POV: Ravenna
We had hours at most. Maybe less.
Seris knew we'd discovered her connection to Eclipse. Knew we'd been researching her. Knew we posed a threat to whatever she was planning.
She would move against us. Soon. Before we could escape or expose her.
"We need to leave," I said. "Now. Tonight."
We were in our guest chambers. Speaking quietly even though I could feel wards humming around the room. Privacy magic that might be real or might be illusion. No way to know.
"Our weapons were confiscated when we arrived," Theron said. "Standard Skyreach protocol for foreign visitors. They're locked in the armory."
"We still have our dragons," Saren pointed out. "And our magic."
"Against an entire kingdom of air wielders?" Morgana shook her head. "We'd be outnumbered instantly."
"Then we don't fight." I paced. Needed to move. Needed to think. "We escape quietly. During distraction. When guards are focused elsewhere."
"There's a festival tonight," Saren said slowly. "Autumn equinox. Air kingdom celebrates with lanterns released from the highest platforms. Music. Dancing. Everyone participates."
"Everyone including guards?" Theron asked.
"Especially guards. It's their biggest festival. Celebrating wind and flight and freedom." Saren looked thoughtful. "Attention will be scattered. Security will be thinner."
"But how do we get down?" Morgana gestured at the window. "We're on a floating platform hundreds of feet in the air. The only way down is through guarded bridges and platforms. They'll see us coming."
"We shift and fly," Saren suggested.
"Four dragons fleeing together?" I shook my head. "That would be seen immediately. Pursued. Air kingdom dragons are faster than us in their element. We wouldn't make it past the border."
"Then what?" Theron's voice was frustrated. "We can't walk out. Can't fly out. What options does that leave?"
I thought about what we'd seen of Skyreach. The floating architecture. The constant wind. The way air kingdom citizens moved between platforms with practiced ease.
"The gliders," I said. "During festivals they use celebration gliders for aerial performances. Light bamboo frames with fabric wings. They launch from the highest platforms and glide down to the lower city."
"Those things are toys," Morgana said. "Made for entertainment, not escape."
"But they're there. On the launch platforms. Available during the festival." I looked at each of them. "If we can reach the platforms during the chaos, take gliders, and launch during the peak celebration when everyone's distracted by lanterns—"
"We might make it to the lower city before anyone realizes we're gone," Theron finished. "It's risky."
"Everything's risky." I met his eyes. "But staying here waiting for Seris to move against us? That's certain death. At least escaping gives us a chance."
Silence while they considered.
"I hate this plan," Morgana said finally. "It's barely a plan. It's hoping chaos and timing work in our favor."
"You have a better idea?"
"No. Which is why I hate it." She smiled grimly. "But I'm in. Better than sitting here waiting to be captured."
"Saren?" I asked.
"It could work. If timing is perfect. If guards are distracted enough. If the gliders actually hold our weight and distance." He nodded. "I'm in too."
"Theron?"
"You know I'm with you." His voice was certain. "Whatever the plan. Whatever the risk. We do this together."
Together. That word again. The one that had kept us alive through everything.
"If we're separated," Theron continued, "if something goes wrong and we scatter—meet at the nomad camp. Where Kael sheltered us. That's far enough from kingdoms to be safe. Close enough to all borders to be accessible."
"Agreed." I looked at each of them. "The nomad camp. If we're separated, that's where we regroup."
"We won't be separated," Morgana said fiercely. "We're all making it out. All of us. Together."
I wanted to believe that. Wanted to think we'd all escape cleanly and safely and together.
But I'd learned that wanting something didn't make it true. That plans fell apart. That chaos won more often than order.
Still. We had to try.
"The festival starts at sunset," Saren said. "Peak celebration will be around midnight when they release the lanterns. That's when we move."
"Six hours to prepare." Theron started mentally cataloging what we needed. "We should rest. Eat. Gather anything essential we can hide on our persons."
"And appear normal," I added. "If Seris is watching—and she definitely is—we need to seem like we're settling in. Not preparing to flee."
We spent the afternoon being conspicuously normal. Ate in the dining hall. Walked through gardens. Discussed research in voices loud enough to be overheard. Pretended we had no idea Seris was Eclipse. Pretended we were naive foreign visitors.
The whole time my skin crawled. Knowing we were being watched. Knowing Seris could move against us at any moment. Knowing every second we stayed was dangerous.
Sunset came. The festival began.
Music filled the air. Lanterns appeared everywhere. Air kingdom citizens poured onto platforms and bridges, dressed in flowing fabrics that caught wind. Beautiful. Ethereal. Distracting.
Perfect.
We moved casually toward the launch platforms. Just visitors enjoying the festival. Curious about the celebrations.
The launch platforms were high. The highest points in Skyreach. Where celebration gliders waited in rows—bamboo frames wrapped with silk fabric painted in sunset colors. Designed to catch wind. To glide gracefully down to lower platforms while spectators watched and cheered.
"They're smaller than I expected," Morgana muttered.
"They'll hold us," Theron said. But he didn't sound certain.
Around us, festival chaos built. Music louder. Dancing more energetic. Everyone anticipating the midnight lantern release.
We reached the gliders. Started examining them like curious tourists.
"These three look sturdy," Saren said quietly. "If we—"
"STOP."
Guards. Four of them. Appearing from the crowd. Hands on weapons.
My heart stopped.
"Princess Ravenna," one guard said. "You and your companions need to come with us. Lady Seris requests your presence."
"Now?" I tried to sound confused instead of terrified. "During the festival?"
"Now."
The crowd around us was thinning. Pulling back. Giving guards space. Citizens sensing trouble and avoiding it.
Then Seris herself appeared. Walking through the crowd with that same pleasant expression. But when she got close enough that only we could hear, the mask dropped.
Her face went cold. Hard. All pretense gone.
"You've been researching me," she said quietly. "Asking questions. Making connections. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
"We don't know what you mean," I lied.
"Don't insult me with denial." Her voice was ice. "You know what I am. What I represent. And you thought you could escape during my festival?" She smiled. Sharp. Predatory. "I've been watching you all afternoon. Saw you preparing. Saw you planning. Did you really think celebration gliders would save you?"
"We're just visiting—"
"You're fleeing. And I cannot allow that." She gestured. More guards appeared. Surrounding us. Cutting off escape. "You have a rare gift, Princess. One that must be studied. Contained. For the safety of all kingdoms."
"You mean harvested." Theron moved in front of me. "Like General Stone wanted. Like Eclipse always wants."
"Eclipse." Seris said the word with something like pride. "You even know our name. Impressive. Most never learn that much before we eliminate them."
"So you admit it," I said. "You're Eclipse. You hunt gift-bearers."
"I founded Eclipse." Her voice was calm. "Seventy years ago. After watching gifts destroy kingdoms. After seeing what happens when uncontrolled power runs free. Someone had to stop it. Someone had to protect the balance."
"By killing innocent people—"
"By eliminating threats before they grow too large. By studying gifts to understand them. By maintaining the order the Pact created." She stepped closer. "Your mother was the same. A healer who couldn't be controlled. Who used her gift publicly. Who represented everything dangerous about rare abilities. We eliminated her to protect the kingdoms."
Rage flooded through me. Hot. Overwhelming. "You killed my mother."
"I ordered it. Yes." No remorse. No regret. "She was warned. Told to hide her gift. Refused. So we removed the problem."
"And now you'll remove me?" My voice was shaking.
"Now you'll be studied. Your gift documented. Your abilities contained." Seris gestured to guards. "Take her. Kill the others if they resist."
Everything happened at once.
Theron threw fire. Not at guards but at the platform beneath us. Wood cracking. Burning. Creating chaos.
Saren created a water barrier. Pushing guards back. Giving us seconds.
Morgana grabbed a glider. "NOW!"
We moved.