“My nickname for you and Poppy. It, admittedly, needs some work. But she ran away. We have to let her be. You can’t force her to come with us if that’s not what she wants.”
My teeth ground together so hard it hurt. He was right. Leoni was right. Damnit.
“I might’ve sabotaged it.” I nodded in the direction of the captain, who was now mounting the horse to get down the mountain. “With the captain.”
Driscoll leaned close and whispered, “We know.”
I swore. “I’ll go after her. She’ll change her mind.” I made to move when chatter erupted nearby.
A group of sky elementals landed, folding their wings to their bodies, all of them talking loudly, excitedly. “They have a big announcement apparently,” a male elemental said. “Today. In the square.”
Leoni came to stand by us, peering at them curiously.
“The king and queen?” One of the females scoffed as they began walking the road toward Winded. “You think they’ll finally announce their heir? My bet is on the king’s niece. She’s quiet and painfully shy, but they don’t have many options.”
“Maybe they’ll surprise us,” another of the elementals said. “Announce a tournament where everyone has a chance to fight their way to the crown. Or maybe they’ll announce some unknown peasant in a nod to the queen’s heritage.”
They all laughed at that. I glanced at Leoni and Driscoll, who both stared after the group with interest.
“Do you all want to see what’s going on?” I asked.
“Spirits, yes.” Driscoll rubbed his hands together. “Maybe this will be some good gossip I can take back to Elwen with me.”
Even Leoni looked intrigued, her mouth pursed. She sighed. “Fine. Let’s go see what this announcement is.” She jabbed a finger at me. “And then we are leaving this place. For good.”
She stalked ahead.
“No arguments from me,” I muttered.
“Wise choice,” Driscoll said. “She’s very short but very aggressive. She won’t murder you, but she’s likely to cut off an important appendage if you make her angry enough.”
I didn’t doubt it. I was starting to see why Leoni made such a good captain of the guard. She was single minded in her focus, regimented. She kept us on track, and I realized she had this whole journey. Making sure we were progressing, staying the course. She was doing what a captain did: leading.
We followed the group back into the city, streets bustling with activity, skies full of wings as elementals soared overhead. The road led to the center of the city, to that pavilion where Poppy sat on the fountain that first day we arrived.
I needed to get this woman out of my head. If only I knew how.
The group turned onto a road that wound in between more domed buildings, and the street grew more packed as others joined. Elementals were everywhere now. On the streets, landing on platforms that jutted from buildings, on tree branches. We made our way through the pavilion and onto another road, following the crowd.
After twenty minutes of following the buzzing crowd, we arrived at a huge grassy area filled with stones, their tops smooth for sitting. A group of elementals had already amassed, the excitement palpable, everyone guessing what this announcement could be.
I didn’t care too much about the sky court, but even I was starting to get curious. Then an idea struck me. Maybe Poppy would be in the crowd. Maybe she’d heard all the commotion and would want to see what was happening as well.
I arched my neck, but all the wings filling the space made it hard to see faces. Damn. She could very well be here, and I—I was doing it. Again. Looking for her. Scheming for a way to find her.
Driscoll was right. She’d run away. She didn’t want to see me. Even if I did find her, what then? Coerce her into coming with me? No, I’d never do that. I’d already made the mistake of trapping her in that room with me. I should’ve never challenged her like that, should’ve done as she wished like I always did with everyone. It’s what made me amiable, what drew people to me. Yet something about Poppy made me feel fierce and protective in a way I never had before.
Leoni studied me, and I straightened, pinning my attention on the raised stone stage far in the distance.
More elementals landed from above and emerged from the road behind us, pushing their way into the crowd.
A whoosh of wind sounded from overhead, and everyone quieted into a hush as silver and black wings came closer and closer from the castle hanging in the sky. The king and queen swept down, their silver crowns glinting under the sun, until they both landed with thuds on the stone stage. They were older, no heir to speak of, and many had wondered who would succeed them. It was a conversation my own parents had multiple times, something that they’d always brushed aside with a “They’ll figure it out,” which infuriated my sister, who’d hated how many issues we tended to brush aside in Arathia. Anotherfight I’d had to mend between her and my parents when she told them they should speak up, say something about the obvious problem.
Leoni rose on her tiptoes, trying to get a good view. Driscoll patted her head. “Don’t worry, shorty. I’ll give you a play-by-play.” He stroked his chin, gaze bouncing between her and the royals. “The king. You have a king kink, right?” He splayed out his hands. “Picture this: He’s lonely, his wife has died. But his beautiful captain of the guard is there to comfort him... and maybe also to suck his?—”
“That’s so misogynistic,” Leoni replied. “I’m not his possession. I have my own dreams and hopes and aspirations than to just be his.”
Driscoll shrugged. “I’ll be his possession any day.” He nodded toward King Yarron. “I’m really digging the white hair and beard.”
