a bitter pang of longing. What she wouldn’t have given to hear the wraith’s voice suddenly drift down from the sky.
The masked person called out a command in a Vesperian dialect Navi did not know. The soldiers in the nearby boats relaxed, lowering their spears. The rowers resumed their work, pushing the boats toward a small black island on the horizon.
Navi’s attacker untied their mask and unwrapped the scarf from their head, revealing a slim, ruddy-faced young woman, her skin marked with freckles and one rather large white scar. She shook out her shaggy, chin-length hair, bleached white from the sun, and shrugged off her layers of shawls. Beneath it she wore snug brown trousers over slim shapely legs and battered knee-high boots. The collar of her white tunic gaped open to reveal two knotted cords of leather tied around her neck.
“Apologies for the dramatics,” she said, gesturing noncommittally with a lazy flick of her hand. “And for the knife. But I don’t trust anyone until I’ve looked them in the eye and held a blightblade to their throat. You understand.”
Navi, shocked into speech, said, “I do, actually.” Then she paused, wondering. This was a much younger woman than she had been expecting, perhaps only a year or two older than Navi herself. “You are Ysabet?”
Ysabet raised an eyebrow. “And you are Navana, princess of Astavar.”
“My name is Jatana.” Navi wrinkled her brow, feigning confusion, but her heart lurched with sudden fear. “You know this.”
“What I know,” said Ysabet, looking out to sea as the island grew larger and nearer, “are the stories I’ve heard from the north. A princess working in Lord Arkelion’s maidensfold as a spy for Red Crown. A death-defying escape. An alliance with the notorious Wolf. Rumors too of a girl with miraculous powers. Some say she is the Sun Queen. A fleet of imperial warships sunk by a freak storm in Karajak Bay. An army of monsters. Astavar invaded at last and fallen. The kings dead, but no royal children found. And now, a girl named Jatana and her brother arrive on my islands, wanting to meet me. Wanting to build an army.”
Ysabet paused, then turned to look back over her shoulder.
Navi’s chest ached with fresh sorrow, but she held Ysabet’s curious gaze and did not flinch.
“We may be scattered, here in the Vespers,” Ysabet continued, “and our number much smaller than I would like. Red Crown is weak in these islands, but it still lives, and my crows fly far.” Ysabet hesitated. Her voice was hard, but there was something soft to the bow of her mouth. “I know what it is to lose your family, Navana. The unfairness of it. The agony of grief. This is why I fight. You are among friends here. I simply had to see you for myself before I could be sure.”
“And my brother?” Navi asked, raising her chin. She would hide her astonishment and her heartbreak. This Red Crown queen would not rattle her. “His companions?”
“They are probably resting, like the reasonable people they are. He is no doubt pacing lines into my floor as he awaits your arrival. Not sure we’ll ever be true friends, he and I. Don’t think he’ll want to forgive me for frightening you as I’ve done. Ah, well.” She flashed a little grin at Navi. “You and I can be friends instead.”
Navi was not sure how to respond, so she chose not to. They sat in silence as their small fleet of boats approached the island that was no longer so distant. As the waves brought them closer, she noticed how comfortably Ysabet sat in the prow, patiently watching the island near.
Then there was a rumble deep in the water. Even the air seemed to tremble. Navi noticed one of the island’s black peaks spewing steam.
Ysabet caught her staring. Her lips quirked. “Not to worry, princess. Raratari is not set to erupt for another three months. I have two Saterketa scholars in my employ, and they have never been wrong in their readings of the earth.”
“Hopefully this will not be their first mistake,” Navi said, irritated that her alarm was so obvious.
Ysabet laughed, then stood in the prow and called out commands to the other boats. They passed through a wide mouth of rock and into a black cove, and Navi’s jaw dropped, for the cliffs ahead of them began to open—two massive doors tugged apart by some hidden mechanism Navi’s mind burned to inspect. The doors moved slowly but quietly
<<Previous page Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 1 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 2 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 3 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 4 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 5 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 6 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 7 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 8 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 9 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 10 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 11 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 12 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 13 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 14 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 15 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 16 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 17 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 18 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 19 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 20 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 21 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 22 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 23 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 24 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 25 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 26 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 27 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 28 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 29 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 30 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 31 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 32 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 33 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 34 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 35 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 36 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 37 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 38 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 39 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 40 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 41 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 42 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 43 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 44 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 45 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 46 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 47 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 48 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 49 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 50 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 51 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 52 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 53 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 54 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 55 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 56 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 57 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 58 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 59 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 60 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 61 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 62 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 63 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 64 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 65 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 66 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 67 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 68 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 69 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 70 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 71 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 72 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 73 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 74 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 75 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 76 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 77 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 78 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 79 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 80 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 81 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 82 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 83 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 84 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 85 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 86 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 87 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 88 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 89 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 90 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 91 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 92 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 93 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 94 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 95 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 96 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 97 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 98 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 99 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 100 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 101 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 102 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 103 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 104 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 105 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 106 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 107 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 108 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 109 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 110 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 111 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 112 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 113 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 114 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 115 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 116 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 117 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 118 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 119 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 120 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 121 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 122 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 123 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 124 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 125 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 126 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 127 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 128 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 129 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 130 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 131 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 132 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 133 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 134 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 135 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 136 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 137 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 138 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 139 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 140 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 141 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 142 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 143 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 144 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 145 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 146 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 147 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 148 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 149 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 150 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 151 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 152 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 153 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 154 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 155 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 156 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 157 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 158 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 159 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 160 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 161 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 162 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 163 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 164 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 165 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 166 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 167 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 168 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 169 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 170 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 171 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 172 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 173 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 174 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 175 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 176 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 177 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 178 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 179 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 180 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 181 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 182 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 183 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 184 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 185 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 186 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 187 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 188 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 189 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 190 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 191 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 192 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 193 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 194 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 195 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 196 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 197 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 198 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 199 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 200 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 201 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 202 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 203 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 204 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 205 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 206 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 207 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 208 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 209 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 210 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 211 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 212 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 213 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 214 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 215 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 216 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 217 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 218 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 219 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 220 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 221 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 222 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 223 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 224 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 225 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 226 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 227 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 228 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 229 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 230 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 231 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 232 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 233 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 234 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 235 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 236 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 237 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 238 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 239 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 240 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 241
Next page>>