The King's Challenge #76

TKC 76

I have barely led my Grenmassin team in when Attis hurtles down from the crumbling battlements, calling out.

“The boy has become indispensable,” Mirlin murmurs out of the side of his mouth, “but don’t tell him, for pity’s sake.”

Attis comes to a breathless stop before us and pumps my hands repeatedly, eyes shining. “Where’s Lyra?” he demands.

This nearly undoes me, but I smile at the boy. “Lyra is on her way to Arc.”

Silence surrounds us and Mirlin eyes me. “The spire, I assume. She saw it.”

I eye him right back. “Strange that you did not mention it before.”

“Because she needed to discover it herself,” he shrugs.

Attis glares at both of us. “Is Lyra safe?”

Mirlin heaves a sigh. “Right now she is the only one who is safe.”

Attis nods and grins. “So when do we start walking?”

Mirlin looks at me, and I mutter, “First light. Wipe that grin off, boy; it’s a long walk. Here, take Forest and see he is fed. This is my sister Siri and Lyra’s brother Horin.” I introduce them to Attis. “Show them around, will you?”

Giving a mocking salute, Attis beckons them to him and takes Forest’s reins. They vanish into the crowd, but I trust Attis to take care of them.

“The spire?” I demand of Mirlin.

He shrugs again. “A legend of previous time. Apparently it is able to protect the Arc, but I have no idea how. That is an Elemental’s sphere of knowledge.”

I desire to strangle him. He is definitely keeping secrets. Lyra was right; we should not entirely trust him. Drawing a breath, I turn away and head up the stairs Attis nearly broke his neck on earlier.

From the vantage of height, I call out. “We move out at first light, everyone!”