Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

Jacaranda

W e boarded the ship and sent word ahead to Valor to let him know what was coming his way. Deacon insisted on stopping to pick up Rex and his crew first. I couldn’t believe it.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I said, wondering what had gotten into Deacon…besides Sarah. “Let them walk it—you don’t owe him anything.”

But Deacon merely said, “He is a part of this truce. Pretending otherwise is foolish. Let us go save him. We cannot delay.”

I was pretty sure Deacon wanted to pick him up to show him that he had fixed Allegiant before Rex could get to Faithless, so I didn’t complain. No matter their history, Deacon had a need to prove himself to his former mentor. So I stopped objecting.

A short while later, our ship touched down on the path near where Rex and his crew were heading toward Faithless. We walked out, and Deacon asked, “Would you like a ride to my father’s house?”

“If you don’t mind, I would prefer to go to Faithless first,” Rex replied, as they all came on board. “I’m sure you understand—I prefer to drive myself. But I do appreciate the consideration, my boy.”

“You would do the same for any of your allies, would you not?” Deacon asked, as Drift set course for Faithless.

Rex smirked. “Of course.” But none of us believed him.

During the ride, while we were all sitting in the café, I asked Rex, “How did Augur get one over on you? I thought you were too cynical to be taken in by a pretty face.”

“She got several over on me, truth be told,” he said in a disgruntled tone. “Perhaps I was too willing to believe that she could be on my side. It would have been nice to have had a friend.”

I gestured to his men. “What are they?”

“Paid.”

I nodded knowingly. “Understood.”

“Maybe when all of this is over,” Sarah said with a smile, “we can all be friends. Like actual friends. Not just allies.”

“I would like that very much, Queen.”

She rolled her eyes at the formal title. “ Sarah ,” she gently corrected him.

Before we left them at the gates of Faithless, Deacon gave Rex the coordinates to Valor’s property and reminded him of the time we’d all agreed to meet, along with the conduits. “This evening, as the moons rise.”

Rex nodded. “We will be there,” he promised, then he and his hired hands left Allegiant .

Sarah breathed deeply once they were gone. “Feels like there’s more air in here now.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” I said, sitting down beside her as the ship took off again. “But just think of it—after tonight, all of this could be over for us.”

“I know.” She met my gaze, a small little furrow between her brows. “I just…I’ll be glad when it’s all done. One way or the other.”

“What is it?” I asked, sensing there was more on her mind.

“I know things are strained between Deacon and Rex, but I meant what I said. Now that their history is out of the bag, if they can get past it, I think they could actually be friends.” She shrugged, looking hopeful. “Maybe I’m na?ve, but if it’s possible, I’d like that. I know Rex planned to use Augur and the conduits to get some kind of control over me and them, but obviously, that’s not going to happen. If I can make him understand that we are on the same side, we can bring peace to Halla. Rex has a lot of sway with the ghosts. We could use some of that. But…” her voice trailed off as a troubled look entered her eyes. “The men with Rex—they seemed like they were itching for a fight. I half expected them to try something against us.”

“They’re mercenaries,” I told her. “In my experience, they always seem like they’re poised for an attack.”

Sarah considered what I’d said for a moment. “That makes sense, I guess.”

I reached over and touched her leg. “So, you and Deacon, you’re good again?” I asked.

She blushed and glanced in his direction, while he spoke with Drift. “Yeah. We’re good.”

I was glad to see her affection with Deacon had returned. Knowing that they’d resolved their issues warmed my heart and made me hopeful about our future together.

When we landed at Valor’s, there was a new cottage built next to his. I looked at Deacon, who grinned like a besotted schoolboy and stared at Sarah. Valor came out of his cottage, accompanied by Silence, Fan, Bell, Mock, and a handful of others I didn’t recognize.

Valor grinned at his son, then Sarah. “Don’t be mad—I asked Deacon not to tell you.”

“What’s going on?” Sarah frowned up at Deacon. “More secrets?”

“Just this last one. I promise.” He leaned down and affectionately kissed the top of her head.

She turned her attention to Valor. “What is it?”

“First of all,” Valor said, rubbing his hands together in excitement. “I got a new vivector to watch the split disk games on.”

Deacon chuckled. “Father, the other thing.”

“Oh, yes!” Valor gestured toward the quaint cottage next to his. “Sarah, if you would like, this can be your new home.”

She gasped, her eyes lighting up at the gift Valor had just offered her. “Oh my gosh, really ?”

The cottage was green, with a silver roof like Valor’s. A short fence encircled the front yard. The yard was planted with seeds—the ground was left in rows for vegetation to grow.

Silence stepped forward, a serene smile on her face. “I planted several crops, cabbages, onions, carrots, all kinds of hybrids of course. The soil on Halla won’t grow the kinds you’re used to from Earth, but they’re close. So you might feel more at home here.”

Sarah’s voice cracked. “That was so sweet of you, Silence, but I don’t know how to garden.”

The other woman shrugged. “I am happy to teach you.”

“How does a princess know how to garden?” Sarah asked curiously.

“I was allowed one feminine hobby, per my father’s orders,” Silence told her. “I chose gardening, so I could leave the palace occasionally.”

Sarah unexpectedly hugged Silence. “I appreciate this so much!”

“Come on, let’s show you around your new place,” Valor said jovially.

He walked us through Sarah’s cottage—a copy of his own, with the addition of an office and extra spare bedrooms.

“I thought you might need a place to think, considering everything,” he said thoughtfully. “And even though the rest of the house has them, your bedroom does not have a bone handle.”

Curiosity brimmed in her eyes. “Why not?”

“Security,” he explained. “It’s not impossible for a ghost to get in to the cottage, but without a bone handle it will slow them down. I don’t imagine you want too many ghosts in your bedroom.”

“Good guess,” she said, looking happier than I’d seen her in days. “I can’t believe you did all this.”

“It wasn’t just me.” Valor waved his hand toward his crew. “Fan, Bell, Mock, Anchor, Blaze, Stiff, Maverick, and Wilder all helped. I just supervised, really.”

Sarah beamed at him, joyful tears in her eyes. “All of you, I can’t believe this—it’s—thank you, this is wonderful. I love the cottage. If there is anything I can ever do for any of you, do not hesitate to ask.”

“There is one thing.” Mock stepped forward. The short older man was at eye level for Sarah. His voice was soft. He faced her, next to Valor and Silence. “But this is something I need to include you two in, as well. I know you’ve all been concerned about Silence and the twins. Understandably concerned. She is ununited, subject to the whims of ghosts and possible possession. And since Valor cannot unite with her, on account of being dead and a ghost and all that, I thought perhaps I could unite with Silence. Only to keep her safe. I don’t mean to imply anything else by it, Valor.”

Silence and Valor exchanged a glance.

Sarah shifted awkwardly on her feet. “I don’t mean this to sound the wrong way, but I’m not sure why you included me in this.”

“You are the only living conduit,” Mock explained. “And I need to know if my consort understands why I’m doing this.”

Sarah stared at him in confusion. “Wait, you have a consort, and you want to unite with Silence?”

“I lost my consort in the war,” Mock said. “I burned her body here on Halla, and she should be here, unless she has been born to the ether. Since you are the only living conduit, you are the only one who can call to her, if her ghost is still on Halla. I don’t know—she has never come to me here. I need to know if she approves of the union.”

Sarah gave him a humble smile. “I have called a ghost to me only once and that was in a temple. I’m not sure I know how to do so without a temple, but maybe we can go back—”

“I can teach you,” Omen said, stepping up to her.

Valor glanced at Silence, the love he had for her shining in his eyes. “What do you think, my dear?”

In response, Silence graciously bowed before Mock, accepting his generous offer. “How can I repay this kindness?”

The older man looked flustered. “Now, now, none of that, please. You are a princess, I am nothing more than a lowly servant—”

“You would be my prince, Mock,” she said in that sweet voice of hers. “You are no lowly servant.”

He chuckled nervously. “Oh. Well, still, no bowing please.”

Silence smiled down at her companion-to-be, in name only. “As you wish.”

Valor smiled at them, then Sarah. “Are you sure the cottage is big enough for you? I wasn’t sure, but the bed we built should be large enough for all three of you, and there are extra bedrooms, should you need room for any children who might come along.”

Sarah blushed a becoming shade of pink. “It’s plenty big enough, Valor, thank you so much. All of you.”

Once the festivities for Silence and Mock’s upcoming union were settled, I grabbed Deacon and Sarah and took them into her new cottage. I kissed them in turn and said, “I know things are tense right now with the conduit situation and Rex, but for the first time in a long time, I think things are looking up. What about you two?”

Sarah smiled at us both and slowly nodded, her eyes shining bright. “I know what you mean. It feels like things are finally coming together.”

Deacon said, “Dun dun, dun!”

Sarah looked at me, then him, and giggled at his very earthly turn of phrase. “Are you saying that we jinxed ourselves?”

Deacon laughed, and I loved seeing this light-hearted side to him when things had seemed so bleak such a short time ago. “Isn’t that what you told me? That humans think confidence is a bad luck?”

She nodded. “Something like that. But, as long as tonight goes well with Rex and the conduits, we can start to build a real life on Halla. Starting here. In my own cottage.” She couldn’t help but smile as she looked at her new home.

“Are you happy, Sarah?” I asked, needing to know the truth.

She took my hand, then Deacon’s, looking from me to him, emotion brimming in her eyes. “Being on Halla…it’s dangerous and it’s crazy and I love it,” she said, all with a big smile. “I’m in the thick of it. I matter here. And the men I love are here. I have purpose and love and I have both of you to thank for that.”

Sarah stepped up to me and kissed me, and Deacon moved up behind her, skimming his lips along the side of her neck. She swayed toward me and moaned seductively…just as the sound of engines roaring outside signaled a ship’s arrival.

Someone knocked on the cottage door, bringing an end to our amorous moment. “They’re here!”

“This time will go better than the last,” Sarah said optimistically, referring to our recent battle with the conduits in the forest. “I can feel it.”

Our beautiful consort took our hands and we left the cottage to greet Rex and the conduits.