Night Spinner (Night Spinner #1) - Addie Thorley Page 0,61
I’ve already proven my worth, haven’t I?” He points at Orbai. “I don’t think I’m being unreasonable to expect something in return.”
“You realize if I lose control again, I could kill hundreds of innocent people?”
“If we don’t rescue the magic-barren soldiers from the war front, we’re killing them just the same.”
“You honestly expect me to do this?” I say, clambering to my feet.
“I don’t expect you to do anything. The choice is yours.”
“Serik is bound for Gazar! You know I don’t have a choice!”
“Then do we have an accord?” Temujin offers me his hand and I stare at it. Wanting to slap it back to his side.
“For a moment there, I honestly believed you were good,” I mutter.
“Good is relative, Enebish. There are a thousand sides to every story. A million shades of gray between black and white. Give us a chance. I think you’ll come around to my plan.”
I grip his hand, imagining his bones are a marmot and my fingers are Orbai’s crushing talons. “I won’t call a single thread of darkness until Serik is safe in the realm of the Eternal Blue.”
Temujin grins and squeezes back. “Then I’d better stop that prison wagon.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
AS WE HEAD TOWARD THE COLORFUL ENCAMPMENT AT THE bottom of the hill, Temujin tells me about the globeflowers—like I’m a skies-forsaken sightseer instead of an extorted captive.
“Seriously?” I snap. “Do you think I care about the scenery?”
Temujin holds up his hands as if I am the difficult one, and we walk the rest of the way in silence.
Orbai springs from my shoulder and takes to the cloudless sky, chasing the unsuspecting hoopoes that squawk and scatter. At least one of us is enjoying the realm of the Eternal Blue.
I glare at Temujin’s annoyingly handsome profile. Why in the skies would the Lady and Father make someone like him Goddess-touched? Not that I’m questioning Their judgment. I’m sure They have Their reasons. Those reasons just aren’t clear to my skeptical, imperfect eyes.
The closer we draw to the tents, the more apparent it becomes that this encampment is very different from the ones I lived in as an imperial warrior. Those tents were small and felt, easy to assemble and collapse at a moment’s notice. These are as tall as the prayer temples at Ikh Zuree and made of shimmering silks and translucent tulles in every shade of the sunset.
Temujin lifts a panel of coral silk, and I gape when we emerge on the other side. The campsite is breathtaking. The air is so thick with incense, I’m transported to a grove of lemon trees every time I inhale. In the center of the tents, dozens of Shoniin dance around a roaring bonfire with flames that glow sapphire instead of yellow. Some laugh and drink vorkhi, while others fly above us on zip lines, weaving through hundreds of floating lanterns suspended on invisible strings.
It’s an explosion of color and chaos that feels more like a dream than reality.
And it makes me even more furious. This is the home of the Lady of the Sky. I should be running through this glorious encampment with my arms outstretched in ecstasy. Ever since I was young, I’ve dreamed of visiting the land of the First Gods. But now I’m here and it’s tainted by Temujin’s ultimatum.
“You know, you can enjoy this place even if you’re mad at me,” Temujin says. He at least tries to sound slightly apologetic. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
We approach the bonfire, and the din of conversation stops abruptly. A multitude of curious eyes squint and stare.
“Enebish!” Inkar leaps from her stool and darts through the group. “You came! When did you arrive?” Her step falters as she gets closer, and her hand flies to her mouth at the sight of my ashen face and bloodstained tunic. “Bleeding skies, what happened?”
I swallow and self-consciously smooth the fabric. “I … um …” I doubt they’ll embrace me with open arms if they knew I was meeting with the commander of the Kalima warriors. Though judging from their skeptical, and a few outright hostile, faces, I don’t think they feel welcoming either way.
Temujin finally has the decency to break the prickling silence. “This is Enebish. Our newest recruit. She was attacked for withholding information about us. She’s precisely the kind of warrior we need.”
Inkar proudly links her arm through mine, but the others continue staring. I try to stand tall and meet each of their eyes, but my chest instinctively caves inward.