Raven's Will

47. How Many?

The sun was well on its way down. Long shadows cast by battered buildings stretched across the street, and Raith found himself walking more in darkness than he did light.

Fitting, he thought. It definitely suited his mood.

Not long after he'd left the strange meeting with the master of Shann Tei, he'd received a series of reports from his own people. They'd spotted the incoming visitors as well.

But not before the master of Shann Tei's people did.

It'd been nearly three minutes since the man's scout reported the news. Three minutes. It made his own scouts look like children playing in the mud. His "dogs", each person that he'd personally chosen and trained, couldn't keep up with the few ratty survivors of a ruined city.

That irked him more than anything else.

By the time he returned to his own rooftop, the others were waiting.

Maji Ra, the small River flyer whose serene nature hid an extremely efficient killer, stood at the edge of the roof, one foot propped up on a broken piece of concrete. He survived the cityscape with watchful eyes.

Next to him was Driskal, whose enormous figure comically dwarfed his. The Mountain flyer gazed distantly at a single point in the city, as if he found it more fascinating than the rest. It was, Raith noted, in the direction of where his little rendezvous had been.

Lurking in the shadows, arms folded across his chest, was Gray. His usually stormy features were calm, almost amused. It was so unlike him that Raith took a second glance, as if making sure he had seen correctly.

"Gray," he said.

The man in question looked over, one brow lifting ever so slightly. It was a show of subtlety that didn't fit. "What is it?"

Raith was willing to allow Gray some space because there was an undeniable conflict of interest in this situation. Some volatile behaviour was to be expected. But this calmness was outside of his expectations.

He frowned. "It seems your earlier statement was correct."

"Yeah? Which one?"

Raith suppressed a surge of irritation. The Talon was playing games. They all knew very well what he was talking about. But for the sake of clarity, something which they needed very much right now, he let it go. For now.

"After your conversation with the boy, you had suggested the purpose is to draw Ra'Skevvor here. Now I have confirmation; it seems we share a common goal with the master of Shann Tei."

There was no surprise on Gray's face, Raith noticed. Instead, there was only a slight curl to the mouth, like Gray found it funny.

Raith's gaze flickered to Syk. The Medic flyer gave a barely perceptible nod. He'd noticed the strange behaviour as well.

The others—Lante, Driskal, and Maji Ra—considered his information with far more concern. Lante expressed shock, while Driskal's heavy brows drew together.

Maji Ra turned away from the roof's edge to face them. "He wants to fight Ra'Skevvor? Strange. But what of the flyers coming into the city? I thought this was to be a small operation."

Gray's slight smile widened.

Since he'd been observing the Talon, Raith saw it. He hadn't been intending to reveal his rapidly growing suspicions, but now he changed his mind. He wanted to see what kind of expression Gray would make when he realized he wasn't as subtle as he thought.

"Our mysterious friend is a defector," he said. "His knowledge of the Elders and their weaknesses, as well as his connections with the incoming flyers is evidence of that. I did not call them. He did."