shaping is a little different than mine. Whatever you do takes you directly where you intend. My shaping is a little less precise and it takes a moment or two longer, but has its uses. Like this,” Roine said, indicating the wagons in front of them.
“How did you know they were here?” Amia asked.
Roine nodded toward the Aeta. “They sent word.”
She turned, looking to the north and Ethea. “The Aeta sent word? To Ethea?”
“They shaped it,” he said.
Her eyes tightened.
Tan studied the Aeta, wondering which one would be the shaper. “We once thought shaping rare among the Aeta,” Tan said.
“It is,” Amia said. “At least, I thought it was.”
“Then how is it that we’ve come across it as often as we have?”
“I… I don’t know. Maybe the First Mother hid the frequency from others. Maybe there is only weak shaping strength in some. When she taught me to shape, she made it seem like my ability is rare.”
“Your ability is rare. I’ve seen you working with the First Mother. The way that you shape is about more than strength. You’ve got a delicacy to it that I cannot even fathom. I’ve watched you and don’t think that I could even come close to what I see you doing so easily.”
“It’s for Cora,” Amia said softly. “And for you. You’ve said that what she knows might be important. I still need to learn where she’s from.”
Roine’s eyes widened as she spoke.
“That’s hidden from us despite everything that we’ve done. But I can tell she had strength once. She has known shaping, and she knew the elementals. I only wish I could figure out which one. That’s why I keep pushing.”
Tan suspected it was about more than just helping Cora. Amia was learning how to use her ability from the only person alive who might be able to teach her. And if telling herself that she did it for Cora was the only way that she would do it, then Tan thought it worthwhile.
“Well, I don’t know who summoned, only that there was a request to meet with the Aeta,” Roine said.
“How did you know it was from the Aeta?” Tan asked.
Roine hesitated, his eyes straining toward the Aeta waiting below. They stood watching, not moving. “Trust that I know. Come. We should not keep them waiting,” Roine said.
He started down the slope on a shaping of air. Tan thought it odd that he didn’t answer the question, but then again, Roine was now essentially the king. He didn’t have to answer.
Tan leaned into Amia. “Are you ready for this?”
She brushed away a stray strand of hair. “I came for you, not for them.”
Tan bit back a comment. She likely knew what he was going to say anyway.
He readied a shaping of wind and drew upon Honl, lifting himself and Amia onto a cloud of wind, and used that to follow Roine. They caught him and made their way down the slope next to him, side by side.
Roine slowed as they approached the Aeta and Tan followed, lowering himself and Amia to the ground. Roine stepped forward and bowed slightly at the neck as he approached the gathered Aeta.
They stood in a line. There were two women among them, so either could be the Mother. A large man with a bulging belly stood to one end. He had tattoos along each arm, twisting and winding until they faded behind his shirt. A large hoop hung from his ear.
Two other men stood on the far end of the line. One was slender and slight, with dull gray eyes. The other was of average build and seemed to focus anywhere but on them.
Tan stayed back a few steps as they approached, holding a shaping ready in case it was needed. Fire. He always defaulted to fire.
“I am Theondar Roardan,” Roine said as he approached. “I serve as king regent. There was a summons.”
Tan tensed as he waited for the response. The Aeta had been offered safety in the kingdoms, but summoning the king was something different. This was asking for help, unless Roine had read it wrong.
One of the Aeta stepped forward. She was small and older, though not
“How did you know they were here?” Amia asked.
Roine nodded toward the Aeta. “They sent word.”
She turned, looking to the north and Ethea. “The Aeta sent word? To Ethea?”
“They shaped it,” he said.
Her eyes tightened.
Tan studied the Aeta, wondering which one would be the shaper. “We once thought shaping rare among the Aeta,” Tan said.
“It is,” Amia said. “At least, I thought it was.”
“Then how is it that we’ve come across it as often as we have?”
“I… I don’t know. Maybe the First Mother hid the frequency from others. Maybe there is only weak shaping strength in some. When she taught me to shape, she made it seem like my ability is rare.”
“Your ability is rare. I’ve seen you working with the First Mother. The way that you shape is about more than strength. You’ve got a delicacy to it that I cannot even fathom. I’ve watched you and don’t think that I could even come close to what I see you doing so easily.”
“It’s for Cora,” Amia said softly. “And for you. You’ve said that what she knows might be important. I still need to learn where she’s from.”
Roine’s eyes widened as she spoke.
“That’s hidden from us despite everything that we’ve done. But I can tell she had strength once. She has known shaping, and she knew the elementals. I only wish I could figure out which one. That’s why I keep pushing.”
Tan suspected it was about more than just helping Cora. Amia was learning how to use her ability from the only person alive who might be able to teach her. And if telling herself that she did it for Cora was the only way that she would do it, then Tan thought it worthwhile.
“Well, I don’t know who summoned, only that there was a request to meet with the Aeta,” Roine said.
“How did you know it was from the Aeta?” Tan asked.
Roine hesitated, his eyes straining toward the Aeta waiting below. They stood watching, not moving. “Trust that I know. Come. We should not keep them waiting,” Roine said.
He started down the slope on a shaping of air. Tan thought it odd that he didn’t answer the question, but then again, Roine was now essentially the king. He didn’t have to answer.
Tan leaned into Amia. “Are you ready for this?”
She brushed away a stray strand of hair. “I came for you, not for them.”
Tan bit back a comment. She likely knew what he was going to say anyway.
He readied a shaping of wind and drew upon Honl, lifting himself and Amia onto a cloud of wind, and used that to follow Roine. They caught him and made their way down the slope next to him, side by side.
Roine slowed as they approached the Aeta and Tan followed, lowering himself and Amia to the ground. Roine stepped forward and bowed slightly at the neck as he approached the gathered Aeta.
They stood in a line. There were two women among them, so either could be the Mother. A large man with a bulging belly stood to one end. He had tattoos along each arm, twisting and winding until they faded behind his shirt. A large hoop hung from his ear.
Two other men stood on the far end of the line. One was slender and slight, with dull gray eyes. The other was of average build and seemed to focus anywhere but on them.
Tan stayed back a few steps as they approached, holding a shaping ready in case it was needed. Fire. He always defaulted to fire.
“I am Theondar Roardan,” Roine said as he approached. “I serve as king regent. There was a summons.”
Tan tensed as he waited for the response. The Aeta had been offered safety in the kingdoms, but summoning the king was something different. This was asking for help, unless Roine had read it wrong.
One of the Aeta stepped forward. She was small and older, though not
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