Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian

Author:Sarah Harian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

EIGHTEEN

Casseem paced back and forth through the sand at their camp. “We need to leave before Bianca changes her mind and decides to rip out our throats in our sleep. Hells, we shouldn’t even stay to rest.”

It was easy for Larkin to disagree with him. They’d been able to wash in the lake and had already foraged enough mushrooms for a feast. Elf assisted Larkin with conjuring a net, and Jacque and Amias were trying their luck with fishing in the shallow waters off the camp’s shore.

In the distance the falls roared, and the lichen cast enough pale blue light that Larkin could see everything. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed seeing clearly. Bianca’s universe had brought more hope than she’d felt in a long time.

“We need to eat and sleep,” said Larkin. “You heard Bianca. Otheil Kyran is alive, which means we’re on the right track. Brielle died because we weren’t prepared, and I refuse to let that happen again.” She looked to Tamsyn for affirmation, but the scholar was staring blankly at his hands, confused and unsettled. His hair was still wet from washing up, and with a clean face, Larkin could see the rosy hue of his boyish cheeks.

“You’re young,” Larkin stated. “You couldn’t learn all of Demura’s history in a lifetime, so don’t beat yourself up.”

Tamsyn pursed his lips, more annoyed with her response than encouraged.

Elf skirted the edge of the camp, staring in wonder at their makeshift sky and oblivious to the conversation. Larkin would have to reason this one out on her own.

“And Bianca is keeping something from us,” Larkin continued, poking at the meager fire. “That much is obvious. I just need some time to convince her that we can be trusted.”

“Convince her?” Casseem yelled, startling Larkin. “She hurt you. She’s not helping us, Larkin. You heard what she said!”

“She only hurt me because she was terrified and angry. She thought Kyran had sent us.” Larkin stood and brushed the sand from her pants. “Why?”

“Why?” Tamsyn repeated under his breath. He brushed the sand from the front of his tunic, sighing impatiently. “We have more questions than answers. We thought that Kyran was alive because he was a god, but Bianca is alive too. Is she a goddess? She asked us who our disciple was, and the sectors must be the territory of the other disciples, which means they must be alive too.” He glanced back toward the village, a cluster of gemstone huts in the distance. “We need to understand how this happened if we want to defeat Kyran.”

“Exactly,” said Larkin. “And we have that chance, right now.”

Casseem pivoted to stare at her. “And I’m assuming you think you can coax that information from Bianca without your skin melting off?”

“Whose skin is melting off?” Jacque trudged through the sand toward them, Amias close behind her. She carried the wadded net in her hands, three wriggling, bone-white fish trapped within. Kneeling, she set the net on a stone slab.

“Larkin’s, if she thinks she has a chance at pressing Bianca for more information.

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