The cart bobbed along for the full first day, unbothered by the condition of the road they traveled. The second day, however...

Chapter 24: Intrigue Astrophel Astrophel and the others get back to the ships and signal for everyone to unload their cargo; there’s...

Vance hangs back as Astrophel and his friends file back down the road toward the ships to catch the others up on what they’ve discovered...

The next few days pass in a blurr. There are enough volunteers to fill three forty-oar longships - provided by Yerevan - by the time...

Astrophel wakes to a hand shaking him. Squinting open his sleep crusted eyes, the night sky blushes with the very first rays of dawn...

As the new Five, Astrophel and his friends take their seats upon the thrones for their respective tribes as the crowd continues cheering...

The days between Valskog and Caladija pass uneventfully, though Astrophel keeps returning to the image of Sulien’s haunted expression...

Midnight hangs over the temple at Falun like a secret holding its breath. The dark night sky embedded with jewel-like stars is reflected...

Ryju skips across the waves like a pebble tossed with the strength of one’s fury, causing Dionne’s wet hair to slap across her shoulders...

Chapter 16: Cunctari Astrophel Morning comes with the slow-waking realization of comfort taken from being in another’s arms. His first...

“You’re not going alone, Ast,” Dionne’s voice is firm. Astrophel sighs, familiar with the argument since he and Dionne headed for...

The water holds him. Suspends him. It’s all around - above, below, left, right. It works its way through his veins…

The next morning Astrophel returns to his house with breakfast in his arms. His clan pools their resources, some bringing in fresh...

The hues of dawn streak pink and orange across the canvas while the rising sunlight shimmers over the tops of Flykar’s great white wings...

The Meridional sails south, beyond the reef each of its crew knows by heart, and into the waters beyond. The ship – a prototype – bobs...

Nox had never fully grasped why Astrophel and Dionne spent so much time doing breathwork training, until now. Rain pelts their face...

Lleida leaps from the water, the pull of her momentum pressing Khalil down against his urga’s spine as she noses back into the sea...

The firm ground transitions to the squishier clay of the beach and Astrophel scans automatically for Ryju’s silver body near Iska’s...

The E’len already in the water ride their ‘urgas to the convening point alongside the longboats. Some ‘urgas surge out in front, leading...

The shushhh shurring of the tide washing over the sand as it squishes under Astrophel’s bare feet is comforting as the noise easily...