Phoenix in Shadow - eARC by Ryk E Spoor

airships of the Lords were the bedrock of trade and diplomatic communications.”
    Kyri felt cold and knew Tobimar had the same thoughts. “And that’s why it was singled out by the Demons in the Chaoswar.”
    The Wanderer was grave. “I would guess so, yes. With the usual disruption by the forces unleashed in a Chaoswar, only the Lords’ ships could have maintained any sort of cohesion between countries. They had to be taken down. The fact that—according to strong rumor—they were blessed of Terian and held the Seven and the One merely made them a greater target.”
    Kyri saw Tobimar nod, at once more solemn and more confident. Of course. This is what he and his people have been searching for, and now the Wanderer’s finally confirmed everything he hoped to believe.
    Then Poplock said, “So...what are you hiding?”
    The Wanderer raised an eyebrow. “How do you mean?”
    “You’re good at ducking and weaving, but so am I.” The little Toad squinted at him narrowly. “You didn’t answer my question, really. Just diverted off into talking about what you knew about the Hollow , but I didn’t ask about that, I asked what you knew about the situation . And I think you know a lot . You’re the guy they say the gods tread lightly around, that’s not bound by destiny, that’s faced down Dragons and devised weapons against demons, that’s tricked one of the Nine Kings with a handful of sand and his own pure will. You’re living a hop or two from Evanwyl. I think you know what’s going on.”
    Kyri turned to look at the Wanderer, who was smiling bemusedly at Poplock. “Cogent and well stated, little Toad. I don’t know everything that’s going on. But I do know a lot more about it than you do. And I’m not going to be able to tell you much.”
    “Why not? ” Kyri demanded. “Do you like playing games with people? That’s not what the stories say!”
    Now there was no sign of a smile on the Wanderer’s face; instead there were lines of worry, of pain that had not been visible before. “No, I don’t. It is not that I don’t want to tell you, Kyri, Tobimar... Poplock. It’s that I cannot. I dare not.” His gaze caught hers. “Recall the words that Myrionar spoke to you, the night It called you to its aid: ‘ What I know would be too dangerous for you now, and there is still much hidden from me, ’ yes?”
    She was stunned. Only five people other than herself had she ever told of that particular speech: Aunt Victoria, Toron, Tobimar, Poplock, and Xavier Ross. “ How do you know that? ”
    “Because Myrionar told me ,” he answered, and his voice was cold iron. “And those words are just as true now. There are truths you cannot—you must not —know.”
    Tobimar’s fists clenched. “So. You, like Khoros...perhaps even with Khoros...are playing a chessmaster, using us like pieces on your board, pushing us to perform some set of acts you need done.”
    “Yes...and no,” he said quietly. “Your wills are your own. In fact, they must be your own. It is just that there are things you must do in your own way, without direction or control. In fact, if I were to attempt to direct you, to tell you everything I know, or part of it, I would likely destroy everything we all hope to accomplish. Even though I know that there will be points at which not knowing something could get you all killed, and that, too, will destroy everything we hope to accomplish.”
    Kyri stared at him, anger, concern, and confusion making a nauseating mix in her gut. “What do you mean?” She made a leap of intuition. “A prophecy. You have a prophecy.”
    For a moment, that smile returned, sharp and lopsided, too knowing yet edged with sadness. “Not...precisely. Though, perhaps, close enough for your purposes.”
    “A prophecy we cannot be told?”
    He sighed, turned away, looked at the cold fire on the other side of the room. “Telling...can change the actions of others. Sometimes knowing can be worse than not