Chime muttered, “It’s a good idea but I don’t like it.”
“But why would the Fell attack now?” Callumkal said. “I thought if they were truly here watching, they must be waiting to see if we could open the city.”
Jade said, “That’s a good question.” After a moment of thoughtful silence, it was apparent no one had an answer.
They did this for a reason, Moon thought. The Fell had been tracking this expedition for a long time, watching it, waiting until the flying boat returned. They hadn’t just gotten hungry and taken off to see how many groundlings they could grab. They have a plan. Or they had a plan, and something went wrong.
Moon heard a disturbance in the water, but Stone said, “It’s the other small boat.”
A Kishan posted on the upper deck called out and swung a light around. Rorra hurried to the rail, calling, “Lower the boarding ladder!”
River, Briar, and Song climbed up over the railing without waiting for help. River glanced around the deck, then went to Jade. “The Arbora and Delin are with the groundlings in the boat. Bramble wouldn’t let us fly, she said the Kishan would shoot us.” Fortunately for their relationship with Callumkal and Kellimdar, he said this in Raksuran.
Jade just said, “Good.”
At the rail, Rorra gave Delin a hand up, as Merit and Bramble scrambled over. Both Arbora were in their groundling forms; probably Bramble being cautious again. Magrim and two more Janderan followed Delin up the boarding ladder. Callumkal asked them, “Is anything salvageable?”
“Some of the supplies that were on board, yes, and we were able to find all the levitation packs,” Magrim reported. He looked weary, and his pants and the sleeves of his shirt were dusted with sand, as if he had been digging in the wreckage. “But the ship itself, no. The motivators were torn loose from the hull. That’s what caused it to fall.”
Merit spotted Moon’s injuries immediately and hurried across the deck toward him. “What happened? Let me see.” Bramble followed him, making worried exclamations.
Moon fended Merit off. “No, it’s fine.” Delin had joined Jade, Callumkal, and Kellimdar and was speaking urgently and Moon wanted to hear.
At that point Balm came up and took Moon’s arm firmly. “Jade said to go back inside and let Merit look at you or she won’t let you help anymore. She says to take Bramble with you.”
That was just unfair. Moon said, “That isn’t—”
Callumkal was telling Jade, “Let’s go inside and speak of this. We need the chief navigator and the maps before we can come to any decision.” He turned to Kellimdar. “Will you make sure the crew is prepared for another attack?”
Stone tugged Moon along, and Moon relented, since the action seemed to be moving inside anyway. Maybe he would feel better if he sat down. As they reached the hatchway, Delin caught up with them and said in Raksuran, “I had an idea, while we were under the sand. I think that may be where the entrance is.”
Confused, Chime said, “Under the—You mean the sand underwater, at the base of the cliffs? Where the stairs were?”
“Yes. Stone could see no indication of a door or opening, but perhaps it was even lower.” Delin lifted his brows. “Could Stone dig underwater?”
Stone’s sigh was more than half growl, causing the Kishan waiting in the corridor to edge uneasily away. He said, “Stone thinks Delin needs to make up his mind whether he wants to get into this city or stay out of it.”
Resigned, Delin said, “Stone is right.”
Kalam waited in the corridor, and told them they could have the cabin where the healer had treated Moon. The choice was good for the Raksura, since it was close to the hatchway and the open deck. Moon was about to point that out when he got dumped onto a bench, half-smothered with cushions, and told to stay put while Merit examined his wound.
Delin and Callumkal and the other Kishan headed on down the corridor, but Jade turned to the warriors. “Does anyone need Merit to look at their injuries? Do you need to rest, or can you go outside on guard?”
Everyone flicked their spines in a negative. They were all keeping to their winged forms so whatever cuts and bruises they had would heal faster. Briar said, “I don’t think I could sleep if I tried.”
Root added, “I’m kind of hungry.”
Bramble, stowing their packs under a bench, said, “That I can do something about.”
Jade smiled and gave Root’s shoulder an affectionate shake. “I want Briar, River, and Song on watch outside, on the upper decks. Balm, come with me, and Chime, stay here with Moon and Stone. Root, stay out on that lower deck for now, in front of that hatchway.”
The warriors went out and Jade turned to Stone. “You’re staying here?”
“For now.” Stone dropped down on another bench. “I’m going to take a nap.”
Jade turned to Moon and he said, “I’m staying here too.”
“You’d better.” She stepped close to look over Merit’s shoulder.
Merit had pulled up the bandage and spread a sweet-smelling simple on the slashes that immediately dulled and eased the pain. He asked Jade, “Do you think they’d let me help with the groundling wounded?”
“Maybe. We can ask.” Jade brushed her hand against Moon’s cheek, and then left with Balm. Merit hastily gathered his satchel and hurried after them.
Bramble watched her go, frowning. “She’s worried.”
Chime folded his arms, and his spines flicked nervously. “Should I go out on watch too?”
“No, you should do what Jade told you and stay with Moon,” Bramble said. She stood and went to Kalam, who still waited uncertainly beside the door. The conversation had been in Raksuran, so he would have understood none of it. She said in Altanic, “Can you find us some food? The warriors will need to eat soon.”
Kalam looked relieved to be able to help. “Yes, I’ll show you.”
As they left, Moon’s tense muscles relaxed. His eyelids felt heavy and he had a distinct feeling that it had something to do with whatever Merit had put on his wound. If it made it heal faster, he was all for it. Stone was lying on the bench across the room, asleep or just resting. Chime was still standing there, and Moon patted the bench beside him.
Chime hesitated, then shifted to groundling, and came over to sit on the bench. He slumped a little, his clothes still damp from the swim across the cove. In his groundling form, it was easy to see his eyes were a little too bright and he was trembling. Moon knew then why Jade had wanted Chime to stay in here. He had been all right out on deck, but the reaction was setting in and Jade had seen it.
Moon managed to heave his almost inert body over a little, and said, “Lie down, there’s room.”
Chime winced and rubbed his eyes. “I’m supposed to be on watch.”
“Root’s on watch.” Moon tugged on the back of Chime’s shirt. Chime gave in and lay down on the bench, his back to Moon’s side, but pressing close. Moon settled in and let his mind drift. After a long moment, Chime took a deep breath and relaxed. The corridor was noisy, with Kishan going back and forth, but it was a reassuring sound. Not long after Chime stopped trembling, Moon slid into sleep.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Something’s changed,” Lithe said aloud. She opened her eyes and found herself facing Malachite.
They sat on the floor of the long cabin in the hull of the windship, where the groundlings took their evening meals. Shade crouched nearby, with some of the warriors, the groundling crew, and Niran and Diar gathered around. The food the groundlings had been about to eat still sat forgotten on the low table. Everyone stared worriedly at her, except for Malachite, who just looked thoughtful. Lithe remembered following the others into the room, but not what had happened after that. “I had a vision.”