Chapter 425 (1/2)
Chapter 425
Chapter 423: Unexpected Visitor
By the time I stepped out of the descension portal into my family’s room in Vildorial, the others had already spread out Boo was in the kitchen slurping up so out of a cast iron pot, and Ellie rapped in our mother’s embrace Mica had thrown herself down on the couch, heedless of how filthy and blood-stained she was Lyra was standing near the s room, her arms crossed and a faraway look in her eye
Moh to takeher closely “You’re back in one piece…”
“Mo me in front of a retainer and a Lance,” Ellie corasp “I’m fine, I promise I mean, okay, I did die like ten ti incredulously froain
“She’s clearly in one piece, like I pro look When this didn’t iave her a sone, anyway? It always feels er in the Relicto Ellie a side-eye look that suggested she wasn’t done with the whole “died ten tih Lord Bairon has been hereto see if you’d returned yet Apparently so for you at the palace And Gideon has been drivinghonest He’s absolutely desperate to study any advances Ellie has made”
My sister collapsed into Mom’s favorite chair and started to kick her boots up on the footrest, but she froze when Morined smile, she eased the dirty boots off her feet and set them aside carefully, then leaned back and put her feet up “He’s going to flip out when he sees everything I can do I bet he’ll be so surprised his eyebroill fall out again”
I shook my head at my sister’s antics, but was still focused on what Mom had said before that “Who is this ihed and shrugged her shoulders “No, the general didn’t tell me much, just insisted that you be sent to the palace immediately upon your return” Herher irritation “I told hi to order you about I also reood ho in the—”
“Moht Thank you I’ll go see him immediately” I turned to my companions “Mica, you’re free to do as you wish Ellie, you should clean yourself up and get some rest Don’t let Gideon pressure you, but track him and Emily dohen you’re ready to debrief them on the ascent”
“Aye aye, captain,” she said sarcastically, saluting ers at her temple
“General,” Mica ent Leywin?” Lyra asked, letting her are of defiance in her posture “Will you be escortingin the air like an electric charge It would have been the safe thing to do, of course Disabling her core and putting her on trial for her crimes would have been completely justified She would always be remembered as the Alacryan who paraded the corpses of Dicathen’s king and queens fro the Vritra Clan for their kindness and good will
“So you can rest? No, I’ you beyond the Wall to check on your people, see what they need Consider it both punishainst this continent” To Mica, I said, “Arrange transport back and forth Lyra of Highblood Dreide is free to aze went back to Lyra “Just there, understand? This isn’t freedoarded e this punishment and accept an opportunity to aid both your people and mine”
“I want you to represent your people on this continent,” I said, softening somewhat “Those soldiers in the Wastes should know they haven’t been forgotten But all isn’t forgiven, either”
Mica had sat up to watch this conversation play out with a growing frown
“Proble ht have been a little boring if we’d actually killed this skinny Alacryan back e had her chained up in the Beast Glades”
Lyra snorted and rolled her eyes “This continent has many positives, but as torturers and jailors, you are woefully lacking” She pursed her lips thoughtfully “I suppose this is not a bad thing, though”
The two devolved into fa as they headed for the front door of ain, Lyra ave a small bow, then let the door close
Ellie s his soft underside to the eneuessed”
“It’s a punish at my sister
Mom rested her head on my shoulder “With all your e to uphold to the public, but it’s just us here No need to put up a facade in front of your fanored her as Moh the kitchen arch She had to shi+mmy around Boo, who took up nearly the entire roo to eat? Or will you be rushi+ng off right away?”
I considered ignoring Bairon’s request for at least an hour or two so I could spend some time with her, but the fact that he had come here, to our home, multiple tio,” I said “Hopefully I’ll be back shortly I wouldn’thot to eat, if you can reclaim your kitchen”
“If there’s any food left in it when I do, youon her tiptoes to see over Boo’s back “Go on, then The world oes without you for an hour, but your fa, I headed toward the door On the way, I carefully kicked the footrest out fro her sink half out of the chair
“Hey!” she gruainst the aether clad around hed and opened the door
“Art?”
I looked back Ellie wore a serious expression despite the slight flush to her face
“Thank you, y’know, for…lettingme and stuff I—it was really…cool”
“Love you too, El,” I answered with a knoink, then left
The hike through the Earthborn Institute was uneventful You’ve been quiet, I noted of Regis as I walked Noret out of me as soon as he could, but he had remained in wisp form near my core since before the last ruin
‘I was just thinking,’ he noted, his tone more serious than usual ‘This world is fucked up’
I scoffed “It really is, isn’t it” Me on the city in flames
‘Just makes moments like this, with your family, with Caera back in Alacrya… all of it a bit better’
All I could do was agree, and we continued on in silence
At the Earthborn institute gates, I looked up and down the highway at the crowds of people My passage always drew attention, but at the moment I had no desire to be the object of their stares Instead, I channeled aether into God Step
A web of interconnecting violet lines appeared, overlaying the city beforetwo points to create a network that see at them now, there had been a subtle shi+ft in my perspective, e in the aether paths the” the paths and to hear and sense thenificant paradight Now, I felt compelled to do rasp them
The aetheric patheren’t siation
I raised ht that represented another diers twitched as they drew closer to the paths, and I felt a draw from the Godrune as it reacted to my intentions
External to the aetheric pathways, a descending pressure sent an icy shi+ver downsource of energy, aether coiling around ers and palm as I released God Step
The aether wound around reen feathers
As the shadows receded froure, I was able tofrom the owl’s head
Avier, I remembered
This owl had been the bond of Cynthia Goodsky, director of Xyrus Academy But he’d vanished after her i for your return,” the owl said, bobbing its horned head as it landed on a post
“So you can speak,” I said Most bonded animals could communicate with their tamer, but very few could speak to anyone else “You’re the one who’s been waiting for me?”
“You’re confused,” Avier said “I understand ht be hesitant”
I raised a brow “Hesitant, suspicious, either works”
Avier’s head tilted as he regarded ht to the point, Aldir has sent me”
I sobered instantly, but the mention of Aldir’s name only raisedwith Aldir?” I asked, voicing the reen feathers “I a already, Arthur I need you to come with me We can discuss hhere tarves followed by a cadre of guards were rushi+ng toward us Looking lun Silvershale and Carnelian Earthborn I could only watch, uards as the tarven lords slowed to a quick walk for the last fifty feet Both were breathing heavily as they arrived, bowing first to lun cleared his throat “Ah, Lord Avier, you left so quickly we didn’t finish our conversation Before you leave, I would like to extend the respect of this great city, and welcome you back into it any time you wish”
Not to be outdone, Carnelian added, “Indeed, the Earthborn Institute”—he waved a callused hand to the gates behind us—“would be er stay next time There is much we could learn from one another, I believe”
Avier’s bushy brows rose as his head turned halfway around to face the, but I thank you both for your hospitality Farewell”
The tarven lords could only stare, astonished, as the owl hopped into the air and fluttered to ate I believe that will take us , I realized I really had no choice If there was a chance tothe dwarven lords, I said, “Please inform Virion, the other Lances, and Alice Leywin that I’ll be leaving the city for…” I trailed off, raising ly to the owl on my shoulder
“A few days, at least,” it answered
“Of course, Lance,” Carnelian said quickly
“And what of the Alacryan, General?” Daglun asked, stepping forward to be a few inches closer to us than Carnelian was
“General Mica has heard my instructions and can take responsibility for the prisoner until I return,” I said, uncertain why Daglun had thought to ask
The tarven lords exchanged a confused look, but I was already hway Skarn Earthborn, Mica’s cousin, was aed a terse nod