Hammer of Time (The Reforged Trilogy) by Erica Lindquist, Aron Christensen

own name quickly became nonsense in Maeve's ears.
    The night was full of soup and introductions as every single remaining New Hennor Arcadian presented themselves to their new queen. Maeve sat uncomfortably on her empty water canister and did her best to listen to twenty painful stories of hard life in the core, of friends and family lost to the Devourers, to disease and the hatred of the Alliance species. Was there any way to turn these lost, broken fairies into an Arcadian kingdom?
    There were other introductions to make, too. The Arcadians had already met Xia, but many stared at Gripper. His size and stature were far too reminiscent of the Devourers. Nervous and still anguished by the death of the Oslain'ii's pilot, Gripper collected the dishes – feeding so many mouths had used every single bowl and bowl-like object on the ship – and he retreated to the kitchen.
    "What of your captain?" Ferris asked. He glanced down the table to where Duaal sat, telling stories. "He is not like most humans."
    "He has been trained in our arts," Maeve said. "It was not a pleasant verse of his life, but Duaal has become a powerful spellsinger. His skill surpasses even that of the Ivory Spire adepts."
    Ferris' brow shot up. He did not seem to think that likely. "He must have learned at the wingtips of one of our own. Maybe you were his mentor, my queen?"
    "No!" Maeve said sharply and tried again, softening her tone. "No, I did not teach Duaal our songs. His teacher was another human, Gavriel. He led the Cult of Nihil."
    Duke Ferris' expression was blank of recognition. Maeve tried again.
    "The group to which Xartasia belonged," she explained. Maeve rubbed the heel of her hand against the back of her neck. The memories were as heavy as lead weights. "When he was dead, my cousin sent those coreworlders who remained to be torn apart by Devourers."
    Duke Ferris gave her a long, serious look. "Does the boy pose a danger to you or the kingdom, a'shae?"
    Maeve shocked herself by laughing. "No," she said. "No, Duaal is no enemy. He and I are – it is strange to say – good friends. Duaal has devoted himself to this endeavor and he has been an invaluable ally."
    On the other side of the table, Panna grinned. "On Prianus, I really thought you two hated each other."
    "We did," Maeve admitted. She shook her head. "It took Tiberius' loss to mend our relationship."
    Panna fell silent, perhaps thinking of the Blue Phoenix's old captain… or maybe of another man lost on Prianus. Maeve knew she was not the only one who suspected that Panna's feelings for her teacher had been more than a student's respect. Not unlike her own affection for Orthain, Maeve realized. Xen had protected Panna's secret in defiance of his own Ixthian culture. It was easy to understand her infatuation.
    Infatuation? Maeve wondered at her own thought. Was that fair to Panna?
    Duke Ferris cleared his throat. "What of the other human?" he asked. "The man who was with you this afternoon?"
    Maeve blinked and looked around the crowded cargo bay for Logan, but he was nowhere to be seen. Where was he?
    ________
     
    The horizon was crimson, as though Sunjarrah itself burned a smokeless scarlet. Brilliant silver stars were already kindling overhead, especially thick along the blurry line of the galactic plane. The river of stars flowed over the Blue Phoenix, bright and inviting.
     
    "Waited until, by wind's tempest
    I came to the old one's claim
    'For a summer, I have searched…'"
     
    The note went sour and Logan stopped singing. He looked down. He sat on top of the Blue Phoenix, between two broken sensor spars. They had snapped off during the flight through Sunjarrah's autotraffic belt and there was no money left to repair them. His guitar lay across his lap. It had been battered and worn even before Logan bought it from one of the Poes Nor students on Tynerion, but now the neck was criss-crossed with deep scars. The wood was splintered in several places and held together with black