Page 78 of Witchlight
Stix smiled as she crouched down to pet him.And always, always stay the night,she thought.For Baile’s slaughtering.One stroke across the cat’s head. One scratch behind the ears. Then Stix left the cat and the damage.
Come,she told her magic as she strode for the stairs.We are hunting.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Iseult stood outside the tent and watched the eastern sky. An alarm was sounding, and if she frowned hard enough that way, she could see flashes like heat lightning.
She could see Threads too. Wild, silvery Threads somehow visible, although they must be miles beyond her range. She thought of mountain bats and sea foxes, of shadow wyrms and the statues she’d seen on the bridge into the city.Long ago, when the gods walked among us, Middle Sister Swallow found a dog and gave him wings.
“Get inside,” a voice called. It was the Admiral. “Get inside and stay there, Dark-Giver. There are dangers in the city tonight.”
Aren’t there always dangers in the city?Iseult thought back to Esme’s Cleaved—which she still could see no sign of, sense no Threads from. “Where is the Raider King?” she asked instead. “When will he return?”
“Why?” Kahina’s silvery eyebrows lifted. “Have you decided to accept his offer?”
“Offer?” Now Iseult was the one to lift her eyebrows—and the reaction was instant: Kahina’s Threads caught fire with surprise. Then anger. She’d said something she shouldn’t have.
“Inside,” Kahina repeated, and now her anger overtook her magic, sending sparks puffing from her mouth.
Iseult bowed her head, biting off a smile. Ragnor had a proposal for her; the encampments were riled up; despite her incredible power as a Paladin, Kahina still obeyed the Raider King. This was all useful information, and when Iseult ducked back into the tent, she examined the space with fresh eyes. Whatever offer was coming her way, the information on that desk was meant to coax her into an agreement.
She was halfway back to the desk when Threads surged into her awareness. Frightened slate, focused green, and unexpectedly triumphant pink. The flap barely moved as a small Baedyed raider slithered in.
“Are you the Threadwitch?” they asked in shockingly good Nomatsi.“You must be. You’ve got the scar and the Witchmark.” They yanked down their mask, revealing a young, pale face and large teeth. “I’m Sky. Merik sent me.”
Despite the near-perfect Nomatsi, the words were absolutely indecipherable to Iseult. She blinked. “Merik? The… prince of N-Nubrevna?”
“Yeah. Scarred fellow. Missing some hair. He’s got a hideout on the other side of the river. For Wakers and anyone else who’s left the Raider King’s banner.”
None of this was any more comprehensible.
“So is he… here?” Iseult sent her magic reaching outward.
The girl shook her head. “Naw, he just got himself caught. But don’t worry. I think he’ll get away. Probably. Maybe. And now we can get away too.”
Iseult’s nose wiggled. “We?”
“Yeah, you. Me. I’m Sky, remember? I just told you. Your friend—some nobility or something from Cartorra—sent us to find you. Since it looks like you’re a prisoner, then I’m here to free you. Although…” The girl waved at Iseult’s collar. “I can’t help with that.”
Thesewords finally connected in Iseult’s brain. “Safi,” she said on a sigh. Her spine sagged. “She’s all right? She’s safe?”
“Mostly.” Sky shrugged. “We have a good healer.”
“And Aeduan? Um, a… a monk. A C-Carawen—is he all right?”
“We haven’t found him yet.”
“Ah.” Iseult’s backbone reversed itself, locking upward again.
“We got people searching, though.” The girl glanced around, eyes big as a rabbit’s. Iseult would bet she could be as fast as one too. “Look, can we get going? I’ve sent everyone away. Told ’em they were summoned to help with the alarm. But it won’t last. They’ll realize I was lying soon—maybe even realize I’m not Marstoki.”
“I can’t leave.”
Sky’s big eyes got bigger. Confusion swelled in her Threads. “Youarethe one we’re looking for, right?”
“Yes, but you have to tell Safi I can’t go yet. Tell her I have a way to end all of this cleanly and quickly—but when it’s done, she’ll need to be ready to get to the Well. I’ll, uh…” Iseult hesitated here. All those hours of planning and study, and now here she was thrown on the spot again.
But the book isn’t. The book has everything Safi needs to know.
