Fall

Piper

Kinnish. Elben. Seinish. There were too many dialects being interchanged like coin, making her head spin.

“Bring her up,” Tennyson said.

The door was raised suddenly. Piper cupped her hand over her eyes. It was late afternoon, and the sun was not directly over them, but filtered through a thousand shards of living glass. Everything was dazzling.

Reine helped her in the moment, letting Piper use her sight as they came to the surface.

“And you were scared of her,” Tennyson elbowed the man next to him. “Afraid she would catch Otis by his tail?”

“Shut up,” the man growled. Piper, with a start, realized he was slightly younger than her—a mere boy. Maybe fourteen or fifteen, although his height and voice made him seem much older. His hair was dark and scruffy, and a sprinkle mustache dusted his upper lip.

The tiger’s hygiene was better. Rusted orange was tied down to the cat in black belts, the fur stretching into a wide disk of a face with piercing green eyes. He was large, but, like his human, not as old as Piper has assumed. Something was unfinished about them both. They were too new. However, it could be said the same of her and Reine.

“There’s still one more guest to this party,” Tennyson said. “And they’re on their way.”

Piper felt her hands turn into fists. “We could run.”

“But you won’t.” Tennyson smiled. “Because you feel indebted to me for saving your hide against Seine.”

“Not indebted enough to stay hostage,” Finch switched from Elben to Kinnish, cutting the scruffy boy from their conversation.

“You have questions,” Tennyson fired back. “And we have answers.”

“To which questions?” Piper said.

Tennyson winked. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”

Atlas

No one else had left with the town of Picket, although the space they created was widely felt.

Atlas was shocked. Milla was not.

“Should have gotten a blood oath from them all,” she muttered. “Less diplomatic, yes, but quite effective. It would have tied them to us.”

“Shouldn’t they want to join us willingly?” Skye said.

“Blood oaths are willing, it’s just hard to break one.” Milla sighed. “But it’s too late for it now. If we ask for blood oaths, we’ll appear paranoid. Our trust could be threatened.”

They were walking into the West, each step shaking off sand and landing on firm earth. The endless train of Southern towns must have easily carried half the desert with them.

Hudson was especially pleased. I’ve decided snow is far better than sand.

Tell that to the sand cows, Atlas said. We’ll have to make sure they don’t freeze as we get closer to the Northern winter. They would lose the Southern towns if the cows—their livelihood and wealth—began to die. Perhaps a town could stay in the southern West with the sand cows while the rest continued to help Asher.

That would lead to suspicion immediately. Remember when we started from Chesa? The fighting over which sand cow is which will be extraordinary. Maybe worse than the war we’re going to, Hudson chuckled.

It seemed the golden lifeline they had grabbed was fraying. If they situation did not benefit the South, they could return to their homes without excuse. There was no long history in their friendship, a brotherhood tying them to the North. It was opportunity driving their assistance, nothing more or less.

This could be the beginning of a stronger North-South bond, Hudson said helpfully. One that could last for generations, written in text as a great event.

If it falls apart before we reach the North, it will be a great waste of time. Atlas was waiting for the end of the line to catch up to them. Skye had switched places again, and they were going to walk with Thorn.

I don’t think it will fall through, Hudson said. If anything, we’ve gained a valuable ally in at least Thorn. The other mayors respect him and his town of Wisp.

They spotted Thorn and his entourage coming down the path. He no longer needed a canopy; there were now enough Western trees to cover them all. This close to the South, it still felt like late summer. The heat would melt away rapidly once they climbed deeper into the West, close to Trene territory.

Yes, Atlas thought as he watched Thorn. At least we have an ally.