Fantasy of Flight (26 page)

My tone is mild. I don’t want to cause more of a scene than I already have. And I’m confident he will sense my fury. “You are not on Osolis anymore, brother.” I stand up and signal Kaura to follow.

Olandon apologizes when he gets back to our room. I can tell he doesn’t understand my anger. Just as he cannot see the Bruma as individuals after hearing them called savages his whole life. He sits with them, eats their food, he
lives
because of the King’s hospitality, but he can’t see past what he’s been told. This close-mindedness has always been the difference between us and out of the Bruma’s company he’s mostly the same Olandon I know and love. If he cannot soften his preconceived ideas, what will he do if I show him I’m half Bruma? That my eyes are blue. I see his contempt in the food hall. He doesn’t join in conversations; he’s barely interested in what happens around him.

I watch as my brother crawls into bed to rest.

I jump as he yells and leaps out of bed, rubbing his back. He rips back the furs and holds up a prickly plant I don’t recognize.

“There’s a stabby cone in the bed,” he says incredulously.

“How on Solis did it get there?” I ask, injecting the right amount of surprise into my voice. I smile beneath my veil at the muffled laughter from the hallway.

How long will it take my brother to realize these pranks aren’t random occurrences?

I open the door under the guise of asking Ashawn for a pitcher of water and give him a subtle high-five.

I won’t tell him tonight. Olandon needs time. Time to realize he can form his own opinion of Glacium, and maybe forge some friendships. Then maybe his reaction to my eyes will be less extreme. I’ll tell him soon.

I now find myself sitting two seats from the King’s right. It’s awkward and embarrassing. Drummond, Arla’s father - one of his advisors - informed me yesterday my request had been granted.
My
request! It was worse because Jovan thought I wanted to be here. At least I’m far enough so I don’t have to look his way, let alone talk to him. It would be better still if I weren’t wholly aware of Jovan’s every action. Olandon is seated next to me, despite his untitled state - Jovan insisted. My brother is ignorant to the fact the King of Glacium is laughing at him.

The delegates grin at me from their lower table, two rows back. They know I’m not happy with this arrangement. But I didn’t have the heart to humiliate my Olandon in front of Jovan. It doesn’t mean I won’t take some kind of revenge out on my brother. I’m going to make him stay after dinner as payback. I content myself by anticipating how this will affront his sensibilities. I snigger.

“So you like meat, huh?” I ask Olandon when he gives me a questioning glance.

He swallows another mouthful. “It has helped me to recover, I think.”

A ruckus of shouting and yelling alerts our entire table to a disturbance in the back of the hall. The Watch and assembly members there are pointing up. Is there someone in the rafters? People have taken to watching them during meals, even though there are Watchmen guarding the stairs to the roof and hawk’s entrance at all times now.

Jovan’s standing. I long to rip off my veil. But I’m not hearing screams of panic. In fact, the shouting is turning to a hushed silence.

“Hey, do any of you know where Willow is?”

My stomach plummets like it did when Crystal plunged off the tree.

All I can see is an outline as the boy swoops down from the rafters over the tables. The assembly screams, then gasp in awe when he circles the room twice. It gives me a chance to confirm the person’s identity.

Jimmy does a backward loop, landing on a table in the middle of the hall.

“Fuck,” I say under my breath, sitting back down. I squeeze Olandon’s hand to alert him. This is bad. Jimmy knows what I look like. And what is he doing
here
? Adox will kill him.

Jimmy is talking to his stupefied audience. “You’d know her if you’d seen her. She’s the prettiest lady I ever saw. She has long, long black hair, but it’s kinda blue sometimes,” he continues. The word “blue” jolts me into action.

I push my chair back with a loud scrapping noise. “Jimmy!” I call. I slither under the Throne table, not wanting to waste the time needed to walk around the long bench. The assembly turns to me almost as one. It’s eerily synchronized.

“Hi,” he calls, “Do you know Willow?”

“It’s me,” I say as I hurry down between the tables. “I’m just wearing a veil.” As soon as the words leave my mouth I wish I could take them back. I should have pretended to be an acquaintance of Willow instead. Excitement stirs the crowd. The Tatuma doesn’t always wear her veil? Why has she shown this boy? Where did he come from?

I can’t imagine what Olandon’s thinking right now.

I reach Jimmy and unstrap him from the Soar, taking the rods out in record time, folding the device into its most compact form. Hamish would be proud.

“Why do you cover your face, Willow? I like your face,” he says and beams up at me. I wince as I swing him off the table. I tuck the Soar under my arm and take him by the hand.

I need to get Jimmy out of the castle without him betraying my identity somehow. And why is he here?

“You hungry?” I ask. He nods so frantically, I’m surprised his head doesn’t fall off. But it does stop him from accidentally revealing my second darkest secret.

“Does your Mama know you’re here?” I ask once we’re at the food table. The assembly is still buzzing behind us. Someone literally flew into the room.  I make a subtle gesture to Olandon who rises and moves to join us. This little boy has just destroyed all of the Ire’s secrecy. There is no way Jovan or my brother will leave this alone. No way anyone will forget what they have seen. Jovan will gather I’ve been with these flying people for the last few weeks. He’s too smart, it won’t take him long to realize there’s only one place where these people could have existed unnoticed. Is there any lie I can create to protect the Ire’s secret?

“I didn’t tell Mama. I just came,” he continues, mumbling around some bread. “I know Adox says we don’t tell anyone. But he also says not to leave the Ire and he knows I do that all the time,” he babbles. I narrow my eyes. Jimmy is too carefree. He is pretending he doesn’t know what he’s done.

“Adox says these things for a reason, Jimmy. It is to protect the people who live in the Ire.” I really don’t want to be having this conversation here, though we are away from the tables.

“You said I should tell you if I saw anything important. And there were so many of them. I knew you’d want to know,” he says, voice rising in upset. His words stop me in my tracks.

I hold a finger to his lips when he opens them to tell me more. “Hold onto that thought.”

I stare wordlessly at my brother as he reaches us. “Tell Jovan he’ll want to hear this,” I say.

Jovan spends five precious minutes convincing his advisors they didn’t need to be in the room with us. I know he understands Jimmy has the potential to expose me. He’ll think I want to talk to him about this. Really it’s just an excuse to get him alone. I lean against the meeting room door after shutting it. Gathering myself, I place the Soar on the circle table and turn to Jimmy, dreading what he has to say.

“Jimmy, this is my brother, Olandon, and the King of Glacium,” I say. “Please tell me what you saw on Oscala.” Olandon and Jovan’s sounds of surprise are drowned out by Jimmy’s reply.

“Solatis! Hundreds of them. They’re already up to the third cave, but the line goes all the way down to the smoke and they just keep on coming. I watched for ages to make sure,” he blurts.

“What? What is he talking about?” Jovan glares at the boy from where he’s sprawled in a chair.

This is not the time for settling personal grievances. I walk up to him. “Mother has sent her army.”

He stares at me, frozen. “What?”

“That’s what Jimmy means. He scouts the Great Stairway.” I keep this vague. Maybe the others will assume Jimmy lives on Glacium instead of on the actual Oscala. He can certainly pass for Bruma. “There is an army of Solati about a third of their way here.”

Jovan jerks to his feet, but he’s shaking his head. “That’s impossible,” he says. “I received a message from your mother a couple of days ago accepting my latest offer. Peace is imminent.”

Why is he surprised my mother could lie? I leave him to work through his denial and turn back to Jimmy. “How fast are they moving?”

“Slowly. They’re carrying heaps of stuff. Swords and bows. A creepy man is in front.”

“Uncle Cassius,” I murmur to myself. He doesn’t deserve to be at the head of any army. “No one saw you?” I ask.

The boy puffs his chest out. “Of course not.”

I hug him tightly. I wish he could have gotten word to me without exposing his people, but this was too much to expect of a seven year old boy. And if his warning prevents war, his coming was worth it. “You’ve done so well. You may have saved a lot of people. Mama might be angry, but she’ll be proud of you in the end,” I say. His small shoulders relax.

I move to the door and swing it open, call to Rhone and make a quick request. I can’t let Jimmy out of the room, but I don’t want him to overhear too much.

Jovan is questioning Jimmy. The young boy trembles, he’s so scared of the imposing man. I take his hand as Jovan decides he finally believes there is an army on their way here.

“That fucking traitorous bitch!” he shouts. I cover Jimmy’s ears until he stops. I can’t blame him though. I would say the same in his position.

“How did you know where to find me?” I ask Jimmy.

I narrow my eyes at his mischievous smile. “I followed you when you left to help your friend. All the way to this big grey place. I thought you might have seen me when you swerved this one time.”

I remember the flash of red I’d written off. For the second time Jimmy had successfully spied on me. I should introduce him to Ice.

“And then I didn’t know how to get inside, but I noticed these big doors on top,” he continues. Jovan growls at that.

“There’s supposed to be a damn guard there,” he says.

“There
was
a man there. But I didn’t see him right away. I peeped through one of the giant doors and saw the people and I thought to try another way so no one would see. But then I heard him coming for me so I hopped inside to escape.” I curse the Watchman silently. If he hadn’t scared Jimmy through the hawk’s entrance, the Ire’s secrecy would be intact.

Rhone returns with Kaura and leaves. Hopefully my request has caused some confusion in the curious assembly outside. I set Jimmy up with Kaura and leave the pair playing at the far end of the room.

I turn to Olandon. “Firstly, there’s something you need to see.” I reach for the veil and lift it halfway.

My brother stumbles over his feet in his haste to get to me.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes - cheating - before lifting the veil off completely. The band clatters to the ground.

Hands grip the sides of my face. Shaking hands. “Sister,” he says in a thick voice. “I always knew you would be stunning. To think mother was jealous of you! This whole time.”

“Uh,” I hedge. I can’t help the tremor in my voice. A warm, calloused hand squeezes my upper arm. Jovan’s hand.

“Open them, Olina. Your eyes are beautiful,” Jovan says. The thrill his words create pushes through the panic.

I open my eyes.

If I thought Jovan’s reaction was extreme, it puts my brother’s to shame. Olandon falls over, staggering to one knee. I suppose it’s a bigger shock to someone who has known me their whole life. So much time passes while he stares at me in horror that I feel tears burning my eyes.

“Say something, you fool! You’re upsetting her,” Jovan demands. Olandon wrenches his gaze from mine and stares at the King instead.

“Y-you knew? How?” Olandon asks the King. I blink rapidly while the attention is off me and reach for my band to put the veil back on. A hand closes over my own.

“Leave it off, for now,” Jovan says in a soft voice. I look up to him and quickly step back when my nose brushes his cheek.

“Your eyes are blue,” Olandon chokes.

I clear my throat and harden my resolve. “Yes. I think mother dearest slept with a Bruma on a peace year. My age doesn’t match up with a delegation, but I think this was a cover. I believe I’m anywhere from six months to a year older. At least that’s the closest delegation to my birth. I have clear memories of you as a baby, so I don’t believe it was the delegation before, or I would be younger than you. ” The pitiful amount I’ve figured out about my birth is explained in a few breaths.

“So you’re really twenty or so?” he says slowly. I think he’s still in shock. I give him a quick nod.

“How long have you known?” he asks.

“I would have told you if I knew on Osolis. I’ve known for a Rotation,” I say.

“You’ve had more than enough time to tell me before now!” he glares at me.

Jovan steps in front of me. “There is an army on the way to kill my people. We do not have time for your petty hurts. Be grateful she told you at all after the way you sit and sneer at the Bruma around you.”

The two men glare at each other.

“I have a plan to stop our army from making it to Glacium,” I say, stepping up beside the King.

“What!” Olandon says, getting to his feet. “You’re going to help Glacium?”

His accusing words make me furious, though I’m honest enough to know some of my anger is defensive, too. Has my attitude toward the Bruma softened that much?

I keep my voice as calm as possible. “I would help both worlds, Olandon.” Suddenly, I remember my conversation with Satum Jerin so long ago. He spoke of how the Tatum had stores to last Osolis several revolutions. My mouth dries as I realize how long she must have been planning this. We’ve all been fooled. “Mother has been planning this war under everyone’s noses.”

I meet my brother’s brown eyes. “Prince Kedrick was killed on
our
world. Yet you do not see Glacium bringing war to our doorstep. We have all been played. The Tatum is not interested in compromising. She has drawn King Jovan along while winning over the villagers and assembling our forces. With her latest message she attempted to trick him into relaxing while she sends our army in for a sneak attack.” I’m disgusted to be her daughter.

“Perhaps the flying boy is mistaken. And you trust this Bruma King has told you the truth about the communications between our worlds? He could be trying to placate us while assembling his own army.”

The question startles me. Do I trust Jovan? He is sometimes overbearing and has a tendency to lash out when people are hurt, but he’s only lied once, and that was to protect my feelings.

“Yes, I do,” I say shortly, ignoring the way my face warms. I change the subject. “You seem against the idea of peace, brother.”

His reply is spluttering, “Of course I want peace. Who doesn’t?”

“I only ask because it’s one thing to say you do, and another to actively pursue it. So I’ll ask you straight. Do you want peace?”

His gaze becomes stony. “Yes, Tatuma.”

“What would your reaction be to Glacium’s Army sneaking through the Oscala to us in our sleep?” I ask. I turn from him and stare up at Jovan with unfocused eyes as I wait for his reply.

“What Mother is doing is beyond dishonorable. I am disgusted to be her son,” he says. I let out a breath and turn back to him.

I press my point. “Then when I say I want to stop the Solati from launching an attack, it is not because I’ve switched sides,” I snap. “I may have blue eyes, but I still love my people and I have the
honor
our mother lacks. I want what is best for both worlds and that is not another thirty revolution siege.” I pace a few steps away from him, trying to contain my anger.

“You said you have a plan. What is it?” Jovan speaks for the first time. “And I can show you the messages from your mother anytime you wish to see them,” he says.

I let out a slow breath and turn to him, ignoring his last comment, though when I return, I will take him up on his offer, as well as ask to study their archives. His eyes are heated as our eyes meet. My face warms. Is he thinking of our night together?

“I have a plan. An excellent plan. But…I can’t tell you the details. It would betray an oath I made,” I say. “I know it is hard, but I hope you can understand.”

“You cannot tell him?” Olandon asks, sounding pleased.

“Or you,” I add. His eyebrows furrow. I look at Jovan and we hold each other’s gaze.

“Bullshit,” Jovan says. “You’ll tell me now.”

I sigh. “Well, then we’ll have to think of another plan, because I can’t betray what I know.” I’m not going to, of course. My plan is the only way to stop the army getting to Glacium. I’ll wait until dark and retrieve the Soar.

“Hold on!” Olandon says. “You’re going to run.”

My eyes widen. “W-what?” How did he know that?

“Were you?” Jovan asks. I try to mask my guilty expression. He turns to my brother.

“How can you tell?” he asks.

“She always looks at the exits a few times when she’s thinking of it,” my brother says. I glare at him as I jam the veil and band onto my head.

“And why does she always run away?” I gasp at Jovan’s question.

Olandon shrugs. “She just always has. I probably would too if I’d been locked—”

“Landon!” I say sharply. He cuts off.

I avoid Jovan’s questioning gaze. Finally I throw my hands in the air. “Fine! I run away sometimes. But I always have a good reason!”

“You do it when you feel like you have no other option. When you feel trapped,” Jovan says. I know he isn’t just speaking about now. He is talking about me running from him after the ball.

“Yes. If you must know, I was going to run.” I say in a hot whisper. “But only because this is the only way to stop them from reaching Glacium. Sometimes running is the best option for our worlds.” I say to Jovan. His head lifts with my last comment. He knows I’m speaking of
that
night.

He walks over to me and lifts my veil. His expression takes me by surprise. It is wary, hopeful and desperate all at the same time. He loves his people, too. I gaze up at him, willing him to understand.

“You realize how this looks?” he asks. It looks terrible. My mother is launching an attack and I am asking him to let me go. For all he knows I could be running to tell the army he’s aware of their advance. I nod.

“Do you trust me?” I ask with a dry smile. Will he remember the words he said to me before we slept together?

“You frustrate me more than anyone I’ve ever met, but you’ve never intentionally done anything dishonorable or immoral. Yes, I trust you—and your ability to keep yourself safe,” he says. I blink up at him. Did he really just say that?

He continues. “However, I’m concerned you might not have considered the other angles. You sometimes have trouble foreseeing the consequences of your actions. What if you are caught, for instance?”

He is being reasonable for the second time since meeting him, so I respect him by reflecting on his words. I know I tend to charge into things headfirst and, yes, he is speaking truth when he talks about unforeseen consequences. Would I have run to the Outer Rings if I’d thought about how it would affect my friends? Mother will kill me if I’m caught, there’s no doubt, and then she will blame Jovan and the war we are desperate to avoid will ensue anyway.

“I have weighed the consequences, and it still needs to be done.” I place a hand on his arm. “It is the only way,” I say.

His blue eyes burn into mine. They aren’t Kedrick’s eyes anymore. They’re Jovan’s. “Will you be harmed?”

“I’ll try my best not to be. Despite what you think, I don’t enjoy getting beaten up.”

He winces. “I regretted those words as soon as they left my mouth. You have my sincere apology they were ever uttered,” he says. I smile at him and pry my veil from his fingers.

“Then I suppose I should apologize for hitting you, too,” I say. A cough reminds me Olandon is watching. I step further away from Jovan, my hand tingling from where it touched his.

“How do you get to the roof?” I ask.