Sky Breaker (Night Spinner Duology) by Addie Thorley (best beach reads .txt) 📗

feel instantly vindicated. Re-centered. There’s no need to put on pretenses here.

“What do you want?” Yatindra asks, already closing the door. Despite her heavy Namagaan makeup, dark circles ring her eyes and she looks thinner than when we first arrived. She’s avoided us, but I’ve still seen her coming and going from the infirmary, dutifully visiting her brother. When she’s not perched at his bedside, she flutters about the treetops to luncheons or scrawls invitations to tea or dinner on little yellow note cards that she personally delivers. As if the entire continent isn’t on the verge of collapse.

“I’m looking for Ziva,” I say.

Yatindra clucks her tongue. “So impudent, referring to the princess of your realm so casually.”

“Ziva doesn’t care.”

“Have you asked her?”

“Fetch her now and I will.”

She shakes her head and tuts again. “I’m afraid my niece is busy.”

“Doing what? Why do I never see her? Are you purposely keeping her from us?”

Yatindra sighs heavily. “That would require me to actually think about you and your misfit caravan. Believe it or not, you aren’t a pressing concern of mine.”

“Liar,” I accuse.

Yatindra pretends not to hear me. “Zivana is a princess. She has many studies to attend to. Not to mention caring for her father, whom you failed to heal and protect while traveling here. I wouldn’t expect someone such as yourself to understand the demands put upon the leaders of a country.”

“What do you have against us?” I finally blurt with exasperation. “We are here to help!”

“Is it true you were allied with the rebel Temujin?” she fires back.

The sound of his name knocks me so off balance, I have to catch myself against the door frame. “Where did you hear that name?” I demand. Even though there’s only one logical explanation: Ziva told her about the scout.

“I see I’ve hit a nerve.” Yatindra grins. “Ihsan isn’t the only one with spies. Nor is he the only one who’s keen to know more about your claims and your ‘cause.’ ”

I turn and walk away. I don’t have the energy to fight with her. And she’s no longer the main source of my fury.

I walk until I find a quiet bridge, then I sit down and pluck the emerging threads of darkness out of the indigo and claret sky. Once I’ve gathered a fistful, I give them a fierce tug. I haven’t communicated with another Night Spinner through the darkness since Tuva died, and it feels like part of me has been trapped in a small, windowless room, screaming at the top of my voice. But now, finally, someone is there to listen.

Even if it’s only Ziva.

When she doesn’t respond immediately, I tug again and again and again, which might be slightly unfair—she doesn’t know how to reply. She probably didn’t even know it was possible to communicate through the darkness, but her ignorance isn’t my problem. I keep pulling and prodding until she finally responds with a disgruntled jerk.

What?

Her agitation makes me smile. It’s also gratifying to know that Yatindra didn’t win. She can’t keep me from talking to her niece.

I want to interrogate Ziva about Temujin and, specifically, what she told her aunt, but I’ll get nowhere if I burst in with my sword brandished. So I form the darkness into an image of Yatindra slamming the door in my face and send it Ziva.

It takes her an eternity to respond, and when she does, the image is crude and disjointed—like a child learning their letters. Though, I’m impressed she managed at all.

She’s strong. Stronger than I’d like, if I’m honest.

Her darkness expands above my face, forming a picture of her narrowed eyes and shaking head. Why did you visit Yatindra?

I murmur my answer into the darkness. I was looking for you, but she refused to admit me. Do you know why?

Ziva’s answer comes much quicker this time. Why were you looking for me?

Because I haven’t seen you in days—

And you missed me?

I grumble at her cheeky retort, forgetting that the night’s still listening—and relaying my frustration.

The tendrils shiver around me with Ziva’s laughter, and the single thread of patience I had snaps. Did you tell Yatindra about the Shoniin scout?

The laughter stops abruptly. Why would you think that? Did you honestly seek me out to accuse me?

Not originally. I wanted your help with keeping the shepherds from becoming too complacent, but then Yatindra mentioned Temujin. How would she know that name if you didn’t tell her?

Ziva’s answers pelt me one after the next, like the blow darts the Namagaans use to hunt birds. How in the skies should I know? Rumors are always flying. Isn’t that the explanation you gave King Ihsan for knowing about the Protected Territories? But thanks for assuming the worst of me.

I close my eyes and count to ten before responding. Trying to stay patient. If you haven’t told Yatindra about the scout, why is she investigating us?

Maybe because she’s an intelligent woman who wants to know more about the strangers who arrived in her kingdom seeking an alliance. Wouldn’t you do the same?

Yes, but I wouldn’t be so hostile about it. It’s almost like she wants us to fail.

Just like the rest of us, right? Ziva doesn’t even try to disguise her accusation. According to you, we’re all untrustworthy.

I squirm with discomfort, glad Ziva can’t actually see me through the threads of night.

Yatindra is my family, Ziva continues with such ardent hope, I feel sorry for her.

That doesn’t always mean as much as it should, I warn.

Maybe not in your family, but it means something in mine. Yatindra is with us. Stop meddling.

But—

Good night, Enebish.

Ziva releases the darkness and the threads of night collapse, pouring over me like a bucket of filthy brown swamp water.

At long last, King Minoak wakes.

Though, I don’t know if or when we would’ve been informed had I not been dutifully keeping watch from the branch outside the infirmary window.

The moment I climb into the tree, I hear voices. And not just the bored