Somehow, her headache was worse. Yes, using the new ranges of her ability was definitely draining. Eden snored lightly beside her. Quinn rose, quietly dressed herself, and headed for the deck. The men avoided her gaze. Some even made a point of turning their back when she came past. The child Quinn would have been upset by this. The adult Quinn understood why they felt this way.
She wanted to find Ross, and it didn’t take long. The ship wasn’t large; nothing compared to the merchant carrier used to transport goods between the islands. Those fleets were vital to the functioning of Sha’sek—without their inter-trades, most of the islands would suffer from some form of loss vital to their infrastructure, be it food, drink, or goods such as clothing and building materials. No, they were on a small vessel, built for speed and for the sole purpose of ferrying people between the clustered islands of the Sha’sek people.
“How are you feeling?” Ross asked. He didn’t shy away from her like the other men had, but Ross had known her for her entire life. If he’d rejected her, she’d have likely considered running away as soon as they reached shore.
“As you’d expect. You have an impressive right hand.”
Ross winced. “You asked me to, Quinn. I didn’t exactly relish it.”
“No, and I shouldn’t make fun. That can’t have been a nice thing to do.”
“It wasn’t. I could see what you were doing, though. How did that feel?”
“I’m more concerned with how it affected Tarik.” Quinn wrapped her cloak closer around her body as a chill wind shivered across the deck. She looked around, wary of fog rolling back in on them, but there was none. “Eden says he’s still asleep?”
“Aye, and that’s still true this morning. We don’t expect him to wake up, not without the help of a healer.”
Quinn dropped her head to hide her eyes from her friend, “And I caused it. You must hate me.”
Ross pushed Quinn’s chin up gently, forcing her to look at him. “I think we’ve had a very similar conversation not so long ago. You can’t help who you are Quinn, any more than I can help liking wine and roasted boar. And if you are going to have an excuse for using your abilities anywhere, it’s the Sighs. If you hadn’t, Eden would likely be dead, and we’d definitely have a war on our hands.”
“Do you think that’s what the baron wanted all along? For one of us to kill someone from Everfell with our gift? To ignite the war?”
“I don’t know what that callous bastard wanted. I understand him even less than I understood Sammah, and I didn’t think that was possible. I thought I knew what their motives were—and for Sammah, it was clear. But his brother is a different prospect. I think he truly believes that he needs to lead his people off the islands and back onto the mainland, for their future prosperity. Why he can’t just come to Everfell with a peace treaty, so that we can start officially trading again, remains to be seen.”
“I think he’s more like Sammah than anyone lets on. He thinks we’re better than other people, Ross. He doesn’t think we should ally or trade with Everfell, because the people of Sha’sek should be ruling…well, people like you.”
“And that’s the kind of thinking that does start wars. We’re in a mess, Quinn.”
“And we’re heading into an even bigger one, from what I’ve heard. How do you think Sammah escaped?”
“We’ll only find out when we get to Everfell. One of dozens of ways. If I was down in those gaols overnight, you wouldn’t find me again in the morning, and with the number of allies Sammah potentially has, any one of them could have released him. I’m keen on finding out what has happened to Shiver, too.”
“You and me both.”
Eden joined them, also wrapped in a cloak, looking for all the world like the burdens of both kingdoms were on his shoulders. He’d been sent to find Quinn as a means for maintaining peace. In a way, Quinn knew, Eden would see that burden as his.
“He’ll be okay, Eden, no matter where he is when we get back.”
“That’s the part I’m worried about, Quinn. I don’t want him to be fine. Because that would mean he was out of the gaol, and likely allied again with Sammah. What does that mean for Sevenspells? For me? I don’t want to fight on the same side as that snake.”
“You won’t have a choice in the matter, lad.”
“Won’t I? What if I renounce my claims, and ally myself with Vance?”
Quinn was certain this time that she had nothing to do with Eden’s claims. He didn’t want to be a part of Sammah’s war, and if his father had picked that side, he was seriously considering giving up his position. Quinn fought hard to hide her glee. It was not about her; not for her.
“I think if you do that, you’ll make some dangerous enemies, not least your own family.”
“I’ll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, no matter what I decide. Vance trusts me; my father doesn’t. My brother doesn’t like me. All the men of my family—and the women, for that matter—are thirsty for this war. Vance has been trying to avoid it. I know which side I’d prefer to be on.”
“It doesn’t matter which side you pick, Eden. You won’t escape this without swinging a sword.”
Eden shrugged at Ross's ominous words. “That’s what you think. You made a living from war, once upon a time.”
“And I’ve seen wars start before. The tensions are worse, this time. Everyone thinks it’s going to be Sha’sek against Everfell, but that’s not true. The baron is right. Vance doesn’t trust your father; your father has many of the nobles on his side. The war is going to be in Everfell, and the soldiers of Sha’sek are simply going to swarm in and sweep aside the weary winners. There will be a civil war, and once it’s over, there won’t be enough of Everfell left to put up any resistance.”
“I can stop that. I can help Vance.”
“Can you? Can any of us stop this?”
Eden glanced at Quinn. “This time, we have a chance. It’s different. Before the empath wasn’t on our side. Before, Sha’sek used their strengths against us. This time, we can use Quinn to help.”
“I don’t know how to control this power, Eden; I don’t know that I can do what you’re asking me to do.”
“We have to take that chance Quinn,” Eden pleaded. “You can stop my father from wanting war; you can make Vance trust his lords again. Ross thinks I can’t get through this without swinging a sword, but you can end all of this before anyone strikes a blow. Please, help us.”
Ross's eyes were wide. “He’s right. Before, an empath made the soldiers of Sha’sek fight. You can do the opposite, Quinn. You can force people into peace.”
“Land ahoy!”
The jubilant cry of the captain broke through their dispute. All three turned to see the welcome flags of Port Kahnel on the horizon.
Both Ross and Eden left Quinn alone as they rode into port. Their intentions were clear; they had added themselves to the long list of men who wanted to use Quinn for her power. She couldn’t deny their reasoning, though. It was an unthinkable prospect: ending a war before the first drop of blood even spilled.
She couldn’t deny them. How could she? She had been adamant, since finding out that another empath had caused the last war, that she would take no part in one. But, if that part was stopping the war in its infancy, she couldn’t avoid that. Quinn didn’t want any part in bloodshed, and to go down in history as the woman that stood to one side and let the war start, was just as bad.
“I’ll do it,” she said quietly. Eden and Ross turned to her, both unable to hide the relief in their eyes.
“Thank you Quinn. This isn’t going to be easy, but it’s something we have to try.”
Ross nodded his agreement, “We have to get you to Everfell. It all starts there.”
Quinn responded, but her eyes had drifted to the shoreline and her voice was distant. “That might be easier said than done.”
There was a crowd waiting on the jetty for them, and banners were flying. They were not the banner of King Vance, nor any of Baron Sammah’s own personal retinue. They were the banners of Sevenspells.