“Are you worried about Renley’s family?” I asked, thinking how strange it was that we each now had a host of new acquaintances unfamiliar to the other.
“I am,” she admitted.
“We’ll find a way to help them.” I took a seat at the table. “Maybe we can get them out.”
“Maybe.” She sounded less sure.
“What I want to know is how the neutralizers work,” I said. “I don’t understand how they could possibly store power like that. I keep thinking maybe it somehow relates to the stories about the Calistan king storing power.”
Airlie looked as if she was going to speak, but she only shook her head slightly. Did she know something more than she was saying on the topic? I narrowed my eyes at her before sighing and letting it go. I was being paranoid again. She was probably just trying to hide the extent of her worry for the Calistan settlement.
Was it heartless that I wasn’t more concerned myself? Even after Airlie’s stories, I just couldn’t consider them entirely blameless in the General’s actions.
But Renley had helped us escape, and he seemed dedicated to bringing the raiders down. So maybe I was wrong about that.
The door slammed open, and I jumped up as people poured into the room. Airlie and I exchanged a surprised look as Zeke, Gia, Nikolas, and Evermund all joined us. We hadn’t been expecting to see them any time soon.
I crossed over to Zeke, fitting myself under his arm.
“What’s happened?” Airlie looked to Evermund. “Was the king very angry?”
“I thought for sure you’d be locked in a tower somewhere,” I said to Gia with a grin.
“Ha! That was probably his plan,” Gia said. “Along with all kinds of dire punishments. Except just after you left a messenger arrived from the nomads, and now his hands are tied. I’m sure he’s even more furious than ever, but he can’t do anything about it.”
“For now,” Nikolas said ominously.
I looked up at Zeke, trying to interpret the suppressed intensity lurking beneath his calm expression.
“What did the message say?” Airlie asked.
“King Fenix has died,” Nikolas said, not bothering to mince words. “The nomad delegations are leaving as we speak to hurry back to the Hidden City to be part of voting for the next monarch.”
My eyes leaped to Zeke’s, fear seizing me. “Does that mean…?”
“I’m sorry, Cadie,” he said softly. “I just came to say goodbye.”
My arm tightened around him, although I knew I couldn’t hold him tightly enough to make him stay.
“I understand,” I forced myself to say. “You have to be there to support your mother.”
“I do,” he agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I want to be apart from you. Which is why—”
“We’re going, too!” Gia cried, unable to contain herself.
My eyes flew from her back to Zeke. “What?”
He rolled his eyes at Gia, but he couldn’t keep the smile from his face.
“I asked permission from Tribe Patrin to invite you to come and witness the vote and coronation. And since I know you’ve been reluctant about coming to my kingdom, I asked for the twins and Airlie as well.”
“But outsiders are never allowed in the Hidden City! Even its location is a secret.” I couldn’t wrap my mind around the news.
“These are new times, and new cooperation is going to be needed. My mother threw her weight behind the request, so they agreed.” His eyes pleaded with me. “Will you come?”
“Of course she will!” Airlie said. “She’s just been moping at me because what she really wants to do is visit the nomad lands with you.”
“Airlie!” I glared at her.
“What?” She gave me a smug grin. “You know it’s true. And this is perfect. Now you can go visit without having to leave me behind.”
“What about the raiders?” I asked uneasily. “If both of us are gone…”
“We’re the ones they want, remember? The Tartorans should be safe enough in our absence.”
“You can’t possibly say no, Cadence,” Gia said reprovingly. “Think what an insult that would be to the nomads!”
“Since when do you care about that?” Nikolas muttered. “You just want the chance to go to the Hidden City. And to escape Father’s wrath over our foolish visit to the raiders.”
“I’m sorry,” Zeke murmured to me, ignoring the rest of them. “I didn’t mean to force your hand. I just panicked when Mother said we had to leave immediately.”
I wrapped my free arm around him and squeezed tight. “Don’t be silly. This is an amazing opportunity. Thank you.”
He exhaled a sigh of relief and dropped a kiss in my hair. “Unfortunately, I really do have to go. Mother won’t be happy if they have to wait for me.”
I gave him a final, lingering squeeze, forcing myself to let go with a sigh. He cupped my face in both hands, looking into my eyes.
“Come as fast as you can,” he whispered.
“I will.”
His lips pressed against mine, feather soft and gone too soon, and then he disappeared out the door.
I turned back to the room, still in shock, to find everyone looking at me. I flushed under their various gazes—Airlie slightly shocked, Gia openly laughing, and Nikolas disgusted.
But it was Evermund who spoke, a serious note in his voice. “You all know new times isn’t the real reason you received this invitation, don’t you?” He looked around at each of us.
Airlie sucked in a breath, grasping his meaning instantly.
“They want Cadence.” She looked from me to Evermund, her eyes filled with concern.
Evermund nodded. “King Marius might not understand it, but it’s the only possible reason the nomads would bend their rule of refusing entry to outsiders.” He fixed his eyes on me. “They must want you very much if they’re willing to include the rest of us.”
“Are you coming too?” I asked, feeling a measure of relief.
He nodded. “When the king was unable to convince the nomads to allow him to send an alternate delegation, he argued that three of you are Guild apprentices and can only travel under the authority of a plants and elements master.”
“Master Augusta is to come as well,” Gia interjected.
“The fact that they agreed tells us just how committed they are to having you there, Cadence. And while I’ll do my best to protect you all—as will Augusta—I have no idea what we might encounter in the Hidden City. Are you sure you want to go?”
I frowned, considering his words. I couldn’t deny they made me anxious, but when I tried to picture not going, I couldn’t imagine abandoning Zeke.
“What about all of you?” I asked hesitantly. “Do you think we should refuse?”
“Of course we can’t refuse!” Gia said. “It would be a horrible insult to the nomads at this point—which is the only reason Father has most reluctantly deferred our punishment. No Tartoran has ever visited the Hidden City, and they’re allowing two members of the royal family in! With Evermund and Augusta along, as well as any number of guards, I’m sure, it’s become an official delegation. This is a diplomatic opportunity Father can’t refuse. Especially when the wild power is encroaching more and more across the border. We might need the help of the nomads before this is all over.”