Tolek grinned smugly as he snatched the scroll. “It appears the Starsearcher Angel kept her records in her language.”
“It’s all written in Endasi,” I elaborated. “Which gives Tol the perfect opportunity to flaunt.”
“Believe me, I don’t need the excuse,” Tolek muttered. I rolled my eyes, carefully opening the next two scrolls and laying each lengthwise on the table, mystlight illuminating them. “I can’t translate it perfectly yet, so this will take me some time, but I’ve been working on it.”
“That’s amazing,” Lyria said, flashing her brother an impressed smile.
Tolek returned her grin with utter confidence. “Thank you. I know.”
I took the scroll he held and laid it beside the other two. “Can you translate the titles for us?”
Tolek laid a gentle, reverent finger on the first. His face sobered as he read. “This is an account of a reading Valyrie gave. One of her final ones, I’m guessing. The phrase doesn’t translate directly butmortos cusroughly means death is near.”
I shifted closer, scanning the unfamiliar words. “The Angels didn’t die, though.”
“Perhaps it’s meansthe endinstead of death,” Mora chimed in, rising off the couch and joining the rest of us at the table.
“You can speak it?” I asked.
She shook her head, and I tried not to be surprised the fae was assisting us. “But I’ve learned ancient fae languages among others, and sometimes the interpretations of the oldest phrases are less accurate.”
“What’s the next say?” Lyria asked, watching her brother with an expression I couldn’t quite place.
“That one says something about a game or a race. Perhaps referencing training of her warriors?” Tolek drummed his fingers on the table as if unsatisfied with that answer and shifted his attention to the final scroll. After a moment, his eyes widened. “This one is about the Ascension.”
Tol leaned forward, and I followed. “Did Valyrie read the Ascension? Is that why they did it?”
“It’s written very carefully,” Tolek said. “As if in code.”
Across the table, pulling out a chair and dropping into it with his arms crossed, Cypherion grumbled impatiently. “The Angels can never make this easy, can they?”
“Where would the fun be in that?” Lyria quipped.
“We’ve got a long couple weeks of travel ahead of us,” I said, making eye contact with Cyph. “Plenty of time to work on translating these while we get Vale back.”
He nodded, desperation and determination burning in his stare. “We get her back.”
Chapter Sixteen
Malakai
The dooron Ezalia’s commander’s ship swung shut behind me, a soft thud muddled by the conversation echoing from the deck and the wind out at sea.
The Seawatcher Chancellor was journeying back to the capital with her family, but she’d arranged transport for us to get from the outposts to the mainland a few days ago. Pink and orange streaked the sky, crisp turquoise waves reflecting the sunset against the rocking ship. I breathed in the briny air, and my chest unknotted, a heavy sense having settled in it ever since Cypherion returned.
“Malakai!” Ophelia said, hurrying down the stairs from the quarter deck. “We’re docking in Starsearcher Territory in a couple hours, and I need a favor, if you’re able.”
“What is it?” I asked. Low laughter echoed from the forecastle. I almost turned on instinct, knowing Mila was waiting to get a training session in. Truthfully, our daily workouts were one of the few things keeping my head clear.
“Mila mentioned she’d written to Cyren,” Ophelia began. The Starsearcher General had been in touch. We’d shared what we could about Vale’s situation, seeing if they had any insight asto what to expect with Titus. “And that they wanted to speak in person. Would you two be able to meet them tonight?”
“Should be,” I answered with a shrug. “They’re only a little way out of the town we’re staying in, right?”
Ophelia nodded. “Thank you,” she said, crossing her arms. One of Valyrie’s scrolls dangled from her fingers, and a breeze danced across the back of my neck. My hand twitched toward my sword, whispers flitting through my mind. I shook my head, trying to focus on what Ophelia was saying. “I’d go myself but I need to see Sapphire and the khrysaor before Jezebel flies to pick up Barrett, Dax, and Celissia.”
The prince had emphatically agreed to help and took the last few days of our travel to prepare the council for his departure.
“She and Erista are still leaving tonight?”
