James Islington - The Shadow Of What Was Lost

Best of all, no-one appeared to be overly concerned that the Tenets had been changed – in fact from what Davian could glean, it was a matter of some relief for a lot of people. It seemed that there would be at least one positive to come out of tonight.

"So what are you going to do now, Asha?" he asked.

Asha bit her lip. "I’m not sure yet. I’ll have to talk to Michal… assuming he’s okay. I saw him on the Shields a while back, but not since." She stared into space worriedly at the realisation. "Other than that, there’s probably going to be an investigation into how the Shadows ended up with all those Vessels. The Tenets may have changed, but the Treaty certainly hasn’t. Administration are going to want answers."

"They’re going to want blood, you mean," said Davian quietly. He glanced over to where Wirr was talking with a group of noblemen in the distance. "I’m sure knowing the new head of Administration will help."

Asha followed his gaze. "Maybe," she said. "But everyone knows he’s Gifted now. Administration are going to resist every decision he makes." She turned to look at him. "What about you?"

Davian hesitated, but he’d been avoiding this moment for too long already. "I have to leave. Soon."

Asha’s expression was suddenly sad, but she inclined her head. "I wondered about that," she admitted. "So you’re going to take up the offer the Shen Gifted made you?" Concern made her tone heavy.

"Just until the Boundary is strengthened," said Davian quickly. "Then I’m coming back. I promise."

Asha gave a slow nod. "Just make sure you do," she said. "Those stories the Elders used to tell us about Shen… I’ve heard some of the same things here, and I’ve got no reason to doubt they’re true. Power really is all they care about, Dav. Once they have someone like you working for them, they’re going to do everything they can to keep you. You’ll be too valuable for them to just let you walk away."

Davian grimaced. "Maybe," he said. "But the Boundary’s weakening and from what Caeden said, stopping it from failing entirely might be the most important thing I can do. Fates, it might be the most important thing anyone can do, right now." He sighed. "If things were different, I’d choose to stay here with you and Wirr in a heartbeat. But Caeden says there’s something else coming - something worse than what we saw tonight. If that’s really the case, then I have to go where I’m going to be of most use."

Asha bit her lip, but eventually gave a reluctant nod. "Have you told Wirr?"

"Yes - we’ve said our goodbyes." Davian glanced around nervously as he caught another flash of blue from the corner of his eye. He was tempting fate by staying this long. "I know you don’t approve of Shen, but… you could come with me. From what you’ve been saying, it might be safer for you away from Administration, away from this Scyner and the Shadraehin."

Asha shook her head. "And be what - a servant of some kind?" She sighed. "You’re right, Dav. We need to be where we’re going to have the most impact, and my place is here."

Davian’s heart sank, but he nodded. He’d known that would be Asha’s answer, knew that they were both making the right choices. It didn’t stop him from desperately wishing that things were different, though.

"I understand," he said.

Suddenly he spotted someone in a red cloak waving to him; he blinked in surprise as the figure came closer.

"Ishelle?" He stood, helping Asha to her feet too before giving the other Augur a confused smile as she approached. "What are you doing here?"

Ishelle raised an eyebrow. "You said you’d give me my answer if I came," she said, expression serious.

Davian stared at her for a moment, then laughed as he realised what she was talking about.

Ishelle grinned back, then turned her gaze to Asha. "I’m Ishelle," she said, her tone cheerful. "Davian and I met on the road a few days ago."

"Dav told me all about it," said Asha easily, giving Ishelle a polite nod. "I’m Asha."

Ishelle nodded in return, though for a moment Davian thought he saw a flash of irritation in her eyes. Then she turned back to him. "I didn’t want to interrupt, but one of my friends over there " - she nodded towards where a group of red-cloaked Gifted were gathered - " overheard a couple of Administrators talking about you. They were becoming a little… agitated, apparently. I thought you might want to know."

Davian grimaced. "Wonderful." He rubbed his forehead.

Ishelle watched him closely. "Are you still coming to Tol Shen?"

Davian paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Then you should join us. It’s a long trip to Prythe; I’m sure you’d prefer not to do it alone." Ishelle tugged at her cloak. "We have a spare one of these, and we’re leaving straight away. We’ll be out of the city before anyone thinks to look too closely at who is in the group."

Davian hesitated, but Asha laid her hand gently on his arm. "Go," she said, giving him a small smile. "We both know you’ve already stayed longer than you should have. I don’t want you getting caught because of me."

She wrapped him in a sudden, affectionate embrace. Davian returned it and they stood like that for several seconds, neither wanting to be the first one to let go.

Eventually there was a polite cough from Ishelle, and Davian and Asha reluctantly separated.

Asha gave him a final parting smile, and was about to turn away when she hesitated.

“Wait. There’s one more thing.” She reached into a pocket in her dress, then drew out something that glittered in the flickering torchlight. She grabbed Davian’s hand and pressed the object into his palm. “They’re eventually going to take this away from me if I hang onto it. Just… keep it for me.” It might have been Davian’s imagination, but he thought her eyes were glistening. “You can give it back to me when we see each other next.”

She gave him another tight, brief hug, then spun and walked off before he could say anything.

He opened his hand slowly.

The ring was silver, three bands twisted together in a distinctive pattern. Davian stared at it, dazed.

The last time he’d seen this ring, Malshash had been destroying it in Deilannis.

He hesitated for a long moment.

Then he slipped the ring onto his finger, shaking his head slightly at the familiar weight. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to Ishelle and they made their way towards the cluster of red-cloaked Gifted.

It was time to move on.

Asha leaned against the wall of the Great Hall, tired eyes squinting against the light as the first rays of dawn found their way through a nearby window.

She stared around dully at the gathered nobility, everyone talking in hushed tones as the aftermath of the battle continued to be assessed. Tol Athian’s input into the proceedings hadn’t been needed for a while now; she knew she should go back to her rooms, try and sleep, but her grief was still too sharp. It had only been a few hours since the Andarran victory, yet the elation of that moment had already worn off, rapidly replaced by the heavy knowledge of what had been lost.

She had only just returned from identifying Michal’s body. Her mentor had evidently been slain in the chaotic flight from the Shields to the palace; her only comfort was that it had been a single blow, dealt from behind and straight through the chest. He had probably never even felt the blade go in.

An hour before Michal, Kol’s body had been moved under her watchful gaze and placed into the heartrendingly long line of those who needed burial. It had been hard to see her friend’s lifeless form again - and even harder to see it alone. Erran and Fessi had been true to their word; Asha had visited their rooms but they were gone, leaving no sign that they had ever been in Ilin Illan. Davian had left hours ago. Wirr was still busy trying to deal with an angry and confused Administration, and probably would be for days to come.