This is Chapter 10-2 of a serial fantasy novel.
Right on time, a shard came back, with a syncing pattern tagged into it. She let it flow into her crystals, felt it running a check on her, then it fled away again. Moments later, the air shimmered, brightened, and began to form the shape of a man as Luminary Drageling-la’s projection materialized in the room.
“Wraith Re’sha, so very good to hear from you,” he said, angling his head. The Luminary chose to project himself in full subsect regalia: tight, scaled armour, big draping overcoat, bigger, drapier cape. Seaweed chains lined his epaulets, his breast adorned various medals and of course—fastened to his forehead as a crown—the teardrop skull sigil. The light of his Luminary guidegift crystal, grafted into the forehead, shone through the skull’s eyes.
Overall, the formality was not a great sign. Junelight reconfigured her own projection from invisible to one that matched the appropriate level of dress code and said, “And you, sir.”
“Ah, there you are. Your report is several weeks late,” he said, all pleasantry gone now.
“Yes sir. I had to stay off the mindtether for some time.”
“Do explain.”
“I’ve tracked the Soulcrafter to a rural part of the Callipsus Forest. The Roythans there are quite backwater, clustered and disparate, rarely leaving their towns, let alone their districts. The local Falsesparkers know the lay of the land much better. I’ve been ingratiating myself.”
She watched him bite back a frustrated response. Instead, he said, “Your tactics have always distinguished you.”
“Thank you sir.”
“But your time is running out. How certain are you of the Soulcrafter’s position?”
“One hundred percent within a range of forty stones. Seventy within fifteen.”
“How spread out are these towns?” asked the Luminary.
“Quite. It’s a big perimeter. Hence the enlistment of the local non-aspectrals.” She began to feel like this meeting might go well after all.
Drageling-la paused for a moment, eyes closed. He said, “And how much longer do you need?”
“Two weeks. Maybe three. The net will close fast as soon as my new friends mobilize.”
“My superiors aren’t going to be receiving any shards out of Pinedeck about this, I presume, Wraith Re’sha?”
“One Torchkeeper told me their town could burn flat to the ground and they’d be lucky to end up as a line item in a constabulary ledger,” she said.
“Good. Keep it that way. And keep your personal stake in this in check.”
“Of course sir.” She pursed her lips, not needing nor appreciating the reminder.
“Your operational license will be extended for four weeks. No longer. Get back to me in two. And get that Bayth-blasted Soulcrafter. Get xem for Culdur. Dismissed.”
Junelight bowed her head as the Luminary fuzzed away. She took in one last breath of the soothing ocean air then looped her crystals out of the seatown’s stone. Wood Ribbon South snatched her, pulling her back through her chain until the full blast of the mindtether surrounded her once again.
She checked in on Uliyah’s bulletin. It was silent.
As always.
Next, she ran a quick diagnostic on Wood Ribbon South’s stone. It had no information stored in it about her son or Plasivé, and it appeared undamaged by the surge from the fire. It was, however, still raw from the event, and certain patterns within its syncing signature were still overexposed, such as the cycle that controlled the flow of shards to and from the stone. Good.
She pulled her crystals fully out of sync, leaving the mindtether and settling into the heavy, weary, and now very hungry vessel of her physical body. The world became solid again as the temple reassembled itself in a blur of purple implosions. She looked around. There were many more people in the temple now. As she glanced about, eyeballs dodged hers like a fleet of tuna evading a sandshark. Spectators, clearly.
One gawker was undeterred. Junelight locked eyes with her former envoy, who stood near the exit stairway. Zoey-Lee grinned and tried to wave, but the taller girl beside her grabbed her hand. Zoey didn’t seem to mind or even notice, wiggling her impeded limb, still trying to wave. Junelight watched her giggle as the older girl scowled and whispered.
The Vetteris sisters, no doubt. June returned a subdued version of the gesture to Zoey as she moved towards the exit. The older girl put on an air of nonchalance, as if the blue Culdurian robe was a regular occurrence in their temple. Several others tracked Junelight as she made to leave, talking in quick, hushed tones.
June stopped at the top of the steps and looked over at Zoey, who seemed near to bursting with the need to say something.
“Hello Zoey-Lee,” June offered. The little girl sucked in her lower lip and looked up at her sister. She received a nod.
“Hi-eee Junelight of,” she leaned forward and lowered her voice with practiced drama, “the Worldspun Archipelago.”
“I hope your day is going well,” said June. “Is this your sister?”
“Yeah! This is ‘City, she’s being a weirdo though.”
“Zoey-Lee, you lovely little thorn, hush,” said the other girl. She met June’s eyes and put on a tiny smile. “Call me Atrocity Vetteris. Pleased to meet you, Chillcrafter. Welcome to our leafy little patch of Royth.”
“Thank you. I’ve heard that things have been rather stirred up of late. Your Torchkeeper speaks of some high adventure.”
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