Fall

Finch is a spy and a messenger? Reine was already aligning the new information to their advantage. Since you two are going to be mates, this is a perfect way—

Wait, what? Where did you get that idea? Piper felt herself blush. Finch and I aren’t even dating! They were just friends. After the battle, he had barely spoken five sentences to her, let alone any romantic proposals.

My kind does not ‘date.’ Reine’s ears flicked back in annoyance. It is a waste of time. You are either mates, or not.

We are not mates, Piper stressed. Please get that out of your head.

It’s in yours, Reine added smugly as Atlas picked up the conversation. “You never told me this. Has Finch always been a spy of yours?”

King Asher glanced at the curtain beside him, and it rustled slightly as the dark-haired boy materialized next to Levi. His scarlet finch fera chirped a sweet melody that brought goose bumps to Piper’s arms.

Reine’s smugness grew stronger.

Stop it, Piper silently hissed. She kept her attention solely on King Asher.

“Yes. I like to keep some surprises up my sleeve.” The king put his hand on Finch’s shoulder. “One qualified Elben spy and messenger. Proven on the court and battlefield. Is this good enough for you, Atlas?”

“I…” Atlas cleared his throat. “I suppose.”

“Good. Now our heroes have an objective I can announce to the public; a mission for the people.”

“Wait!” Skye said. She cowered slightly when the spotlight shifted to her. “So it’s just Micah, Piper and Finch going to the West? None of us,” Madoc spread out his wings on her shoulder, “are going?”

King Asher arched an eyebrow. “Atlas said himself that a qualified spy was best for accompanying Piper and Reine.”

“Skye…” Milla warned.

“But, but,” Skye whipped her head back and forth, catching the eyes of all. “It’s only three people!”

“Your ambassador mission to Kinn, the capital of the West, originally consisted of only three members. Milla, yourself, and Atlas. Why would this be any different?” King Asher asked.

“Because it’s Piper,” Skye said in a small voice.

Piper felt her face redden again. “Um.”

Reine immediately poured confidence through their link, taking away the blush. Say something! Don’t stand there like a star-struck rabbit!

I doubt Kit would agree with that comparison. Piper turned to Skye. “We’ll be fine.”

Skye shook her head, but remained silent.

“Why were we called here then, if not to assist Piper?” Milla said.

“An excellent question.” King Asher sent Finch back behind the curtains, to the amusement of Reine. It’s like a magic show.

What do you know of magic shows? Piper demanded.

From your memories of Biscay. Reine settled onto her haunches. Honestly, Piper, it’s like you think we were bonded yesterday.

“I gathered you here today to announce a new plan.” King Asher smiled. “Milla, Skye, Atlas, I want you to go to Trene with Micah, Piper and Finch first, and make sure Nell is appeased for Loy’s loss. Happy, Skye? After that, you will continue on to Chesa while Piper and Finch continue on their mission.”

“Chesa? The capital of the South?” Atlas asked.

“I want to make sure we win this war. Right now, we are outnumbered against the East and West. And they know it. Trene and the South would greatly help our cause.”

“It’s true,” Kane mumbled. From a glance in his direction, Piper could tell he was torn about something.

Perhaps it’s because Atlas is leaving again, Reine mused. We’re all leaving, in fact.

Kane

He waited until the throne room was clear before speaking. “Finch a spy? Sending everyone out again after they just got here in the spring?”

“A season is a long time to stay idle for ambassadors. You of all people should know that.” King Asher shook his head. “It’s fall, Kane. We have to establish lifelines now, before the winter snow cuts off communication to the rest of the North. And I had every right to withhold telling the group about Finch.”

“Can’t we… Shouldn’t we…” Kane tried to think of a witty comeback. Something to change the ruler’s mind.

I can’t see a way out of this, Flint said. Unless Atlas, Milla and Skye retire.

They won’t. Kane sighed. “What are we doing now?”

“We’re going to go through with the annual vitrum harvest, and prepare for any conceivable attack our neighbors throw at us. As well as thinking of a few counterattacks of our own.” King Asher’s eyes shone in mischief.

Kane bowed, ready to be dismissed. “And what about Flint and I?”

“You, my Prince, will help Donovan, Cooper, Poppy and I with the restoration of Elbe.”

Piper

We did it! We’re going to the West. Reine leaped atop a slice of ledge jutting out of the grass. She struck a valiant pose, fit for a painting in her mind. We shall search out our hope. Amur chasing Amur!

Yeah. Piper walked by her fera without comment on her posture, which she could tell annoyed the leopard to no end.

Reine fell instep behind her. What’s wrong now?

You know. Honestly, Reine, it’s like you think we were bonded yesterday, Piper mimicked her earlier statement.

Hmph. Well I don’t feel like digging for the answer. There are much more important things to do. When did Asher say we were leaving?

King Asher, Piper corrected, said we were leaving in two days. Not the most generous amount of time to pack for so many days… But we can do it.

‘So many days’ is a nice way to say indefinite. Reine added a burst of speed as they reached the Fletcher’s house. By the sadness in Thea’s face, Piper knew the news had already reached her. Kit was nowhere to be seen.

“Hi Piper. We’re ordering out tonight.” Thea wore a thin smile. Forced. Steadfast. She had gone through this before. “Micah offered to pay. Isn’t that nice?”

“Micah’s coming for dinner?” Piper stopped her ascent to the upstairs rooms.

“Yes.” Kit’s voice floated from a side room. It was quiet. Defeated.

Backtracking her steps, Piper made her way to Kit’s location, past the kitchen and dining room. From the walls of scrolls and diagram-riddled desk, she assumed it was Atlas’s study.

Kit was at the desk, playing with a small vitrum sphere. It reminded Piper of the deadly weapons she had dropped on the Battle of the Valley, on the day she had been the judge of thousands of lives.

When Kit let the sphere fall from her palm, Piper flinched, expecting a burst of light. Instead, the sphere rolled across the map spread across the desk. It wandered aimlessly for a second, before jerking into place and shimmering into a three-dimensional replica of a mountain.

“So,” Kit said.

“So,” Piper echoed. “You heard?”

“I did.” Kit kept her face hidden by a curtain of blonde. “The messenger—Finch came.” Her fingers reached inside a velvet bag beside the map, and took out several more marbles. She scattered these, and watched as they grew into buildings, trees, and the terrain of Eden. The few vitrum marbles that landed on the Toro Ocean and Bay of Shiloh brought the shores to life with animated waves.

“Pretty crazy, huh?” Piper tried to lighten the mood. “I’m destined to get myself killed one of these times. Runaway, soldier, hero, and now runaway orphan again.”

Kit gave a short laugh. “I wish I could go, too. Be a runaway.”

An awkward silence followed. Piper knew Atlas wouldn’t allow his only daughter to leave Elbe into a warzone, and Piper didn’t blame him. There was a chance she wouldn’t return. They could be taken prisoner, ambushed, caught in a battle, shot by an enemy arch—

Piper, Reine growled. Your friend needs help. This isn’t time for a pity party, for us at least.

“I would never wish my position on anyone. I was lied to for fifteen years, thinking my parents would come back for me. My Guardian tried to sell me, and I had to run. I was lucky I ran into your dad and the ambassadors. Kit, you have a family that loves you. Now I have to find mine.” Piper put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Do you get it? If I had everything you had, I would have never left Biscay.”

“But I want to see more than Elbe. I want to see the world,” Kit pushed back her hair as she motioned to the map in front of them. “Rivers that never freeze, grass that’s never frosted, people who are different than me. How else will I know how to appreciate what I have?”

“By doing just that. Appreciating what you have with each day’s joys,” Piper said.

Kit swiped her hand low and hard across the map, instantly turning Eden into a collection of vitrum marbles and paper. “I don’t think it’s enough.”

Piper bit her lip. “Promise me something.”

“What?” Kit poured the marbles back into the bag, and lifted Arlo from the floor onto her lap.

“Stay safe, okay? Don’t…” she was silent for a moment as a flurry of thoughts passed between her and Reine. “Don’t get yourself killed, okay? If you do something rash, do it right. There’s only one Kit Fletcher in this world.”

“Same to you.” Kit nodded. “I wouldn’t want to lose my friend to a battle when she just won one.”