Red Skies Falling by Alex London

Author:Alex London
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

19

Ryven and Üku had proposed treason, openly and without apology. They wanted power because they felt they deserved it, and they wanted Kylee’s help because they knew she wanted it, too. It was one thing to learn how to master the Hollow Tongue to aid the army and save her home, another thing altogether to use that knowledge to betray her rulers and conquer a kingdom.

And yet, she didn’t refuse.

In fact, staring at the young noble in his fine clothes beside the massive eagle with its curious glare and the rough Owl Mother with her imperial stance, Kylee found that she liked the idea of joining them, though not to rule. She had no desire to administer territory and control taxes. She just wanted to tear down everyone who had stomped all over her, the kyrgs and their hangers-on, the Tamirs back in the Six, even her neighbors, who’d been all too happy to look the other way her whole life while her father heaped scorn on her and violence on her brother.

They should all suffer, she thought. They should all kneel at your feet and beg forgiveness.

The ghost eagle was still in her head.

She did want revenge on all those people, but she could not—would not—simply abandon her brother, no matter what these two thought she wanted.

If she seized power here, how could she help her brother in the Six Villages? The Kartami might this moment be sacking her home. She couldn’t spend time plotting a coup when she had so much distance still to cross.

“You’re still worried about Brysen, aren’t you?” Ryven asked, sensing her hesitation. She nodded. “These kyrgs are using him, you know. They’re using the Six Villages. Why do you think they’ve waited so long to dispatch the army? Kyrg Bardu wants the siege to distract and weaken the Kartami before the Uztari army engages. Birgund could’ve marched his army out days ago to intercept them, but he waited. He plans to let Six Villagers die to keep the kite warriors busy. These kyrgs don’t care who suffers. They’re using your home—your brother’s home—as bait. And you’ve seen what happens to a bait pigeon when a hawk gets to it…”

“Even more reason for me to stay with the army,” she said. “To end this war.”

“Their war,” Ryven sneered. “We have nothing to fear from the Kartami. They’re a fanatical militia, nothing more, and their war with the sky will burn itself out soon. But with the Uztari army outside the walls, Bardu’s small Home Guard won’t resist us for long. They’re terrified of you. You’d sacrifice all the power in the world to save one little foothill patch of mud?”

“It’s still my home. My brother is still there.”

“I thought we were past that.” Ryven sighed.

“She still thinks she’s his caretaker.” Üku shook her head.

“He needs me.”

“But what if he doesn’t?” Ryven held up the letter and unrolled it. Through the thin parchment, Kylee could make out Brysen’s messy writing. “What if he has his own

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