Deborah's POV
Chad and I left the vault together, our footsteps echoing in the tense silence as we walked toward the airship. Our footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, the sound sharp and deliberate in the stillness. He walked ahead of me, his stride confident, his expression impassive. Chad's calm demeanor only added to the swirling questions in my mind.
When we reached the airship, Chad immediately moved to the controls, his movements practiced and efficient. I took my seat, buckling in without a word, and turned my gaze to the window. The engines hummed softly as we ascended, the view of Hybrasil shrinking below us.
The towering ruins and once-sprawling streets blurred into indistinct shapes, swallowed by the horizon. As the city disappeared from sight, I felt a pang of emotion I couldn't quite name. Relief? Sadness? Perhaps both.
"Hybrasil is massive," Chad remarked, his voice cutting through the silence. His voice was calm, almost absent-minded, as though he were simply narrating his observations.
I didn't respond. It was true—Hybrasil was the largest of the sky cities. But his comment felt pointed, like there was more beneath the surface.
He continued, undeterred. "Its population used to be about the same as Tirfothuinn's now."
That made me turn. His face, half-illuminated by the soft glow of the controls, remained carefully unreadable. Was he hinting at something? Trying to provoke a reaction? His tone was too even, his expression too controlled.
I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. The weight of his words lingered in the air, but I decided not to take the bait. The silence stretched between us until the airship landed in Ablach, where Chad promptly disappeared without another word.
Days passed, and I barely saw him. Chad seemed to be glued to Lugh's side, the two of them always occupied with some unseen plan. Whatever they were working on, I couldn't shake the feeling it involved Tirfothuinn—and possibly even Thorne and Vandran.
Lugh never made a move without purpose. If he was plotting something, it would be intricate, calculated, and far-reaching—I was sure of it. I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Chad's words from that flight stayed with me. "Hybrasil's population used to be about the same as Tirfothuinn's now." It sounded so simple, so innocuous, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it carried more meaning than he let on.
As I mulled it over, an idea began to form.
Maybe moving the weapons from Hybrasil to Tirfothuinn wasn't the answer. Transporting them would be logistically impossible without airships, and the risk of discovery was too great. But what if Tirfothuinn's warriors came to Hybrasil instead?
The city had the space, the resources, and the strategic position to serve as a base of operations. It was fortified, built to withstand attacks, and stocked with enough weaponry to arm an army. Hybrasil could become more than a ruin—it could be a sanctuary, a battleground, a symbol of resistance.
But I couldn't deny the implications. Allowing Tirfothuinn's forces to occupy Hybrasil meant open war with the sky cities. There would be no turning back.
Still, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Hybrasil wasn't merely my family's legacy; it was a chance to strike back. A chance to change the course of this war.
I steeled myself. If war was inevitable, then I had to be ready.
It was with this resolve that I found myself standing outside Chad's apartment. My hand hesitated over the door. It wasn't Chad I was here for—it was Matthew. I hadn't seen him in days, and guilt gnawed at me. My focus on Tirfothuinn had consumed me, leaving little room for anything else, and Matthew had paid the price.
I finally knocked.
The door opened almost instantly.
Matthew stood there, his usual calm expression dissolving the moment his eyes met mine. Without a word, he reached for me, pulling me inside and shutting the door behind us.
Before I could react, his arms wrapped around me in a fierce embrace. It was sudden, desperate, and so tight that I could barely breathe. But I didn't push him away. I let him hold me, feeling the intensity of his emotions in the way his arms clung to me.
"Matthew…" I murmured his name softly, but he didn't let go. He buried his face in the curve of my neck, his breath warm and uneven against my skin.
His silence spoke volumes. Every ounce of his worry, his longing, his frustration—all of it poured into that embrace. I reached up, my hand gently brushing his back in a silent attempt to comfort him.
Finally, he loosened his grip, just enough to meet my eyes. His gaze was raw, filled with emotions I couldn't name—relief, hurt, love, and something deeper, more profound.
"Why haven't you been here?" he asked, his voice low and rough, tinged with something close to a plea.
"I've been busy," I said gently, resting my hands on his chest. "There's been so much going on, and… I went to Hybrasil with Chad."
His body tensed at the mention of Chad's name, his grip on my waist faltering. He pulled back slightly, his expression darkening. "With Chad," he repeated, his tone edged with disbelief.
I blinked, caught off guard by the sharpness of his tone. "Matt, it's not about Chad. It's about Hybrasil," I began, but he cut me off.
"You went with him," he repeated, his voice flat but edged with something bitter.
Before I could explain, the door behind me opened.
"What's wrong with going with me?" Chad's voice was calm but laced with subtle provocation.
I turned, startled. Chad stood in the doorway, a file in his hand, his expression impassive as his gaze flickered between Matthew and me.
Matthew's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You can't just walk in here."
"This is my house," Chad replied coolly, stepping inside. "I don't need your permission."
I felt Matthew's tension rising, his hand curling into a fist at his side. I placed a hand on his chest, whispering, "Matt, calm down."
He looked at me, his eyes conflicted, before letting out a sharp breath and relaxing slightly.
Chad moved to the table, setting the file down. He turned back to us, his tone casual. "So, Miss Edwards, when were you planning to tell him about Hybrasil?"
Matthew's gaze snapped to me, suspicion flashing in his eyes. "What happened at Hybrasil?" he demanded.
I hesitated, knowing I couldn't keep it from him any longer. "Matthew, I was going to tell you—"
"Tell him now," Chad interrupted smoothly, leaning against the table. "We went to Hybrasil to secure weapons. For Tirfothuinn's safety."
Matthew's brows furrowed as he processed Chad's words. "Weapons? And you didn't think to tell me?"
"It was dangerous," I admitted, my voice heavy with exhaustion. "I didn't want to put you at risk."
His expression hardened. "So you went with him instead of trusting me?"
His words hit me like a physical blow. I opened my mouth to explain, but before I could, Chad spoke again. "Because she needed me. I know Hybrasil. I could get her in and out safely. You couldn't."
Matthew's jaw clenched, his anger barely contained. "And you think that gives you the right to make decisions for her?"
Chad didn't flinch. "She trusts me."
The room fell silent. Matthew's eyes burned into mine, his voice low and steady. "Deb, do you?" he asked, his voice taut with barely suppressed pain.
I met his gaze, my chest tightening at the turmoil reflected in his eyes. "Matthew, I had no choice. I had to rely on him."
He exhaled sharply, looking away for a moment before nodding. "Fine. But promise me this—whatever happens, you'll tell me everything."
I reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. "I promise."
Chad pushed off the table, his expression indifferent. "Now that we've settled that, let's not waste any more time."
Matthew ignored him, his focus solely on me. "Deborah, I don't care how dangerous it is. I just want to be there for you."
His words shook me to my core. I felt tears prickling at the edges of my eyes, but I held them back. "Matthew, I know," I whispered. "And I'll do everything I can to make sure you are."