no sound, because the councilmembers treaded so lightly, there were no footfalls.
A minute later, though, there was plenty to hear as Empress Aki arrived.
“Your Majesty.” It was followed by a pause as the councilmembers presumably bowed.
They settled back into their chairs.
“You have a report of your latest findings?” Empress Aki asked.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Glass Lady said. “I know you like to see all the details, so we’ve compiled summaries of the reports from each outpost, as well as the research our scholars have yielded thus far.” There was some shuffling of paper as she passed it across the table.
“As previously discussed, we are actively patrolling the seas and have increased the numbers of warriors on watch at every station around the kingdom. Ships and outposts send reports to the Citadel every twelve hours, rather than every twenty-four, as was the previous peacetime model. The most recent dragonflies from the navy this morning indicate nothing unusual in the seas—no unidentified ships or unusual weather. The reports from around the island are likewise—”
“Wait,” Empress Aki said. Papers rustled. “There still hasn’t been a dragonfly from Paro Village? And now Sand Mine and Kaede City have also failed to report.”
Beneath the floorboards, Fairy’s breath caught. Spirit and Wolf had gone to Takish Gorge. That wasn’t too far away from Paro Village. Had something happened to them? She reached for Broomstick’s hand.
He clutched his fingers against hers.
“What if—?” she began.
“I know,” he said.
“But Spirit . . . she always manages to figure a way out, right?” Fairy said weakly.
“Yeah, she’ll know what to do,” Broomstick said. His conviction was as uncertain as Fairy’s. It didn’t make her feel any better.
Above them, Glass Lady cleared her throat. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, for not leading with Paro Village, Kaede City, and Sand Mine. I wanted to give you some comfort that the seas are safe for now, that no new threats, like an incoming navy, have appeared. But it is indeed concerning that there has been no communication from three different outposts in the south. A ship has been dispatched to investigate, but it will take a few days, since those regions are remote, and the ship will need to sail around the tiger’s leg to access them.”
“Have we no taigas who can get there more quickly by land?” Empress Aki asked.
Bullfrog spoke up, his voice croaking a bit, as always. “It is unwise to divert resources from our other command posts, Your Majesty. And since the Imperial Navy is already patrolling the ocean, it makes sense to investigate via water. Besides, we haven’t received any distress calls from those three posts. If something bad has happened, surely one of them would have managed to send off a dragonfly.”
Fairy wanted to believe this reasoning. But how did they know something hugely bad hadn’t happened? What if a massive typhoon took out the entire southern part of Kichona, and that was why there weren’t any dragonflies coming in?
Oh gods, Spirit and Wolf could have drowned. She imagined them floating facedown among the wreckage of a typhoon, their bodies lifeless.
Broomstick almost crushed Fairy’s hand. He could feel her terror tremoring through their bond. “Whatever is going on in that head of yours, stop it. It’s not true.”
“But it could be.”
“There are an infinite number of possible outcomes. You can torture yourself imagining the worst, but it’s just as likely to be true as Spirit and Wolf being fine. They could be on their way back here right now. Think about that. Think about Spirit and Wolf’s victory as they ride into the Citadel with news about the south, before the navy gets us word.”
Fairy tried to smile. But she couldn’t.
Above them, Empress Aki sighed loudly. “I appreciate the speed at which the Society has mobilized to address this unidentified threat. However, I can’t help but think that we’re approaching this in the wrong way.”
“How do you mean?” Glass Lady asked. “We are doing what has worked for centuries, based on the Society’s experience protecting the kingdom from everything from coordinated pirate raids to full-scale foreign incursions.”
“Yes, but that’s my point. The attack on Isle of the Moon is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. In all those centuries of experience, have the taigas ever faced an adversary who wielded magic stronger than yours? Or have you faced another enemy with magic at all?”
The Council was quiet, seemingly taken by surprise by someone questioning their expertise.
A minute later, the commander recovered herself. “Your Majesty,” Glass Lady said, “we have