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“They will tell everyone what they saw… and what I said.”
For a moment, he looked almost hopeful, and then he shook his head, dislodging my hand from his chin.
“This is bad,” he said. “No one will believe my story. Not when I am accompanied by you. You could have given me the sunstone for all anyone knows.”
I laced my extra two hands into his hair, holding him still, making him look at me again and could see the moment my calm eased him a little bit.
“Let them believe what they choose,” I said firmly. “Some will think you have betrayed them. Others will think that you told the truth. Let the news divide them. Let the stories spread so that when we arrive, they know we are coming and have enough reason to wonder if they should support you.”
Sun stared at me for a long minute and then swallowed audibly.
“Is that what you suggest we do?” he asked slowly. “You want us four to bombard the human empire and then what? Fight them all?”
“Cause a civil uproar,” I agreed. “Make a distraction so that we can do what really matters.”
“And what is that?” Sun breathed. His heart pounded against the palm I had at the nape of his neck, and I thought he probably knew.
“We take the emperor off of his throne,” I answered. “Just as the goddess instructed us to do.”
Sun was breathing hard, visibly fighting his instinct to continue following his emperor blindly as he had done for so many years.
Finally, he shut his eyes and bowed his head.
When he lifted it again, all the hesitation was gone from his face. He nodded resolutely and took a moment to look at Clem, Bracken, and Kiar in turn.
“What do you think?” he asked them.
“I’ll be with you whatever you decide,” Clem said at once.
“You don’t think I’ll let you attack the human capital without me, do you?” Bracken demanded.
I grinned and Sun laughed.
“I should have expected as much from you two,” he said fondly.
When Kiar did not immediately join in, we all looked at him.
He was making an expression I knew very well.
“What are you thinking my friend?” I asked.
He looked up at me sharply, his mismatched red and blue eyes filled with surprise, but out here we were not a king and his subordinate. Out here, we were comrades. Everything was different now and I had to embrace that.
Kiar hesitated for a moment longer.
“We will have to decide how to do this carefully. We cannot simply march into a battle even with the god stones. There are only five of us.”
“Alright then,” Sun said, as though the matter was settled. “Let’s figure out how to do it on the way.”
He released me and turned, ready to start toward the human capital of Kari already.
I shook my head but fell into step next to him.
“It will be faster if you take your rightful place with me.”
He looked at me, confused until I stopped walking and lowered myself, offering my hand.
Sun’s lips parted in a silent gasp, but he took my hand and climbed onto my back.
