El, Nidina, Dayne, and Laze sat in a circle equidistant around the cookpot, each mutely staring into the swirling liquid of the soup.

  “This is suicide,” Laze finally said quietly. “Suicide.”

  “It’s the only option left,” Nidina countered with a shrug.

  “That doesn’t make it any less suicide,” Laze replied. “And it’s not actually the only option left; we could fall back to the capital.”

  “And then what?” Nidina asked. “You heard them. With the God’s Claw mines lost to a storm, we’ll eventually run out of electrum. Then how will we take the final Ember? We’ve got to do it now, while we still have some strength left.”

  “But the newts attacked the golems. Why can’t we try to negotiate with Guld? A common enemy we can fight together,” Laze offered.

  “They wouldn’t trust us,” El said. “And rightfully so. They know we want the Ember. Would you put it past the Church to order us to stab them in the back and steal it at the first opportunity?”

  “And, once we have the Ember, we won’t need to worry about the storms or the newts anymore. The Pyre will be able to protect us,” Nidina said.

  “If you believe the Cardinals,” Dayne said.

  But, if what the journal said was true, maybe that was actually the best course of action. Bring the Ember back to the Pyre, the creator, and his full power might be enough to keep the destroyer back.

  “I think we can make it,” El said. “With the storm over the mountains, the golems that guard them won’t be able to see us coming. We’ve never had an opportunity like this before.”

  “We won’t have the groundies to support us when we get to the other side,” Laze said. “How do we wage war on a country with only a few wings of Firestorm?”

  El shook her head. “This won’t be war. With the storm as cover, we’ll be sneaking in and out as quietly as possible. If everything goes well, they won’t even know we were there until we’ve got the Ember and are halfway back to the capital.”

  “You can’t really think it will be that easy,” Laze said.

  “Not at all. But if we don’t do this now, the storm will just keep devouring our country and blanketing it an ice age that’ll swallow us whole. We can’t beat the newts. And we certainly can’t beat the Stormbearer.”

  “Nexin almost did,” Laze said, then winced at her own words.

  “Almost,” El agreed. “Almost. And that was Nexin. How many others like him are there in the Firestorm? Even most of the generals were barely a candle next to him. And, you didn’t see it like I did. No, we can’t beat that army. Our only option is to take the Ember.”

  “El is right,” Dayne said. “If we can get over the mountains, we have a good chance. Those golems Guld had in Aldrana, they were probably the last main line of defense. And most of them got trapped on this side of the mountains.

  “If we cross out of sight of the city, they won’t even know we bypassed them completely. Then we stay hidden in the storm and make our way toward the Ember.”

  “What if one of the golems up there sees us? Won’t they warn their friends we’re coming?” Nidina asked.

  “The storm probably blocks their communications just as much as it does ours. No, the biggest risk to us will be getting lost in the storm,” El explained.

  “How are we going to avoid that?” Laze asked. “The storm looked pretty heavy.”

  “I’ve got an idea,” Nidina said, stood, and disappeared into the tent. She came back out a moment later with a looped rope over her elbow.

  “That’s a good plan,” El said. “Even if we can’t see each other, just follow the pull of the rope.”

  “We can’t tie all the wings together,” Dayne said.

  “No. This’ll just be for us. I’m sure the other wings will do something similar, but it’d be too risky to connect us all. Each wing is pretty much on their own to get over the mountains, and not get lost on the way.”

  “What happens when we get to the other side? How do we find the others?” Laze asked.

  “We’re all heading to the same place, the temple with the Ember,” El said. “We’ll have to meet up there. We’ve got a small wing, obviously, so we’ll find a place to hide and observe the temple. If it’s too heavily guarded for us four alone, we’ll wait for another wing to make its move.

  “But, if we see an opportunity, we’re going to take it. The sooner we get out of there, the better.”

  “Do you think they moved the Ember from the temple? When was the last time we had reliable intel?” Laze asked.

  “About three years ago,” Nidina said. “Guld hasn’t allowed anything to go into the tunnel since then. Anybody stationed outside was there until the war ended, so we haven’t been able to sneak anybody through the mountains.

  “As for the Ember, I don’t think they moved it. More accurately, I don’t think they can. Just like ours, it needs to be open to the sky and in a place it can be worshipped. If they hide or bury it, the power of their Sparks will suffer. They’d lose the war even faster.”

  “But, now that they’ve lost Aldrana, they may choose to do just that,” El pointed out. “All the more reason we need to get over the mountains sooner rather than later.”

  “Are there newts over there?” Dayne asked.

  “No, I don’t think so,” El answered. “They didn’t come out of the tunnel. I bet they were trying to get in, just like us.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “But, if the storm is over there…?” Laze asked. “You saw the entrance the Stormbearer made.”

  “First hand, and far closer than I’d ever like to be again,” El agreed. “My gut says the lizards can’t do that though. The Stormbearer, he’s special. The newts are just newts. They need to walk where they want to go, which is why we saw them rushing along the mountainside.”

  “And if you’re wrong?” Dayne asked.

  “Then we deal with it,” El said. What other option was there? “Any other questions? Suggestions? If not, we should call it a night. Who knows the next time we’ll have a chance to get some rest?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Nidina stood and stretched, then disappeared into the tent.

  “You taking the lead tomorrow?” Dayne asked El.

  “Yes. I’d like you bringing up the rear, if you’re game,” El said.

  “I am. I’ll pack extra supplies,” he said, then followed Nidina into the tent.

  “How’s your Spark?” Laze asked when the pair was alone.

  El closed her eyes and focused on the gentle warmth in her chest. Was the ice gone? Melted when her Spark burst forth? Why was it even there in the first place? “Back to normal, I think,” she said, keeping her questions to herself. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

  “I’m worried about all of us,” Laze said with a sad smile. “We’ve lost too many friends… and family. I don’t want to lose any more.”

  “Maybe I should be the one asking if you’re okay,” El said. “What’s on your mind?”

  “I don’t know,” Laze said with a shrug. “Something’s just different this time. When we got deployed before, and before the battle a few days ago, I was… more… excited? Is that the best way to describe it? I couldn’t think about anything other than winning. I was so sure we’d win. There wasn’t any room for me to be nervous.

  “Tonight though? I… don’t feel it. That electricity in the camp. The buzz. The high. It’s gone. And, I don’t think I’m the only one. Listen. What do you hear coming from the camp?”

  El nodded. She didn’t need to listen to understand. “You’re right. I’ve never heard it so quiet. And it’s not just because people are sleeping. Everybody is nervous about tomorrow.”

  “It’s not just about tomorrow,” Laze said with a shake of her head. “You weren’t here, so you didn’t hear it, but the grief after that loss is everywhere. I’ve never seen so many tear-streaked and haggard faces. Everybody lost somebody the other day. And people aren’t coping well.

  “When we lost our friends down in Salid, it was… hard,” Laze said after searching for the right word. “But, when we got back to the capital, when we got our orders, that feeling was gone. I thought it was just our training taking over. Our duty, you know?”

  “I know.” El rubbed the palm of her hand over the center of her chest. The hole where Nexin should be was only getting bigger, and it took everything El had not to break down again.

  “What if that wasn’t it? What if it wasn’t… duty… that made us feel like that?” Laze asked.

  “What are you getting at?” El asked, leaning forward.

  “I’ve been thinking about it. Especially what you said about Cardinal Scin.”

  “Ugh, did you have to bring him up? What’s he got to do with it?”

  “What you said you saw him do to the general, are you sure he did it. That he controlled the general’s Spark?” Laze asked in barely more than a whisper.

  El had only shared that story with the three of them—they deserved to know—but they’d been careful not to spread it any further. Who knew who was listening?

  “I’m sure,” El said. “The glow in his eyes, the self-satisfied, smug look on his face, and then his comments after; he definitely did something to the general’s Spark. Made it go out of control and burn him.”

  Laze leaned forward and hugged herself, her hands running up and down her arms like she was cold. Or very afraid of something. “What if that wasn’t all they could do with our Sparks?”

  That same chill ran down El’s spine. “What are you suggesting?” she asked.

  “What if… what if they, the Cardinals I mean, can… can manipulate or… or control our emotions? Our thoughts?” Laze asked, looking left and right as if worried somebody might overhear her.

  “How?” El asked.

  “Through our Spark. If Scin could make Cannon’s Spark burn him, what else can he do? Think about it El, right before the battle the other day. We were all kind of… worried about what was going to happen. Then those three Cardinals flew over… and where did our worry go?

  “Suddenly we were talking about being heroes! Of one of us bringing the Ember back to the capital. Yeah, sure, maybe we all kind of dream of being a hero, but when has any of us ever talked about it?”

  El’s head was nodding before her brain caught up to Laze’s words. “So, what, they wiped away our fears with feelings of… glory?”

  “I think so, yeah. And, maybe you’re thinking that’s not such a bad thing, helping people overcome their fears. But, what if it didn’t stop there? Remember when we got back to the capital after Salid? How people who were our friends were suddenly avoiding us? You asked me if I thought they were ordered not to talk to us, because the brass didn’t want anybody to find out about the blue newts. What if it went so much deeper than that?”

  “People would’ve wondered about those orders,” El agreed. “Somebody would’ve asked. Wait, somebody did. That cook. If what you’re saying is true, why did he ask?”

  Laze shrugged. “Maybe his Spark isn’t strong enough to influence? It’s mainly Firestorm we interact with, and we all have above-average Sparks. Maybe that has something to do with it? Or,” Laze said, then shuddered. “Maybe it was a test? Maybe they made him ask you to see if you’d disobey orders.”

  “Do you really think they could control people so specifically?” El asked.

  “I don’t know! I don’t even know if I’m just imagining things. I kind of hope I am.”

  “So, why are we… normal… now? Why are we worried? Where’s the push we felt before?”

  Laze held up two fingers. “One of the Cardinals died. Remember Nidina said the other two were hiding behind their Ignitio and the less angry soldiers? Maybe each of them can only influence so many people. Without all three, well, we’re on the outskirts of camp. About as far away as possible from the cardinals. We’re… out of range.”

  “Burn it!” El hissed. “I wish I thought you were wrong.”

  “Me too,” Laze agreed.

  “Have you talked about this with Nidina and Dayne?”

  “No. Just you. Do you think we should tell them?”

  El leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and tapped her lips with her knuckles. “When we get back to the capital,” she finally said. “This mission tomorrow, it’s already enough to worry about. Let’s not add anything else to their shoulders.

  “We all need to focus on getting home alive.”

  Laze nodded and let out a breath she was holding, like she was relieved somebody else had made the decision. “Okay,” she said. “Thanks… for believing me. I was starting to wonder if I was crazy.”

  “Sadly, it makes too much sense,” El said. “Now, you should get to bed. Going to be a long day tomorrow.”

  “What about you?” Laze asked, but stood.

  “I’m going to do a bit of reading,” El said, and slid the journal out of her pack. “Just a little. I’ll be in before long.”

  “You still haven’t told me what that’s about,” Laze pointed out.

  “I’m still trying to figure that out myself,” El said. “Soon, I promise.”

  “Don’t stay up late,” Laze said, and leaned in to give El a quick hug. “Don’t want you flying us all into the side of a mountain because you can’t keep your eyes open.”

  El returned her friend’s hug then added a little pinch at the comment.

  Laze jumped back with a small squeal, but she was smiling, then waved and went into the tent.

  Opening the journal, El stared at the handwriting on the page, but didn’t read the words. Why wasn’t she telling her friends about what she’d found? What was bothering her so much she kept it to herself?

  Was it all too big? A battle between… gods? Was it the extra knowledge that if they didn’t get Guld’s Ember, everything she knew would be swallowed by the destroyer? Was it having to explain where she found it?

  No, none of those things were it. There was something else.

  El ran her fingers along the page.

  Something she hadn’t read yet. A lingering dread about what was to come.

  And there was only one way to find out what that was.

  El read on.