so surprised, or so humbled. For all her bravery, the Kampii back home had never treated her as anything more than a troublemaker. He felt ashamed of his people.
The president turned to him. “To you, Hoku of the City of Shifting Tides, we also grant freedom.”
Hoku swallowed. He’d been dreading this moment for so long. He tried to choose his words carefully.
“Does that also mean the freedom to return one day . . . and stay?”
He didn’t dare look at Aluna. He could picture her face, a mix of anger and astonishment. But he wanted this. He needed this. Even without Calli’s friendship, Skyfeather’s Landing offered him books and tech to study, and the opportunity to experiment that he’d never get underwater. If he was going to help the Kampii, it would be with his brain, not his spear arm.
President Iolanthe smiled gently, then shook her head. “No, child, you cannot live here.”
Hoku dropped his gaze to the floor and studied the dusty-red rug. He couldn’t bear to look in Calli’s direction. Or Aluna’s.
“Skyfeather’s Landing is open only to girls and women,” the president continued. “There are other Aviar strongholds that welcome men. We can arrange transportation to Talon’s Peak if —”
“No,” Hoku said, the word choking in his throat. “That’s okay. Never mind.”
“Child, look at me,” the president said.
Child, thought Hoku. No more warrior. Tides’ teeth, respectability had been short-lived. Still, he did as he was told.
President Iolanthe knew better than to smile, knew better than to show pity. She said simply, “You may not live here, child, but you may visit.”
“Visit?”
He looked at Calli, suddenly hopeful. She grinned back at him.
“Visiting would be, ah, good,” he said stiffly. “Very good.”
Calli smothered a laugh, but the president made no attempt to hide hers. “Now that you are free, where may we take you? High Senator Electra and Senator Niobe have volunteered to fly you wherever you desire. We don’t know where HydroTek is, but we do think it is located in a dome on the ocean’s surface somewhere to the south. Farther than we can travel safely from here.”
“Then take us to the SkyTek dome, please,” Aluna said. “That’s the only place I can think of that might have a clue for us to follow.”
“There is nothing but devastation and danger there now,” President Iolanthe said. “But I suspect that will not deter you?”
Aluna grinned. “How soon can we leave?”
He wanted to kick her. Why was she in such a rush? They’d been here for weeks. Would another few nights make any difference? He looked at Calli. However much time, it just wouldn’t be enough.
“Pack your things,” Iolanthe said. “Our sisters are ready to fly.”
AN OCEAN OF GREEN FOREST bobbed below Hoku, in time with the flap of Senator Niobe’s wings. She held him close to her body as they flew. Her shoulder was freshly bandaged from the Upgrader fight, and he could smell the antiseptic the Aviar medic had slathered under the dressing in hopes of neutralizing the poison from the Upgrader’s finger blades. But Niobe had insisted on taking him despite her wound, and he was glad for her company.
Up ahead, High Senator Electra carried Aluna, and the two chatted about the battle. He tried to follow their conversation, but he could only hear what Aluna was saying. He had no interest in tactics or strategy, but he wanted to think about something, anything, other than Calli . . . and the fact that every wing beat took him farther away from her.
He hadn’t gotten even one last kiss before they’d left. He’d barely had time to shove his water safe and two of the smaller books Calli had given him into his satchel before Aluna had hustled him back to the Oval Chamber for their formal good-bye. He’d lingered as long as he could, trying to urge Calli off her throne with his mind. She hadn’t budged. He didn’t blame her. Kissing in front of all those people before they’d had time to practice more could have been a disaster.
Still. One more kiss. It wouldn’t have been that bad.
Calli wasn’t like Aluna. She understood what it felt like to be shy, to be bad at hunting and good at fiddling with tech. She made him feel like it was okay to like the things he liked.
Grudgingly, he knew they needed to keep moving. He believed in their quest, and as much as he loved living with the Aviars, he hated the thought of more Kampii dying.