Page 46 of The Malice of Moons and Mages (The Broken Bonds of Magic #1)

Forty-Six

Xiang

J ayna told the Starlings who they were tracking: the Oji Lua Koray, thirteen-star mage of the Silence tribe, first in line to the throne, and, supposedly, over a hundred and fifty years old.

Certain details she conveniently omitted, like the fact that the Rajav Li-Hun Koray and his Raani were murdered six weeks ago. Instead, she reinforced what the Starlings had already determined. They were after the Moon tribe Oji who’d attempted a coup and murdered innocent civilians on his quest for power, conveniently omitting that he had taken out an entire ship of mages and soldiers while fighting a constraining bolt. The casual references to the upcoming lunar eclipses and sacred festivals didn’t mention the coronation. They’d find that out if they managed to get inside the monastery.

Wren and Traq asked random questions, occasionally rephrasing them hours later, but Jayna’s answers were steady. Xiang kept his responses either evasive or hostile, hoping to paint a picture of division and elevate the perception of Jayna’s trustworthiness. They would need that trust when they reached the Silence monastery .

Xiang had half hoped for Selene’s troops to intercept them, but the roads were clear. Likely, she’d already sent people to monitor other routes to the Silence monastery in anticipation of Lua. Either that or her spies had caught sight of Xiang with a group of Starlings and held themselves back.

No matter. Xiang was determined to turn this situation to his advantage, even if the Starlings fell.

Jayna was growing too soft toward Durin as his questions leaned more personal, asking about her relationships and upbringing, offering his own experiences in return. Durin’s face lit up when he spoke of his childhood and the tales his mother told from her journeys. There was a desperation to be heard in his voice. Xiang’s grandmother had gotten like that in her later years: trying to impart wisdom to those who didn’t wish to receive it.

Wren occasionally quieted Durin’s ramblings with a sharp word, while Traq looked almost sheepish. It was an odd grouping, but they seemed cohesive. There were disagreements, annoyances, but ultimately, they worked well together. Their tolerance of each other’s irritating qualities was affectionate, familial.

Without Nova Verina, Jayna and Nori had never gotten along. When the nine-star had miscarried two days before they sailed out on the Bulou, there’d been no time to select another mage, even though they were always strongest in threes. It was Xiang’s misplaced faith in Selene’s bolt and the Mirren ’s crew that had let them embark without proper formation. He’d been a fool and, as they passed into northern lands surrounded by their enemies, he’d had plenty of time to consider his errors. If they’d had a third mage, Nori might still be alive. With Jayna’s injuries, there was the distinct possibility they’d be facing the Oji without any Song mages.

“You’re sighing,” Liasa said, riding beside him. She’d been stationed closer to Xiang since the incident around the fire, haunting his steps with an expression that bordered on irritatingly cheerful. Her cropped reddish-brown hair was peppered with silver. There were lines around her eyes, but the warmth of her complexion gave her a youthful appearance. “Anything you care to share? ”

His next sigh was pointedly aimed at her. Liasa chuckled.

“What part of the Western lands did you come from?” she asked.

His eyes flicked to her. “It doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Family gone too, eh?” she asked. “I was one of seven children. All lost except for a sister that was stolen south after Oxton fell. Heard she’d birthed a soldier’s child and couldn’t return. Don’t suppose I’ll ever see her again.”

“But you’re a Starling now, should give you some options,” Xiang said.

She shook her head. “It was either join or risk following my sister’s fate. Kind enough of them to give me an option, I suppose. But it’s like what you said the other day—I’ll always be a foreigner.” She shrugged. “It’s all right, though. I carry my home with me.” She thumped her chest once.

Liasa’s tone coaxed him to share, but his past was long buried. Not looking back was the only way he could keep moving forward. She asked, “Do you have any Western affiliation left?”

A frigid gust stung his cheeks; he squinted at the bite. “All my loyalties lie in the north now.”

She studied him as they rode and eventually shook her head, as if she’d been searching for some redeemable quality and been disappointed. “Pity.”

Bits of Durin and Jayna’s conversation drifted toward them.

“Never quite grasped the concept of relationships when I was always gone,” Durin said. “But met a fine man a few years ago. He runs a store, museum of sorts, on Callaway. I’ll be retiring there when this mission is done.”

“What’s his name?” Jayna asked.

“Claude. He’s a good man, despite his peculiarities.” Durin’s voice was reverent, reminding Xiang of the way he spoke of Bolin. “What’s their name? Your someone.”

“Galia,” she said. “She’s waiting in Uduary. But I doubt that I’ll make it home.”

Durin smiled gently. “There were many battles I shouldn’t have survived. And each trial made the next days sweeter. Just focus on getting through today, then tomorrow, then the next day. That’s all we have anyway, isn’t it? Right now. And I’m glad to have met you, Jayna.”

Xiang rode behind them, stoic and wordless as the highest tower of the Silence monastery loomed on the horizon. He and Jayna hadn’t needed to speak of what would happen when they reached the monastery. The Starlings would be sacrificed, and old men didn’t fare well in battles.