Rift in the Sky

“Some. They wanted the Speakers. Gur di Sawnda’at and Dann d’sud Friesnen agreed. Your mother declined. You,” with a nudge at her shoulder, “weren’t there.”

“Which would be declining,” Aryl nudged back. The Speakers were obvious choices. Adepts who knew how to talk to other races, they would understand the difference between sensible risk and outright folly. As for Taisal?

Her mother was more concerned with the M’hir than the M’hiray.

“Who else?”

Distaste. “Two from Tuana. Ruis di Mendolar, Mia d’sud Serona.”

Both powerful Adepts. Mia had come on Passage from Amna, so he knew that Clan as well. But . . . Aryl frowned and kept her voice low. “Weren’t they the ones—?”

“Who declared me ruined?” Naryn’s shields opened to share irony. “They had to accept me if they wanted who I carry.”

“Anaj.”

They insisted. The Old Adept sounded more pleased than otherwise. Quite flattering, considering the state I’m in.

Considering the strength and experience of that mindvoice, Aryl thought, they’d have been fools not to.

“And a final two, from Yena.” Naryn watched for her reaction. “Cetto and Seru.”

So Power wasn’t the only factor. Good for them, Aryl thought, feeling better by the moment. Cetto d’sud Teerac, the former Councillor from Yena, had always been a bold and courageous thinker. As for her cousin? “What happened when Seru heard her name?”

“I thought Ezgi would have to pick her up off the floor,” Naryn chuckled. “But she’s our only Birth Watcher. The Adepts felt strongly about including her knowledge.”

“She’ll surprise them all,” Aryl predicted. Easy words, but when she finished, something felt . . . wrong. She turned to Naryn, who no longer smiled. “Something I should know?”

“Seru di Parth made the first proposal to the M’hiray Council. One they accepted unanimously.” Heart-kin, I’m so sorry. “It concerns you and the Human.”

If it involved Seru, Aryl assured herself numbly, it should be about the naming ceremony, or better slings for their babies. Shouldn’t it?

Not when the new generation was threatened. She’d felt it; Seru must.

“What’s the proposal?”

We cannot survive inside this Cloisters. The M’hiray must leave Sona, Anaj sent. The not-Om’ray will help us find a place of our own.

Of all M’hiray, Seru was the last one she’d expect to share her Chosen’s high hopes for Stranger technology, or to convince others. “How?” Aryl countered reasonably. “He has nothing left.”

He’s done what none of us has. Seen past the waterfall. Gone over the cliff and seen what’s there.

“Of course he has—” Aryl stopped, understanding at last. “No.”

Naryn’s hair whipped her shoulders. “Everyone’s afraid for the future, Aryl. Afraid of what we might have to become. If we stay here—there’s been talk of taking what we need from other Clans.”

“No.”

It’s the Council’s decision, child. We will use the Maker to cut the last link between M’hiray and Om’ray, freeing us from Sona and Cersi itself. We will ’port to a new home, taking what we can carry. All we need is a locate.

Which they wanted her to rip from Marcus’ mind. She’d be no better than the mindcrawler. She’d be worse—she already knew the pain she’d cause.

She already knew he’d let her.

Aryl backed away from Naryn, from Anaj. Put herself in front of the “door” to the Human’s pitiful shelter. “I’ll take some Yena. We’ll ’port to the cliff. Climb to the top, and come back with what we see.”

“Haxel suggested that. Council—they argued if she only saw bare rock, we’d be no better off.” Naryn lifted her hands in a hopeless gesture.

The Human loses more of his mind while we delay. Soon his body will die. Not callous, but with certainty. This is the Council’s decision, not yours.

NO! Aryl didn’t care that the sending stung, or that her fury disturbed Enris into an anxious question she ignored. The M’hiray can rot here. No one touches Marcus’ mind again. No one.

Her Chosen appeared beside her, a storm ready to strike. “What’s going on?!”

“Our new Council’s ordered me to scan Marcus. To find a locate for the M’hiray.”

At this, Enris planted himself beside her in the doorway and crossed his huge arms, a pulse beating slowly along his jaw. He’d been with her, in the Human’s damaged mind. “There has to be another way.”

I’ll find it, Aryl sent.

She had to.