Crusade Across Worlds (25 page)

“Thank you, Fychu,” he leans in and folds
his sage hands on the table. “Now, I have spoken with the queen
about the Muskos’ attack. They did no damage to the city this time
but… as I am led to believe… brought the fight near the Gorgen
Fields? Is that correct?”

“It is, yes.”

“And you were there?”

“Not until the end, no. I elected to stay
behind with Maris in case it was a trick. I did not feel safe
leaving the kingdom so vulnerable. Once it was obvious it wasn’t a
diversion, I left to help our friends who had joined the fight
initially,” he gestures to us.

“And what happened?” Ariana asks, her face
as stoic and impassive as her mother’s had been.

With a heavy breath, Sampson leans forward.
“This is what needs to be discussed. Your sister…” he pauses at the
title and then starts again. “It seems Varielle knew the location
of the Shadow Bag.”

“Impossible,” Chancellor Keller cuts him
off. “Queen Ravan never disclosed the location.”

“Well,” Sampson’s voice tightens,
“apparently she
did
, because Varielle and Perio went
straight for the boulder situated in the center of the Gorgen
Fields where it was located.”

“Where it
was
located?”

The Fychu redirects his focus on the queen.
“Varielle made an attempt to claim the Gift, but we intervened at
the last moment, nearly capturing her. In her attempt to flee with
Perio, she dropped the Gift…we recovered it.”

“You have it?” Ariana’s eyes grow wide. “The
Shadow Bag?”

“What right—?”

“Is it here?” Ariana lifts her hand,
silencing the chancellor. “In the kingdom?”

“It is, your Highness.”

“Is it safe?”

Sampson nods. “We took the Gift in hopes of
protecting it, in case Varielle and Perio returned looking for it.
Of course, it is your Gift, so we hand it over to you, Queen
Ariana, to do with it what you will. But,” Sampson holds up a
finger, “once your sister and Perio have discovered it is missing,
they will know the Shadow Bag was brought here and will likely
bring their army to reclaim it. You are looking at another
full-fledged attack on Pryncbia.”

Ariana glances at Chancellor Keller.

“However…” Sampson goes on, “…if you allow
us to take the Gift back to Nerwolix and use it to lure Reuzkimpart
to his capture, surely the Muskos will join the Vermix in their
assault and you would have saved your kingdom another
invasion.”

“You are talking about the original plan?”
Ariana asks.

“Yes.”

“But you are no closer to finding the
Floating Ruby,” Chancellor Keller objects. “You yourself said
Reuzkimpart would need to know that
both
of the Gifts were
there.”

“We had no possible means of finding nor
obtaining the first one and we have succeeded. I am faithful we
will locate the Floating Ruby as well.”

“You have a week.
One
week before the
Vermix are said to invade—is that correct?”

Sampson nods.

“Your Highness,” Chancellor Keller turns to
Ariana, worry pinching his features. “I know you feel you should
heed the counsel of the Fychu and, usually I would agree, but this…
this is all riding on faith. The Shadow Bag has never left
Mybyncia. It is blasphemy for it to do so. Surely your mother would
have—”

Ariana lifts her hand, silencing him again.
“My mother and I spoke in great detail about the importance of the
Gifts. She was an Arizal, after all, and decided to rule her
kingdom under such beliefs,” she looks at the Chancellor. “I
understand your hesitation in tampering with the Shadow Bag and I
agree, it belongs on Mybyncia where it was first bestowed. But with
Varielle and Perio coming to claim it, I will be putting more of
our people at risk.”

“You have an army, my queen. An army one
hundred times the size of the Muskos. You can use this force to
stop them, to protect the Gift and once they are defeated, to
return it into hiding.”

“I will not need to worry over my kingdom as
much if we redirect the threat. With the Shadow Bag on Nerwolix, we
have a force a hundred times my own army, already anticipating an
invasion. It will lead the Muskos there and, along with the Vermix,
they will be vanquished,” she says. “This plan ensures the
longevity of Mybyncia and her people.”

Chancellor Keller’s head falls.

“Where is the Shadow Bag now?” Ariana
asks.

Sampson stands and, reaching for his side,
produces the same small woven bag that I saw Varielle grasping.
Gently, he lays it in the center of the table.

“This is it?”

“Yes, your Highness. The third and final
Gift.”

“It looks so…” Pratt frowns, bored,
“…ordinary.”

Ariana inhales, her eyes latched onto the
sacred relic. “When do you intend on traveling back to
Nerwolix?”

“Once we knew your decision on the matter.
We need to inform Hozfin and Thias on the change of plan, if there
is one.”

She looks up, pegging the Fychu with a hard
stare for a long moment. Finally, she takes a deep, calming breath,
the kind her mother would take before delivering an important
statement. “If you truly believe you will locate the Floating Ruby,
and that you will capture the Vermix who come looking for both
Gifts, you have my blessing to take the Shadow Bag.”

“Thank you, Queen Ariana.”

“I require it back the
moment
Reuzkimpart is captured.”

“Of course.”

Ariana nods and, glancing around the table,
pauses on a frowning Chancellor Keller. “It is for the best.”

“Is there anything I can say to convince you
otherwise?”

“Mybyncia moves forward with this. I have
decreed it.”

Tightlipped, he nods.

“Good,” Pratt says. “Now with that out of
the way, we can start focusing on the wedding.”

“Wedding?” Chancellor Keller is confused.
“What wedding?”

“Oh…” Pratt pales and slinks back in her
seat. “Uh…”

Stunned silence fills the room and I wonder
if I should say something. It really isn’t the time to bring it up,
but now that Pratt let it out of the bag, I guess we’ll have to
address it. I look at Reid. He’s just as surprised as I am about
the topic change. One of us has to say something.

Finally, he clears his throat and all focus
shifts to him. The corner of his mouth curves up. “I’ve asked
Fallon to marry me.”

“What?” Able’s eyes immediately fly to mine.
“No way!”

“For real?” Jace beams. “Congrats, man!”

“That’s awesome, Boss,” Booker smiles.
“Congratulations.”

“Wait—how come I didn’t know?” Able’s mouth
hangs open, his attention shifting between Reid and me. “I’m
hurt.”

“Congratulations,” Ariana smiles. “I am so
happy for you both!”

“Do you guys know where you’ll do it?” Werzo
coughs. “Or if it’s open bar?”

“Werzo,” Jace shakes his head. “Of
course
it’s open bar.”

“Look,” Reid shifts forward, “we haven’t
decided anything.” He looks at me with a grin. “Only that we’re
getting married. Everything else still needs to be figured
out.”

“We are all extremely happy for you,”
Sampson smiles, “and can’t wait for you both to take this next
step, but, you realize…it may have to wait a bit.”

“Of course,” I agree. “We weren’t thinking
about anything soon. And actually,” I sneak a peek at Reid, “we
haven’t even talked about it since that night.”

“I see. Well, once we get past this next
week, I think we can start planning something truly spectacular.
Have you given any thought to where?”

Reid nods. “I was thinking under the Rinzal
Tree.”

“Harrizel?” Sampson’s face softens. “I
see.”

With so much happening in the past few days,
I’d only given a few thoughts to where I wanted to marry Reid, but
most of the time I distracted myself with the thought of actually
being his
wife
. The location didn’t matter—I’d marry him
right now if I could—but the Rinzal Tree seems perfect. It seems
right. It is where Callixes come from, after all. I glance down at
my wrist, at the token Reid gave me while we were still on
Harrizel, when things were more than confusing between us. I
lightly stroke the pink, peach and red petals strung together by a
silk, gossamer thread. To be married under an entire tree of them
would breathtaking.

I want to say as much, but with Sampson’s
suddenly solemn expression, the entire Dining Hall has grown quiet.
Sad. Clarence glances between Reid and his friend, breathing in the
tense air like the rest of us. Finally, he breaks the silence. “The
Rinzal Tree would be absolutely beautiful.”

“And we’ll have to find Fallon a dress,”
Pratt counts on her fingers, “and she’ll need a bouquet and shoes
and Reid still needs to get her a ring.”

“No ring?” Jace turns to him. “Dude.”

“Where am I supposed to have gotten a
ring?”

“I don’t know,” the blonde Rogue shrugs.
“Too bad we don’t have the carpenters anymore. Those boys could’ve
whipped up something in an hour.”

“I have the Callix,” I hold up my wrist.
“This is enough. Really.”

“No,” Reid shakes his head. “I’ll figure it
out. You’re getting a ring.”

“I am certain something can be arranged,”
Blovid assures us with a smile. “We will have ourselves a lovely
little ceremony on Harrizel once this war is concluded. I think it
will be the celebration we all need.”

“I agree,” Ariana nods with the first sign
of genuine happiness I’ve seen in a while. “A definite celebration
to look forward to.” She glances fleetingly at Tucker and then
focuses on us again. “I am so very happy for the both of you.”

“Thanks.”

“Well,” Sampson clears his throat, “this is
wonderful news indeed. We have a lot to look forward to, and a lot
that needs to be done beforehand. Now that we know what it is, it’s
best we return to Nerwolix first thing tomorrow and notify Hozfin
and Thias that we are back to plan A.”

“Any ideas on how you will locate the
Floating Ruby?” Ariana asks.

“I will ask the Mother for guidance tonight
and tomorrow and the day after and the day after that.”

“Guidance…” Tucker speaks for the first
time, his brows furrowing with confusion. “Why not just the
location itself?”

“It is always better to ask for guidance. If
you’re on the wrong path, it will lead you right again. Asking for
guidance takes me where I need to go.”

“Sure you don’t want to say goodbye?”

Reid waits for Tucker’s response while the
rest of us pretend not to notice. We’re in the Docking Station,
about to depart for the surface and from there, to Nerwolix.
Sampson, Blovid and Clarence are discussing last minute
instructions with Chancellor Keller, Queen Ariana and the rest of
the Dofinikes and a few guards. They’ve grouped themselves on the
far end of the center pool, leaving the others and me in earshot of
Reid’s question. It’s not that we’re nosy—it’s just hard to not pay
attention to something we’re all curious about.

“Doubt I could if I wanted to,” Tucker
grumbles, frowning at the small cluster of aliens opposite the
Millix. In addition to the Dofinikes, Chancellor Keller has ordered
a slew of guards to surround Ariana at all times, making it
impossible to get close without Sampson or the Chancellor’s
presence. Sadness sweeps Tucker’s features and he lowers his head.
“It’s not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“What do you mean ‘why not’? You know
why.”

“It’s not goodbye forever.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“We’re going to see her again. I’m sure once
all this dies down and she’s given it some thought—”

“Look, Reid,” Tucker faces him, arms over
his chest. It’s strange to hear anyone call him by his real name,
even Tucker. Usually the boys opt for Boss or Rox—titles given when
we were on Harrizel— but never Reid, never anything so personal. If
that wasn’t enough, the solemn expression on the Rogue Leader’s
face says just how serious the situation is. “I know what you’re
trying to do, but don’t. It’s no use. It’s over.”

“You don’t know—”

“It’s over, man,” Tucker steps back with a
shrug, effectively ending the conversation. “Over.”

Head down and kicking the ground in front of
him, he walks away, around to the far side of the pool. Reid
watches him go, heaviness weighing behind his eyes. He’s
contemplating following, likely convincing the Rogue Leader that
it’ll all work out, but before he has the chance, I join his side,
lightly touching his wrist.

“He needs time.”

Reid doesn’t respond.

“You okay?”

“I don’t know what to do about Tucker.”

“Maybe there’s nothing you can do.”

He stares after him. “Just feel bad for the
guy.”

“One of them will come around. When all this
is done, and they have time to think, they’ll come to their
senses.” I glance out at the Millix wading in the center pool. “You
ready to go back to Nerwolix?”

“I’m ready to get back to normal sleeping
arrangements,” he winks and my heart starts pounding. We haven’t
been alone in nearly a week and after three months of being apart,
I’m eager to get back to normal sleeping arrangements too. Reid
scratches his furry cheek. “Sorry I let the cat out of the bag.
Meant to tell the others after everything was over.”

“I think it was Pratt who let it out.”

“Yeah,” he grins, an amused brow raising in
question. “How’d
she
know?”

“I was telling Mae and Pratt walked in. And
you know Pratt—she had to know what we were talking about.”

Reid nods, his focus on Tucker. “Mae too,
huh?”

I blush, suddenly embarrassed to have
spilled the beans. “It was a bonding moment. She told me about her
and Able and I—”

“What about them?”

“Just…” I hesitate, not wanting to give away
more than I should, “…stuff about their relationship.”