Terrestris Quartet

Chapter 1: Agnus

1st Quarter, Figwort

"Do you feel it too?" I dare not speak normally. As if not to disturb it. As if it can hear me.

"Feel what now?"

"Like a sudden urge to jump off the ship. And unite with it," I say, moving toward the bow, unable to take my eyes off the gigantic iridescent sphere. Mesmerised. Held almost by some charm.

I see Twitch shrugging out of the corner of my eye. "I feel like I'ma shit my pants."

Still, he joins me and we spend our few stolen minutes in silence, paying homage to every beam of light, carefully following its journey before fusing into a kaleidoscope of colours. Both so small and weak beside it. Reminded of what we're up against. Reminded of the enemy. Betraying our own kind even at looking.

He is the one to snap out of its lure first. "Well, you'd better not jump off the ship, boy. I promised your father I would get you to him in one piece." It's an attempt to direct my attention elsewhere -the mention of my father is usually prone to provoke all kinds of emotions-, but one that doesn't succeed.

"Words don't do it justice, right?" he continues. "Don't worry. You'll get used to its presence. I'm telling you. A couple of days and we'll be drinking our tea admiring the scenery."

"Tea? What, no alcohol in Figwort?" I say, finally managing to break eye contact with the Vault. That one particularly cracks him up, being the hopeless drunk that he is. I like seeing him laugh. I don't think I've ever seen him laugh since the Black Rash took his daughter. Perhaps it's a coping mechanism. Given the danger of what we're about to do.

"Oh, we'll drink our fair share of beer when your brother comes back victorious. But for now, there is much that must be done here." He hands me a piece of paper with a few words scrawled on it. "Starting from your much anticipated speech."

My hands sweat at the mere sight of it. "Please, don't make me do this. No one cares for a bunch of insincere words that I've barely committed to memory."

"No, but they care for a face to their revolution. Let them know who they fight for." I raise an eyebrow at his choice of words. Revolution. Are we calling invading a city that shows no sign of hostility a revolution?

"They fight for themselves. For it to be over." I glance unconsciously at my black arms. It's spreading. It won't be too long before it gets to my chest. I brush off the image of men with both of their arms mutilated. "At the very least for my father or Kunal."

"Ten words. Half the words you just said. That's all I'm asking," he says. Twitch is very skilful when it comes to contradicting me and getting me to do the things I don't want to do. Which is everything other than distilling fay flowers and herbs or picking up old fay artefacts. But on this I am adamant.

He opens his mouth, but whatever else he says fades away, as the horn of the ship signals our arrival. He gives me one last appealing look, feeling me out to see if there's any room for changing my mind and gives up. Instead, he says, "Big day today," and summons the guards to escort me to the shore.