Chapter 28

“I take it she didn’t manage to convince you?” Sania asked as I left the Void Storage. I was very surprised to see her lithe form sprawled out atop my Altar as if she’d been asleep. That was pretty unlikely as I’d only been gone a few minutes.

“She wasn’t very convincing,” I muttered. “How did you know?”

“Danivra just told me. She said you might not be in a very good mood after your conversation with the others. Devotion told me you were speaking with her.”

I laughed though it was a dry, humourless thing. “Nah, I’m fine. I hear everyone’s protests to bring her and a part of me is swayed. But then there’s this little voice inside me that says the arrogant, self-absorbed, shithead would be a thorn in our sides. She’d find a way to fuck us over, I just know it.”

Sania sat up and smiled. “I doubt it’s that little a voice, and I completely understand. There’s no love lost here. You could go back in and kill her now and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.”

It was an unexpected relief to hear her support for my decision. I guessed Danivra had supported me too, by leaving when she did to plan. “That’s good to know. I wasn’t sure if it was just me being a belligerent bastard.”

“”It might still be, but we can be belligerent together. Now, let’s not give her any more thought and move things along to things that matter! Such as, my Sphere is finally joined with yours. It’s exhilarating, but… it’s not enough is it?”

“Nope. We need more. It’s just a waiting game now.”

“We shouldn’t wait. You need to focus on Danivra and get her up to the thousand. If she’s not enough, then do the brothers. They’re the highest leveled, so it won’t take as long.”

“The rest of us can focus on clearing Vemerak and Holse while you do it.”

“It might still not be enough, and you deserve to be first, Sania.”

“Danivra is the closest, Clive. We need to use our minds not our hearts here, and you did kind of promise her.”

“Wind of the Wild needs to be brought up to Ardumis first. That was another promise I made. As well as my promises to you.”

“Plans change. Danivra first, then Andalar and Aslin if you have to. Once the Sphere is up, then you can focus on Wind and me. How are you doing for Ethereal Neuma?”

“Not great, I just used a lot getting everyone out of Onnekus and…” I allowed myself a small chuckle as I assessed all of my Ethereal Neuma Stores, including those in the temple. “Okay, apparently I’m not as hard up as I thought. It seems with all of the new followers and the amount of them inside the Sphere, that’s not going to be a problem for a while.

“Then go and level up Danivra.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but she held up a silencing finger. “Don’t even try to be obstinate about it. I don’t ask much from you.”

“I wasn’t going to!” I protested. “I’d do pretty much anything you asked of me. We’re supposed to be partners in this, remember?”

Her silver brows rose in amused surprise. “Would you let Light go free and bond her if I asked you?”

I was nodding immediately. “Even that.”

She laughed a beautiful, hearty laugh that warmed my soul. “I’m sure you would. But I’m with you. Let her rot.”

I leaned forward and kissed her. After a tender moment, she pulled away. “Go on. Level, Danivra so we can make this place safe. Then you can get to leveling me.” She gave me a wry grin, but I saw the sadness there. “I’m really quite desperate to catch up a little with you.”

“I’ll go check on the Guardians first. Their involvement could change everything, and I haven’t got enough spare EN to take her all the way yet.  get right on it. Can I do you before Wind of the Wild?”

“No. He deserves to be brought up to Ardumis. He’s showing a real natural aptitude with Neuma from his centuries of harnessing power as a Neutral. His hard work and his keen mind have led to strong developments for both Grigor and myself. Not just with Neuma use, but in hunting with a teleportation skill. Despite everything, he’s with us. One hundred percent and he’s far wiser than he acts when he is not driven by his own desires for revenge and power.”

“I’m glad he’s helping you guys so much. And if you’re sure, I’ll make him up to Ardumis after we have our Sphere, and bring him level with the other Chosen. But then I’m definitely focusing on you.”

“You better! Now go, speak to the Guardians, and then come and help us clear Vemerak and Holse.”

I nodded and stepped back, about to leave, but a thought cut through the swirling emotion. “I’m still confused as to why Holse has a defensive border against our Sphere. Unless Hakan has done a recruitment drive and mopped all of the people there, which I’m fairly certain he hasn’t had time for, then something else is going on. We can’t do much with War’s people but chase them from Falritas, but I’d rather bring the people of Holse under our protection if it’s possible. Without Light, of course.”

“How?”

I paced around the altar a few times, thinking over the situation. It came to me in a rush. “I need to find Jurien. I might not be able to forgive Light, but I can work with him. I know he’s a good dude despite everything. Finding him might be difficult.”

“Why?” she asked, her head tilting to one side curiously.

“I can’t use spirit sight in Holse. There’s no Sphere, or defensive barrier preventing me from entering, but whatever Hakan has done is preventing me from seeing inside.”

“Then I will go with Wind and Grigor.”

I barely responded at first. Taking her words for a joke. When I looked back at her face, I saw she was serious. I shook my head. “No way, Sania! You saw what happened to the gods who came up against Hakan. It’s not happening. I’m, not risking you.”

Her expression remained impassive as she held up a finger and approached me. “One, we will not be in a static defensive position. We are moving swift and silent like the hunters we are. Two, we can all teleport in a heartbeat. At the first sign of trouble, we will return here to safety. I promise you we will not engage any enemy in any way, but there is a task that needs doing and we are comfortably the best people for the job. We will not be caught, I promise. Just think of how long Wind evaded capture from all of the Kingdoms in the land in his long life.”

“It’s too much of a risk,” I repeated. “I can’t afford to lose you.”

“You can’t afford to overprotect me either, Clive. That has never been our relationship.”

She clapped her hands on my shoulders and met my eye. You could die every time you go out and I do not stop you. You should trust in the confidence I have in my own abilities. We can find Jurien safely. If we can’t, I will return, and we can come up with another plan. But understand, this is what we are training for. This is what is in our blood. We will find our prey and be stronger for it.”

I met her eyes, unwavering. “Promise me you can remain undetected.”

“I can’t promise you that, but I can promise you believe we can do this.”

“Bah!” I rubbed at my face. “I don’t even want Jurien that much. I’d rather just wipe Holse out than risk you.”

“Yet we need to do this, Clive. For ourselves as much as to find Jurien or save Holse. There is no better training for us.”

I knew I was beaten, though I didn’t want to accept it, fighting her moreover it would only make things worse now. She’d stated her case, and it was a good one. “Sania…” I huffed out a long breath. “If you go, I want you all on a hair trigger. The first sign of trouble you come back. Cross the border on foot and if you’re cut off from me, get back out. I’ll be watching you and if you can’t get back out for whatever reason, I’ll pull you out.”

She grinned wide. “Deal! I’ll let you know when we’re ready to go in. Oh, and only watch us with spirit sight. If you turn up at the barrier, you’ll draw too much attention. You’re not very stealthy.

“I can turn into fucking air! Of course I’m stealthy.”

“Even your air form has energy visible to Hakan.”

She had me there. “Fair enough. Just please be safe.”

“As safe as I can be.” She pecked me on the cheek and disappeared, leaving me feeling deeply unsettled.

With a heavy heart, I travelled back to Toukal to check in on the Guardians.