Page 91 of Cage of Starlight
He’ll miss Kierney, too, and his twittering tunes. Things were simple with Kierney: food and water and a perch close to the light.Space on Sena’s shoulder, little pats considerate of his bird bones. A blanket to close out the world when it was too much. It made no difference to Kierney when Sena said the wrong words or couldn’t find words at all.
He’ll miss the stories his mother whispered into his ear when she smeared liniment on his chest and counted his fading breaths when he was a boy.You’re star-blessed, miokh,she told him when his Seed first blossomed.
Star-blessed,she said, and gave him his first set of gloves so she could hold his hand.
There’s little else he’ll miss. Seeing Seeds liberated, maybe. He’s never really had room to contemplate it. He thought about the future in hours, before. Now he has a day, at least, to live.Days, if Tory can convince Riese to return to the battlefield.
He’s giddy with the freedom of it. Tory asked him, after Sena dragged him from Belmin’s caravan, when he’d tell the people who hurt him tostopinstead of working so hard to avoid pain. Maybe this is where he starts.
There are more important things than survival. Here, he has a choice, even if he can only choose how he dies and where he draws his lines.
“Ah. Here we are.” Iri tugs him to a stop in front of a netted tent and gestures at the flap. “Yized will get you patched up. You’ll be out making history with us in no time.”
That begs the question. “What does your leader even need us for?”
“I can’t say. I think he’s speaking to Tory about it now. He’ll reveal it all in good time.”
“You trust him?”
“I’ve not yet met anyone who offers more hope for a better future.” He glances into the woods, then back to Sena, and shakes his head like he’s clearing it. “Actually, find me when Yized is done with you? There’s something we should discuss.”
Iri strides away before Sena can answer.
He gives it a bemused moment before he opens the tent flap. “I don’t know who told you I needed to be here, but I’m fine. I doubt there’s anything you can—”
A too-familiar voice calls from inside, and his blood freezes in his veins.
“Doesn’t matter. Riese’s orders. Come on in, Sena.”
Red hair, thin glasses, sharp teeth exposed in a predator’s smile.
Dr. Helner.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Riese’s tent isnot nearly as big as Kirlov’s was, but it’s big enough for a makeshift table strewn with maps and pages of notes.
Tory can’t let himself focus on them. “Hulven,” he says as soon as they’re inside.
“Yes. It was our half of the exchange with Arlune.” Riese settles onto an overturned box and gestures for Tory to do the same. He grins with his sharp canines. “But it wasn’t just about the exchange. It was about splitting their attention.”
“Their attention?”
“The Box is always well guarded. Stocked with Seeds and soldiers, constantly patrolled. Naturally. It’s the heart of Vantaras’ war effort. Close enough to the border to easily deploy Seeds. Far enough that no one can easily invade. The walls are impregnable, and, as we learned when we tried ’porting in with Travin, only Seeds with Cores can travel freely within the facility without setting off the alarms, which threw a wrench in our impromptu invasion plans. But Vantaras is making anti-Seed weaponrynow. Once it’s widespread, it’ll be harder than ever to make headway. We had to act fast. Our thefts along the supply routes, in addition to keeping us cozy, mean the military is looking for enemiesoutsidetheir walls rather than inside, and they’re sending every spare trainee to guard the routes. The stellite theft serves two purposes, as well. It’ll allow Arlune to keep its populace alive and create more Legion units, but it means those Box bastards are also looking at Hulven, spreading themselves ever thinner.”
“Clever,” Tory allows.
“And effective. We’ve asked Arlune to increase their aggression at the border to draw soldiers and attention away from the Compound, too.”
Tory remembers the infirmary that day during training, the blood beneath the Healer’s nails and between the floor tiles. Increased aggression, indeed. “. . . You slaughtered them.”
Riese lifts a shoulder. “It wasn’t part of our instructions, but yes. I believe what happened to your unit was also part of our efforts. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you survived.”
“All those Seeds—” Randall, Niela, they didn’tchoosethat.
“Don’t let the details turn your eyes from the truth:Vantarasstarted this war and fanned its flames. He’s the one feeding the bodies of his people into it to maintain power. I’m here toendit, and ending a war is no more beautiful than starting one. Blood paves the path to every bargaining table. I’m sorry about your unit, but I knew the sharp ones would survive. I was right; here you are. You know what all survivors know: with grit and sufficient desperation, anything is possible. It’s why you’ll be the one to end this.”
He makes it sound so simple, like Tory was made for this. Like all the blood he’s shed and the words he’s swallowed and the scars he’s borne havemeaning. Warmth fills Tory, slick and spreading, like oil waiting for flame.
