It was a sweet gesture. And yet it hurt so much.
I pressed a hand to his chest and he gasped. I’d accidentally placed my palm right over the glowing feather embedded under his skin – the one I wasn’t supposed to know about.
“I think that you and I will need to remain apart, Osprey. I can’t see another way. You’re bound to try to kill me and I’m determined to live. Which means that the most distance we can put between us, the better.”
He looked away stiffly and nodded.
I folded the edge of the cuff over again and pushed past him into the clearing. I needed to think about anything other than that look in his pained eyes.
Chapter Three
I DIDN’T LOOK AT THE others as I stalked to the edge of the forest and began to gather wood to light a fire. It would be night soon and we’d need a lot of dry wood to keep six fires going all night long. I threw myself into the task refusing to think of who my bees were protecting, refusing to think about who might decide to kill me out of duty, refusing to think about how much my heart hurt.
My head buzzed with a thousand thoughts and instead of embracing any of them, I let my mind drift in the buzz, just one bee among many.
I gathered wood intently, scraping every dry stick off the ground until it was clear of deadfall. Under one fallen tree I even found another snake carving. It looked like the ring around an old well. I dropped the log I’d been holding like it was a serpent and backed slowly away. I’d never uncover another snake carving without remembering that horrific scene in the cathedral under the ground.
I was finishing the last fire when Ivo approached me in the careful way you approached people who you thought might lash out in anger.
“Wing Ivo,” I said respectfully, offering the sign of the bird.
He laughed a bit harshly. “That bad is it? You give me my formal name and the sign of the bird?”
I swallowed nervously.
“You’ll make peace with who Osprey is eventually. We need him. He’s an essential part of our cause.”
“The cause of freedom?” I asked.
He looked over his shoulder carefully. He and Osprey both were being very careful not to discuss this near the prince or Zayana.
“The cause of the Single Wing.”
I licked my lips. “My father told me to trust the single wing. I didn’t know what he meant.”
“I saw his tattoo as I readied his body. One of his boots slipped off.”
I thought back, wondering if I’d ever seen my father’s bare feet. I couldn’t recall seeing them. I had no way of confirming or denying what he said.
“He had our mark,” Ivo said. “He’s as much a part of this as I am – as you are now.”
“A part of what?”
“The revolution. The people who want to fly free of the Empire. These days, there are not many left and most of them are on the continent of Far Stones, which is why Osprey and I are intent on finally lighting the fires here and beginning the fight. He tells me that you’re with us. That you swore in blood.”
“I don’t even really know what I swore to,” I admitted. “I’m starting to think that I should know.”
He nodded sharply and looked around carefully as if to be sure there was no one else around.
“The first settlers of Far Reach were mostly men and women who wanted their freedom. They wanted it badly enough that they hacked back the Forbidding and carved a life here for themselves – not completely free of the Winged Empire, that wasn’t allowed, but far from the bureaucrats and laws of the Empire, far from the constant proclamations and injustices. They thought the distance would be enough, that the Empire would start to forget about them. And they did for a while.
“They raised families – like yours – and built a life here. I was with those original settlers. As a Wing, I have duties that take me back to the Empire for years at a time, but always I ache to return to this land. It’s in my blood now, as I’m sure it was born in yours.
“But I digress. A few years ago, when the Emperor began to put added tariffs on steel and other products coming from the Empire to the colonies, we began to realize that the Empire had remembered us again. And that is never a good thing. They brought more Claws to Far Stones and set up a garrison close to Karkatua – where we are heading right now. And as the soldiers poured into our colony, the spirit of revolution poured through the people. We have clusters of the Single Wing now in every city and in every town, in most homesteads. If someone hasn’t joined us yet, the chances are that they either haven’t been reached by us or work directly for the Empire. Your father was among the revolutionaries. Likely, your neighbors are, too.”
“But he never mentioned it until he was dying.”
“Our strength is in our secrecy. We don’t tell children under eighteen. Don’t look at me like that. Despite all you’ve done, you’re still a child and you’re under my care.”
“Then why are you telling me now?” I asked.
“I think the bees change everything. We need you for the revolution. The people need a spark point to push them to open action and the fulfillment of the prophecy will do that. All across this land, the news is being spread, people are readying themselves. We just need a few important elements before we can rise. So ... don’t give up on me, now, girl. You’ve made progress with those bees, certainly. And that is good. But we need you to go beyond what is reasonable – for the sake of the coming revolution.”
I yawned – suddenly feeling exhausted.
“Yes,” he agreed. “They sap your energy. But your life depends on keeping them working in the crown prince.”
“Osprey will kill me if they fail,” I agreed.
“More than that,” Ivo said. “We will have need of them and you before you can possibly be ready. So, you must stretch yourself – and stretch the bees.”
“I think I need to get away from Osprey,” I said quietly. “I need to flee while I still can.”
“Hmm.” Ivo looked into the distance, brow furrowed.
“Would you ... would you go with me?” I asked.
“It would be better if Le Majest didn’t die at all. Or at least, not by your hand. Osprey really will be bound to kill you and he is a fearsome enemy. A real hunt by night, slash and dash, glory of the Empire kind of killer.”
That wasn’t making me feel any better.
“Which is why I think I should get a head start,” I said.
“If you stay, the crown prince might live. We just have to get him to Karkatua. By boat traveling downriver, it will only take a few days.”
I sighed. “But will you leave with me when the time is right? You said that as my Guide we had to stick together.”
He chewed on his lip and then looked me squarely in the eyes. “By Wind and Flight, I swear it. I will stay with you and guide you. We will flee at the appropriate time and save our strength for the fight to come.”
My mouth twitched into a slight smile and his answering smile was warm.
“Give it until Karkatua,” he said. “It will be easier to get horses there and resupply anyway. If we have to leave in a hurry, we don’t want to go on foot.”