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Chapter 14: The Order
Part 2
After they had wrapped up, Mossa escorted June back to the road, gave her the all clear, then slipped back into the wilderness without a word.
June got back to the town without any trouble. A quick check on the probes, then there was nothing much left to do but wait. She found a quiet corner in the feasting hall, watching the carvers come and go. She worked out her plan to isolate and process the Vetteris girl. Ideally she’d do it in the least invasive way possible, animosity always made interrogation tougher, but in the end if it came down to it she could just break her. Two Ghost Tide crystals versus one little Roythan one was no contest, no matter what the girl had taught herself.
Eventually, Kelron found her, and after sharing a meal they left the hall and walked out towards the lodgings. As they passed the temple, she spotted a small, empty transport hovering near it. Concerned, she asked him where it might have come from.
“That’s our spare,” he explained. “From the bay. They’re using it to move new furnishings into the temple.”
She cursed herself for missing it when she sniffed around the wood bay the other day, and said, “I see. You only have the one?”
“No no, we have a bunch but they were stranded over the river when the bridge went. Easier to wait for it to be built back than floating them over. The Artwork in them doesn’t do well over deep water.”
“I meant, is there only one spare? Here, on this side?”
“Oh. Then yes. Why?” he asked.
“Just curious. If they need help with furnishing tomorrow I can pitch in. I’d maybe like to learn some carving techniques.”
He beamed. “I can show you some!”
“Good good, I look forward to it.” She slipped her arm into his and guided them back to her lodge, thinking about how she could arrange a quick update with Bettine or Mossa, cook her probes, and possibly commit some light sabotage on that transport.
As they entered her little cabin, she let these schemes fade away.
June was up late the next morning. Fog had prevented dawnlight from waking her, and she had wanted to sleep in anyway. June prepared her breakfast with leisure, and even stretched a bit before dressing.
She exited, and as soon as she shut the door her Bodyanchor spiked. She swiveled towards the point of intrusion—it came from above—and braced. It was a small hunk of mineral, speckled with orange, sailing towards her in an arc. Its energy left a fading shadow, and she traced this angle up and away… to the towering steelbarch, a fuzzy green blur in the morning mist.
Annoyed, June floated the stone towards her hand, caught it and put it in a pocket. It looked like her rendezvous with the Falsesparkers was going to be sooner rather than later. She did a wide lap around her lodge, seeing if anyone else had spotted the projectile. Someone said good morning, and that was it.
She expanded her lap so it took her to the treeline, then moved into the forest, hoping that the fog would help conceal her movements. Today was not the day to be rousing suspicions.
There was a small gathering at the base of the tree. As she got closer, Bettine approached.
Junelight held out the projectile. “You dropped this.”
“We have a problem,” Bettine snapped.
“The transport? That shouldn’t be an issue. It’s weak and the wood bay is—”
“No. We’re compromised.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell her.” Bettine waved behind her, her stare extending past Junelight and boring towards the town.
Mossalea, Swinn and a stranger joined Bettine.
“It’s Frix,” Mossa said, in a rushed, raspy whisper.
“He’s here, and bent on raising the alarm,” Swinn added. He looked winded and tired.
“Frix?” Junelight said, baffled for a moment. Then she thought of Atrocity. “Oh, no. How is that possible?”
“He went rogue, came all the way by foot,” said Swinn.
“Spotted him early this morning, at first light,” said the stranger. “He was in bad shape. Claimed to have escaped from capture, by witches. I… I bought his story and went to get him help and pass on his message. He’s probably made it into town—we didn’t find him along the edge.”
“And when we go in there, if you don’t bring me his head, I’ll have yours,” Bettine said, glaring over at the unlucky sentry. He paled, met her eyes and nodded.
“When we… hold on, how long ago? How long has he been in there?” Junelight said.
“First light, so…” the sentry paused.
“An hour at least, maybe two,” said Mossa.
June ran through the scenario analysis, arriving at a bleak conclusion. “Either I see if I can permanently silence him, or we have to move now.”
“We’re moving now,” Bettine said. “I’ve already sent messengers to all positioned teams and to the primary vanguard wave with a full charge order. Forget the kid, I need you on the bloodlight. We’ll be ready in less than an hour.”
“My probes… I won’t be able to give you maximum coverage on this timeline,” said June.
“So be it. I am not turning back,” said Bettine. “Not with it a seed’s width away.”
“I understand. It won’t be so smooth now. Expect resistance. Also, if we can spare a small team to secure the wood bay, I’d recommend that. Under these circumstances there’s a possibility that they could get at their transport there.”
Bettine scowled, looking like she wanted to argue, but instead raised a finger at Mossa.
Mossa said, “Got it.”
The finger swung to Junelight. “Now go. And don’t fuck it up.”
“It’s as important to me as it is to you, Head of Spark.” Junelight turned on her heel before Bettine could say anything, and stalked her way towards the centre of Wood Ribbon South.
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