Chapter 5

Dureau popped his head into Blaine's cramped office, appearing tired and haggard. "Caris requested to speak with you."

Blaine straightened from where he'd been hunched over his desk, rubbing absently at his upper arm where the mechanical prosthetic connected. The weight of it was still something he was getting used to, and most days, he could ignore the minor discomfort and the instances of phantom limb pain. It was harder to do when he was tired and stressed, which seemed to be his standard emotional state these days. "Where is she?"

"With Mother in the library. They had a working lunch, which you missed."

Ah, the tightening of his middle wasn't all just stress, but hunger, too, now that he realized the hour. "How is Meleri doing? Any news yet?"

Dureau's lips thinned into a pale line before he retreated from the doorway and back into the hallway. "She's doing her best. We both are."

Both his older sisters were unaccounted for, leaving him the nominal heir to the Auclair bloodline and all it entailed—from a seat in Parliament to Meleri's spymaster rank and the whole of the Clockwork Brigade—if nothing changed. Brielle hadn't been heard from since last year, and Blaine secretly suspected the worst for her and her own family, trapped as they had been when Amari was held under occupation by order of the Daijal court.

Blaine stood, putting the reports he'd been reading back to rights. "Let's not keep them waiting."

Blaine and Dureau made their way to the library on the other side of the borrowed estate. These days, it could double as a military war room, filled as it was with maps, reports and people with security clearance meeting at all hours with Meleri and Caris. Gathering together made it easier for officers to find them, even if it could, theoretically, leave them all a tempting target.

A familiar voice—sounding tinny from coming through a speaker—had Blaine picking up his pace. When Blaine had first been informed yesterday of the attack in his home country, it had taken all his willpower not to drive out to the airfield and hitch a ride on the first E'ridian airship he came upon to fly east. He took solace in the fact that Glencoe hadn't been targeted and that Honovi was fine, but he hadn't heard from his husband since their call late last night.

When he entered the library, he found Caris, Meleri, and Enmei huddled around the worktable that had been hauled up from a downstairs room when the Auclair bloodline had first moved in. Sitting in the center of it was a telephone, receiver resting on one of the contraptions the military used to project a call through a speaker for everyone to hear.

"Honovi?" Blaine asked, hoping his ears hadn't heard wrong.

"Blaine," his husband replied, voice echoing through the speaker.

Caris looked up from where she was leaning over the table, body angled toward the telephone, reports spread out between her hands. Her gray eyes were bright, despite the dark circles beneath them. None of them were getting much rest these days. "Honovi is acting as translator with the Comhairle nan Cinnidhean. General Votil is on his way to join us. But Blaine, E'ridia is allying itself with Ashion."

Blaine opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat as he stepped up to the table, gaze flicking from Caris to Meleri, then back to the telephone. "Is that true, Honovi?"

He spoke in Ashionen, mindful of the audience, and Honovi kept to the same language. "The attack on our base and repair yard took out a number of airships and aeroplanes, to say nothing of the loss of people. The Comhairle nan Cinnidhean took the attack as a declaration of war."

"Eimarille will claim she had nothing to do with it. She'll place the blame on Urova," Meleri pointed out.

"Who are so entirely entwined with her country right now that no one will believe her. Certainly the Imperial emperor does not," Enmei said with a snort.

"E'ridia is prepared to send squadrons west to fight alongside Ashion. A number will be held back to guard our borders, but our admiralty is already working on assignments. We should be able to send the majority of support in a few days, but a small squadron will depart from one of the mountain bases for Cosian today," Honovi explained.

"And will you remain in E'ridia?" Blaine asked.

"No. I will be returning to you, as E'ridia's ambassador to Ashion again."

"I look forward to receiving you in your diplomatic capacity once more," Caris said.

Blaine cleared his throat. "What was the damage we incurred?"

"Deep, but hopefully not insurmountable, given time," Honovi said. He didn't provide numbers, which Blaine could understand, but he still grieved their losses. "The country is incensed and up in arms over the attack."

It had taken a tragedy for E'ridia to commit to war. Blaine knew there would be nothing but heartache on the road to come because of it.

"We'll need to coordinate with the Solarian generals in order to fold your people and their skills into the war effort. General Votil will most likely spearhead that, but is there someone within your admiralty who we should speak to?" Meleri asked.

"I'll get you a name," Honovi promised.

The conversation didn't last much longer, the call having been placed to notify Ashion's queen of E'ridia's intent of an alliance. The nitty-gritty of such a decision would not be left up to her alone, nor anyone else standing at the table or on the other side of the line. Others would need to be brought on board to finalize everything, but for now, the relief that loosened all their shoulders was something Blaine could lean into. Hope was a fragile feeling, but it buoyed all of them in that moment.

When Caris was done speaking, Blaine picked the receiver off the speaker and pressed it to his ear. He switched to E'ridian, not caring if no one else could fully understand. "When will you fly to Cosian?"

"Tomorrow, hopefully. The diplomatic corps is readying an airship for me and the rest of the aides traveling with me," Honovi said.

"Good." Blaine licked his lips, gripping the edge of the table with his right hand. "I miss you. When I heard about the attack, I was so worried you were caught in the crossfire somehow. I don't know what I would have done if you were."

"Not this time. I was lucky. Besides, I did promise you I would try not to get shot again."

"Keep your promise, or I will be highly displeased."

Honovi chuckled. "I will. I'd rather not be relegated to the sofa once we are reunited."

The words were said with so much love in Honovi's tone that Blaine had to close his eyes. "I am sorry it came to this, though."

"It's not your place to apologize."

"It feels like it, some days."

Because of his road and the way it had led him back to Ashion, to Caris, and how Honovi had steadfastly followed despite the disapproval from the ruling body of the country they both belonged to. Blaine considered himself clan, considered himself E'ridian more than anything else these days, but he still had this duty to stand witness.

"The blame lies solely with Eimarille on all fronts. It is not your burden to carry, and it never will be."

Blaine nodded, even though Honovi couldn't see him. "Send your airship's designation to me over the wire number I gave you. I'll be waiting for you in the airfield when you land."

"I will. I love you."

Blaine's lips quirked into a tired smile. "I love you as well."

He finally ended the call, putting the receiver back on the cradle, letting the coil of wire twist itself on top of the maps. He looked across the table at where Caris stood with her arms crossed over her chest, biting her bottom lip.

"I'm glad your people are joining our fight, but I wish the reason that changed their mind had caused your country no harm," she said.

Blaine went around the table to hug her. Caris wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head beneath his chin. She felt too thin beneath her work blouse, stress eating away at all of them. But when she pulled away, the stubborn set to her jaw was not to be discounted.

"As Honovi just reminded me, none of this is your fault. This fight is no longer just about Ashion. We're all fighting for Maricol," Blaine said.

"Yes," Meleri said. "And we have a chance now."

It was most likely the only one they would get.