Oro placed his hand on hers for a split second as she sat down, and she felt better, knowing he had agreed with what she had done.
She didn’t think it would shift the vote, but it could encourage some Skylings to stay and fight. She only knew she’d had to try.
Azul’s voice thundered through the room as he said, “We will now conduct our vote.”
Isla waited for the results with Enya and Calder, in the war room. Oro was at the vote. Zed was casting his own.
At first, the group used the time to catch each other up on their progress. Enya determined the Lightlark civilians would have to be evacuated between the Skyling and Starling newlands. She was preparing infrastructure and supplies for them to be able to comfortably live there for however long the war went on.
Calder had been visiting the Vinderland every day, tracking their progress. So far, the flower wasn’t working. Perhaps their preparation had been wrong. They would have to figure out another way to heal them.
Then, there had been hours of quiet, as they waited.
The moment Oro walked through the door, Isla knew it was bad news. She could feel it in her core. Zed was right behind him.
“We lost Azul,” Oro said. Enya gasped. “The Skylings voted not to allow him to fight.” His eyes found Isla. “Part of the flight force made their own choice, though. If you pledge to make Starling into a democracy, they will stay.”
“How many?” Enya asked.
“One hundred.”
Mixed emotions battled within Isla. Azul was the strongest of the Skylings, a ruler. He held most of the ability in his realm. Losing him would incapacitate them significantly.
Zed shook his head. “It’s not enough. It’s not nearly enough.”
Azul walked in, then. He looked devastated. He closed his eyes and said, “I do not agree with this choice. I—I am truly sorry.”
Zed turned to him. “I’m staying here. I’ve made my choice. Yet you’re leaving us. For what? Democracy? Does democracy even matter, if we’re all dead?”
“Zed,” Oro said steadily. The Skyling sat down, but his glare did not diminish.
Azul shook his head. “I am truly sorry.” He looked at Isla, and she remembered the words he had once told her:It is an honor to rule but not always a pleasure.
She didn’t want to be mad at him. Sheagreedwith his way of ruling. How could she fault him for upholding his people’s wishes?
Their wishes, though, meant she and the people she loved most might die.
Later that day, she portaled to a deserted part of the Wildling newland and raged her shadows across the dirt, letting her anger scorch the world, until she collapsed into another memory.
BEFORE
It had been a month since Grim had pushed her through the portal, along with her starstick. He hadn’t followed her into her room, so she assumed he had portaled himself back to the castle after taking the thief’s memories of their meeting away.
She had been left feverish, wanting, consumed by need—
Now she just felt empty.
Why had he left? At a time when she had most wanted him to stay?
Isla might have assumed he had gone off to find the sword without her—if he hadn’t left before she could tell him where the sword was. She knew exactly where to find it now. Heknewshe knew.
So why had he gone weeks without seeking her out?
Her confusion and anger soon turned to dread. What if Grim had ... died? Word wouldn’t reach the Wildlings of Nightshade’s demise for weeks. Months, maybe.
It was this thought that made her do something careless. That night, she finally reached for her starstick, intent on finding Grim herself.
His room was empty and just the way she remembered it.
