Page 104 of Ecliptic

It wasn’t dark or damp but unexpectedly inviting. Therewere no constructed walls or ceilings, just raw stone elaborately chiseled away into intricate designs. The room extended into a breathtaking balcony, overlooking the dunes rippling like the sea. The gold sand appeared indigo under the night sky.

Brass lanterns hung around the room at varying heights, casting a warm and pulsating mosaic of light. Woven rugs and cushions covered the floors, and billowing curtains hung from the ceiling, offering a luxurious feel amidst all the hard stone. Our room perfectly incorporated the beauty of the desert along with modern comforts.

“It’s breathtaking, thank you,” I said, trying to remain calm even though my nerves were screaming at me to do something, anything but just sit here and wait.

“It is much appreciated,” Rowen said, his watchful eyes studying the room.

“You’re very welcome,” Thaydril said with a bow of his head. “Keep your lanterns lit. It’s said to be a very dark night.”

Once the door closed, I turned to Rowen, his expression as suspicious as mine. “What the fuck is going on here?”

37

Rowen and I sat at the mosaic table in our quarters, picking at the tray of food Thaydril had delivered. The desert air blew in through the balcony, swaying the gauzy curtains against our bare arms.

We had basins of water in the room to wash up with, but how could I use any of that to clean? Not when children were going thirsty.

“We don’t have time for this,” I said, barely able to stomach the flatbreads and dried desert fruits. “Erovos could escape at any moment, and we aren’t prepared.”

“I know, but take in this small victory. You found the desert elves,” Rowen said, brushing a lock of my hair behind my ear. “Yesterday, that felt impossible.”

“I know, but I feel like nothing is happening fast enough,” I admitted, biting into a cactus berry. My hand froze at my mouth as our door slowly opened. Rowen and I exchanged looks, our hands instinctively reaching for our weapons.

We braced ourselves for the worst when Dyani emerged through the threshold.

I let out a relieved breath and loosened my grip on Mithrion. “What are you doing here?”

“Have you tried traveling?”

“Yes, but I can’t do it inside the city.”

Dyani and Rowen exchanged worried glances.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this place,” the warrior said in a low voice. “Thaydril seems to be out of favor with the new king. The guards were breathing down our necks, and now they are blocking the front entrance.” She handed me a small scroll of paper. “But look what he slipped in my food.”

I unspooled the note and read the elegant calligraphy.

When you come to a dead end,

whisper A’Anhara to the stones

and a way up they will send.

“Dinner and a poem?” I asked skeptically.

Dyani rolled her eyes and snatched the scroll from my hands. “It’s a clue. He also managed to tell us which room is Rayal’s.”

“It faces the sunrise,” I remembered, perking up.

“And there will be birds,” Rowen added, keeping his voice quiet. “Her balcony will most likely have an aviary.”

“Exactly,” Dyani said, resting her hand on her hip. “It must have something to do with their mastery over stone.”

I jolted upright. “We can meet with the princess tonight!” Thaydril had given us clues to find Rayal, and though my heart leaped, a seed of worry took root. If the princess was out of favor with the king, how could she help convince him to join our war?

“How? The door is guarded. Remember?”

I glanced over my shoulder. “Yes, but the balcony’s not.”

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