yers.
“What word?” Keir demanded.
Liam explained. “I told Warren where to take up positions,” he continued. “In case.”
Keir nodded. “Prest, Joden, Yers, Marcus, join us.”
“Not I,” Marcus’s voice was muffled by his hood. “I stay with the babes.”
Liam scowled, but Keir just gave a sharp nod. “Let’s ride.”
They were just past the vanguard of the army when they saw Simus and his party riding toward them.
Joden recognized Elois and Tsor, most likely Token-bearer and Second. And the woman beside Simus was Snowfall.
And in Simus and Snowfall’s ears glittered the ear weavings of a bonded couple.
Joden heard Keir suck in a breath even as he pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. They all followed his lead, Prest aiding Lara from her saddle.
“Be ready,” Yers hissed. His hand was on his sword hilt.
Simus and his people rode a bit closer and then they too dismounted, and walked forward. Simus’s face was grim as he strode closer. Joden couldn’t read his— “LITTLE HEALER!” Simus ran forward and swept Lara into a bear hug, sweeping her off her feet.
“Ooopfh” Lara grunted, and then laughed as Simus spun her around. “Fool! Put me down.”
“But you are no longer big of belly,” Simus laughed. “Where are the—” his eyes went wide. “Joden?”
Simus slowly lowered Lara to her feet, and then stepped closer, his face filled with amazement. “JODEN!”
With two long steps Simus swept his arm around Joden and pounded his back. Joden hugged him back, grinning like a fool “We thought you taken by the Singers,” Simus said. “Or dead. Or worse. What happened? We had no word—”
A gentle, cool voice spoke from behind him. “Simus.”
Joden looked over with Simus.
Snowfall stood there, her hands folded over her chest, an eyebrow raised. She nodded to their right.
Keir stood there, hands folded over his chest, his face a mask.