Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 3

Slip of the Tongue

Sunny slid her way down through a small cascade of broken crystal bits.

"You think because we like to fight each other we are like the Drev, opposed to progress, separated from each other, hiding in little groups and warring at the drop of a hat." He didn't seem to care that Sunny was there to hear what he had to say, and she didn't really mind. There was plenty of truth to what he said about her people.

"We do not really "war" as you say. Dueling is a more common practice. Occasionally when a new warlord takes over there is a short burst of violence that can take out hundreds if not thousands of citizens, but it generally doesn't happen near the capital. The warlord just needs to prove that he or she is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their position and the weaker person generally falls in line."

He paused at the edge of another clearing, "I respect my father, and so will not go against him, but when and if he dies, I will be the first to his throne.

Amelia sidled up next to Adam, her arm brushing against his.

Adam for his part remained with his eyes forward as Amelia leered at him from the right.

Sunny grumbled fists clenching though she promised herself that she wouldn't say anything.

The edge of the city was not so distant, the problem was it was across an open pane of crystal, a field of sorts where the small rock formations only grew two or three inches high in tight clusters of different and intriguing color combinations.

The sight itself was pretty enough, though how they were going to get across was more than a little bit of a mystery.

"Now how exactly do you expect us to blend in?" Adam whispered kneeling down to sit next to Lord Avex.

"I do not plan for YOU to blend in at all." He nodded across the field to a small hole cut in the side of one of the buildings, "That tunnel there leads down into flood farm. Every year during the rainy season thousands of gallons of water are dumped on us from all directions. The water funnels down towards the city since it is in a valley. When my father built this city, he ordered the creation of the aquafarms, massive caverns with support pillars to hold up the city and take in the water from the flooding, leaving the city dry and allowing us to catch all the rain water we wish and store it for later use. It will be dry as the rainy season does not start or another few weeks. The two of you can fit fine, but the Drev must come with me, she will not be able to fit through the opening.

Sunny looked on rather miffed, but she kept mostly quiet.

Adam caught the look she shot at Amelia promising her with a look that he would be fine.

Adam nodded, "This is your mission, we defer to you."

"Even if this was not my mission, you might consider that anyway." He said motioning sunny to follow after him, "If we are quick we can make it without too many people seeing us. I doubt the average citizen is going to notice us if we slip through, and even if they do it will take more than a few days for them to get anything done about it."

Adam nodded crouching low behind Amelia, and together they crunched over the surface of the field and towards the low opening. Lord Avex took sunny around the other side to vanish into the bushes as the two of them pressed their backs up against the crystalline wall.

Amelia looked over at him with a devilish grin, "Looks like it is just you and me now, Admiral."

Adam nodded once, reaching down and pushing the small grate open.

He motioned a hand towards the dark hole, "Ladies first."

She smiled as she passed by him trailing her fingers over his chest, "Oh I promise I am no lady."