A Whisper of Night

21.3 || SCIROCCA 🍃

The shouts of the guards faded behind them as they galloped down the road. Traders sputtered and cursed, veering from side to side, as Scirocca and Badizo wound through their caravans.

"Where are we going?" Scira yelled. "We're going the wrong way - we're going east - we need to go west! To Queen Astna!"

Badizo threw a glance over his shoulder, a look of disbelief. "You want to go to her?"

"Of course! Where would you go - "

"That's neither here nor there! I'm getting you out, and that's what matters."

"No." She pulled to a stop right then and there, Wyal nickering in irritation. "No, we're not going east."

He stopped too, masterfully turning his mount towards her. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "What do you mean, we're not going east? Do you mean to ride back through Polvena? Through the guards?"

"There are other ways. And I'm not going east. Why are you - "

"That's neither here nor there. We have to go."

"We have to go to Queen Astnorden." Never had she been more certain of anything in her life. "We need to find her - I need to talk to her. I need to help her." There was a dull rage pounding within her, as strong and as steady as a pulse.

"But why? What has she ever done for you?"

"Nothing," she said simply. "But a queen can always use a sword - an assassin - especially a vengeful one."

"And that applies to more than one queen," Badizo said, moving closer to her.

She tensed. "You're taking me to Queen Lleona?"

He rolled his eyes. "No - think this through. The Lion Queen's guards just tried to kill me. No...I'll take you east. Farther east than Scorvald, farther east than the Sea of Woes."

Her mouth fell open. "Phaenos?" She'd heard legends of the Eastern Lands, of their magic and devilry.

He nodded.

"But why - what do you mean, more than one queen?"

"Have you heard of the Butterfly Queen?"

She shook her head. "No."

"But you do know that much of the math taught here, in Wyaernos, originated from Phaenos. You do know that much of the art created here was inspired by those from Phaenos. And you know that Wyaernos' weapons - "

"Yes, very well. But why would you take me there? If this Butterfly Queen's lands are truly so powerful - "

Badizo opened his mouth to respond, but an arrow whistled over his head, so close to his hair that it grazed his hair.

"Curses," he spat. "We need to go - "

"No. Not east." Scirocca shot a glance around her, then galloped off the road.

"Scirocca!" Badizo yelled. A moment later, she heard his hoofbeats after her - they were heading back, back to the west -

They did not speak, but the sounds of pursuit soon faded behind them - able as they were on foot, the guards were no match for a pair of battlehorses in a sea of shoulder-length grass.

Scirocca could sense the fury emanating from Badizo as they raced through the fields, back over the Skeyva River and past Polvena. The sun was blazing furiously, burning the back of their necks, by the time they reached another river. This one thundered past them in a froth of white, water tearing over hidden depths and undoubtedly sharp rocks.