Sky Breaker (Night Spinner Duology), Addie Thorley [100 books to read in a lifetime txt] 📗

Relations between our countries are strong, and Ashkar’s presence has always been minimal in the marshlands, so there’s little threat of being caught. If you help me transport my father to safety, I’ll convince the Namagaans to join us in our march against the imperial governor.”

For the first time since we entered the caves, the shepherds aren’t yelling. I can see them turning the plan over in their brains: Food. Shelter. Protection. Reinforcements. It’s only a weeklong trek to Uzul, the Namagaan capital. One week, and their suffering could be over. It’s a good plan—essentially the same as mine, only we’d be recruiting the Protected Territories in a different order. And the shepherds aren’t outright saying no, which is a victory in itself. But when Ziva looks at me with a wide smile, I shake my head.

“It won’t work.”

“Why not?” She leaps down from the boulder and plants her hands on her hips.

“Because you could use us to transport you and your father to Namaag, then cast us out.”

Ziva recoils, her dark eyes glassy with hurt. And beneath the hurt, a quiet, simmering rage. “Do you honestly think I would abandon the people of Verdenet? My father is the king! I am the crown princess. I’ll return to fight for my country with or without this group.”

“Don’t take her cynicism personally, little princess.” Azamat throws a venomous look my way. “That one thinks we’re all traitors—accused me of stealing the food she set me to guard.”

“I don’t—I never …” My voice takes on a desperate edge. “We must also think of her family’s ties to Namaag. Scores of assassins are hunting King Minoak. They’ll surely be waiting along the caravan route.”

“Enebish refuses to believe any of us are capable,” Lalyne, the tracker, says to Ziva. “She accuses us of insurrection and incompetence, no matter that she set us with an impossible task. We never would’ve found you or your father—not while you were hidden beneath the cover of night.”

“Which is exactly why we don’t have to worry about assassins or Shoniin scouts spotting us as we travel to Namaag!” Serik jumps in. “Now we have two Night Spinners to conceal us.”

“What?” I demand.

“We all know how exhausted you are, En. Ziva can help.”

“You can’t be serious!” I retort. “She doesn’t know the first thing about Night Spinning.”

Ziva jerks back as if I’ve slapped her. “I knew enough to steal food out from under your nose!”

“I didn’t know how to wield my power either,” Serik continues. “But you learn quickly when you’re thrust into the fray. And you can teach her, En. Mentor her. She’s already shown promise. She concealed King Minoak all this time.”

The shepherds whisper and nod more eagerly, pulling away from me like the threads of darkness at dawn.

“Do you realize what you’re suggesting?” I ask Serik in a low, dangerous whisper. I can’t just mentor Ziva. Ghoa destroyed me. I want nothing to do with another relationship like that. And if I allow Ziva to help, I won’t have complete control of the night. I won’t be able to ensure everyone’s safety when she inevitably makes a mistake. Or purposely sabotages us.

“Loosen your hold on the reins and stop being so suspicious,” Serik says. “We can do this, but only if you trust us. We need to use every advantage at our disposal, and Ziva’s offer is a good one.”

Behind him, the shepherds nod. Ziva raises her chin, a challenge in her eyes.

“What if my power flags?” I persist, even though I know it’s pointless.

“What if my power flags?” Serik says solemnly. “Every day, I burn closer to the end of my wick, and when I reach it, we’ll all freeze to death.”

“But—”

“If you have a better plan, let’s hear it!” someone shouts.

They know I don’t. Without proper treatment, King Minoak will die. And we can’t invade Lutaar City without him. We need the Namagaans to join our rebellion eventually anyway. I’d just hoped to recruit them later, when our numbers were more impressive.

“I have a bad feeling about this, Serik,” I say, my heart buzzing in my chest like the wings of a dragonfly.

Serik’s face softens. He twines his fingers through mine and tugs me closer, tucking my head beneath his stubbled chin. “I know it’s hard,” he whispers for my ears only, “but we’re your allies. If you can’t trust us, this rebellion is doomed before it’s truly begun.”

I clutch his hand tighter. I know Serik’s right. I’m not being fair. I’m treating everyone as if they’re going to betray me—as if they already have. But how can I be anything but wary when Ghoa framed me for a massacre and Temujin tricked me and Kartok siphoned my power and stored it in his urns?

“We can do this,” Serik murmurs into my hair. “Have faith.”

There it is again. That word. Coming from Serik.

He gives my shoulders a squeeze, then turns back to Ziva and the crowd of waiting shepherds. “Gather your belongings! We leave for Namaag at sundown.”

CHAPTER SIX

GHOA

EVERYONE FEARS THE DARKNESS TO SOME DEGREE. IT MAKES the walls feel closer. Sounds seem louder. Every whisper of breath is sinister and every prickle on your skin is menacing.

It renders even seasoned warriors like the Kalima useless.

Their shouts fill the vault behind me and spill down the long treasury hall, low and high, shrill and warbling, as they realize what the darkness means.

What Enebish has done.

She isn’t acting in self-defense or rescuing the “weak.”

She is attacking us.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” I roar into the blackness. We’ll never be able to stand against the advancing Zemyans if we’re locked in battle with one another. Maybe that’s the aim? Temujin has never been concerned with keeping Ashkar strong—always stealing our rations and cannons, luring our soldiers away and releasing prisoners. He probably wants Sagaan to fall. Wants to see the Sky King dethroned. Wants to end the Kalima.

And Enebish supports him.

Part of me wants to scream and flail like my comrades trapped in the blackened vault,