Authors: Maria V. Snyder
Ursan kept quiet the remainder of the trip. Jael, Major Granvil and the rest of the jumping jacks waited for us at the starting point of the exercise. It felt as if we’d been gone days instead of hours. Noelle wasn’t in sight, and Ryne’s group hadn’t made it back yet.
“Report, Sergeant,” Jael ordered Ursan, her agitation obvious.
“The exercise was interrupted by the escaping POWs, sir. I was separated from my men as I tried to help round them up. Were they all recaptured, sir?”
“Yes. Have you seen the other team?” Jael asked.
“Yes. They kept together during the confusion and are on their way here.”
Disappointment flashed for a second before she smoothed her expression. When Ryne joined us, she showed no signs of her earlier distress. They discussed the aborted exercise.
“We can try again tomorrow afternoon,” Jael said.
“No need, General,” Ryne said. “Your men proved their skills today. I was quite impressed. Sergeant Irina is doing a fine job and I don’t want to waste another day that can be used for training.” He steered her from the forest with Belen, Loren and Quain trailing behind.
Belen winked at me, but the monkeys hadn’t even glanced in my direction.
Major Granvil waited until they left before addressing us. “This was a crazy day, but you proved yourselves. Report for training in the morning, but you can have tomorrow afternoon off. Dismissed.”
The jacks cheered and headed back to camp. Ursan and I were about to follow when the major said, “Sergeants, a word.”
We exchanged a glance before turning around.
“I’m not an idiot,” Granvil said. “Something big happened today, and I’m not talking about the POWs well-timed escape. Tell me.”
“It’s better if you didn’t know, sir,” I said.
“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?”
“No, sir. Trust me. All you need to know is that Sergeant Ursan made you proud, and he should be promoted,” I said.
“And what about you? Should I promote you, too?”
“No, sir.”
“Really? What happened to your aspirations to become an officer?”
I looked at Ursan. “I still need to earn my sergeant’s stripes, sir.”
“I’m not even going to pretend that I understood that. All right, go.”
We didn’t hesitate. Without saying a word, Ursan and I bolted from the forest. Halfway back to camp, we slowed. I considered the day’s events.
“What will you do if General Jael orders you to assassinate Ryne again?” I asked.
“She won’t. I failed. And once Prince Ryne has his talk with her, she’ll know I tipped my hand. I’ll either be demoted or sent out on a very dangerous mission that has no chance for success.”
“Perhaps the major—”
“Generals trump majors,” Ursan said.
“True. But do princes trump generals?”
“I attacked him.”
“Ryne’s not the type to hold a grudge.”
Ursan considered. “Isn’t he a king? Both his parents died.”
“Technically, yes. But he hasn’t assumed the title.”
“Neither has Prince Kerrick,” Ursan said. “Don’t you find that odd?”
“Not with Kerrick. He loved his father very much. I think it’s still too painful for him to assume the title. Plus he hasn’t been home in years.”
Ursan remained quiet until we reached his tent. “Prince Kerrick’s a forest mage. Which means his eyes change color with the seasons. Right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He stared at me for a moment. “Lucky guy.” Ursan ducked into his tent.
I stood there a moment in complete shock. He’d accused me of being a traitor, a spy, and didn’t trust me at all. Yet, he’d said that. And what exactly did that mean?
Why did I bring out the worst in people? Even Quain was mad at me, and I didn’t think that was possible. If the bald monkey started spouting poetry in the future, I’d bury my stiletto in him.
Wynn and Liv had waited for me in our tent. They had lit a lantern, and both sat cross-legged on their cots. Liv sewed a hole in a pair of her fatigues while Wynn sharpened her sword.
“How did the exercise go?” Liv asked, glancing up.
I told them about the escape but not the assassination attempt.
“Odd,” Wynn said. “The POW camp is usually locked down tight.”
“Well, that’ll give the general another reason to shut it down.” Liv cut the thread with her teeth.
“I don’t think that’s enough of a reason for the High Priestess to agree,” Wynn said.
“If they shut it down, where would they keep the prisoners?” I asked.
They exchanged a glance. “Ah, Baby Face. You’re cute when you’re naive,” Liv said. “It’s war. What do you think will happen to them?”
“Oh.” Jael would kill them.
“It’s been one of those...sticking points between the High Priestess and General Jael.” Liv packed up her sewing kit. “The general argues that keeping the POWs alive is a drain on our resources and manpower. Once the battle begins, we’re going to need everything we have.”
Wynn slid her sword into her scabbard. “But the High Priestess values life. I hear they argue about it frequently.”
“It should be interesting now that Prince Ryne is here. He’s bound to take the High Priestess’s side. Did you see how chummy they were when he arrived?” Liv stood and stretched. “Let’s eat, I’m starved.”
I followed them to the mess tent, although I didn’t have an appetite. Quain’s reaction kept replaying in my mind. Ryne had agreed with me. Belen hadn’t seemed upset. Then again, Belen only knew about my “death” since Ryne had arrived in Estrid’s camp. The monkeys had known back when they’d left me in Sogra, believing my days were numbered.
And I hadn’t even learned anything important about Jael and Estrid’s army. Some undercover agent I’d been. Ursan sniffed me out that first day, and Lieutenant Thea knew I wasn’t who I’d claimed to be. I hadn’t talked to my sister. Melina was incarcerated at Chinska Mare, so I hadn’t fulfilled my promise to Mom.
Grabbing a tray, I ladled a few scoops of stew and took a hunk of bread. We sat by the sergeant’s fire. I picked at my food before giving up and setting it aside. The others debated and gossiped. Their voices flowed around me, but I didn’t listen. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ursan glancing at me, but I wouldn’t meet his gaze. Instead, I drew pictures in the dirt with a stick.
I wondered if Belen and the guys were discussing strategy, or my rise from the grave, or something random.
“...Irina? ...Sergeant Irina!”
“Huh?” I looked up.
Odd crouched next to me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“For you to stop scowling at the ground. Although your picture of leaves is quite...nice,” Odd said.
“They’re hands.” Useless hands.
“Oh...yes, now I see,” he lied.
I gave him my best Kerrick stare. “What do you want?”
“My squad is up for training tomorrow. Do you want to schedule the drills for the afternoon?”
Major Granvil had given us the afternoon off. All of a sudden I knew exactly what I needed to do, and what I had been avoiding all this time became clear. “How about we drill in the morning with the jacks?”
“That’s fine.”
“Good.” I stood.
“Where are you going?” Ursan asked me.
“Back to my tent.”
“It’s early.” His suspicion had returned.
I shrugged. “I’m tired.” And I had a busy night planned. My back burned with the heat of Ursan’s gaze.
When I reached my tent, I cut through to the other side, then slipped under the far wall. Keeping out of sight of the sergeant’s fire, I headed to Lieutenant Thea’s tent. She wasn’t inside, but I found her around another campfire reserved for the officers of Axe Company.
She noticed me standing nearby, and I waved her over.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as she joined me.
“Nothing. I just wondered if you talked to Belen about that neck armor.”
“No. Major Granvil ordered us not to mention it to anyone.”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“In the major’s tent. You’re not planning anything stupid. Right, Sergeant?”
“You know I’m not really a sergeant.”
“You’ve proven yourself,
Sergeant
.”
I smiled. “That’s nice to hear. However, my past has caught up to me and soon everyone will know. It’s inevitable.”
“Should I prepare to cover my ass?”
I laughed. “No. I’m the only one who’ll be in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
My smile faded. I’d become a target for Jael and Tohon. Scanning the camp, I realized I wasn’t the only one. Once the war started, all these soldiers would be targets, as well.
“Irina?”
“Nothing bad. Minor trouble only.”
“So, no midnight jail breaks?” she asked with a hint of a smile.
“Not yet.”
Thea grinned. It was nice to finally crack her serious demeanor. Too bad I hadn’t been joking. She returned to the fire, and I spotted Major Granvil talking to one of his captains. Now or never.
Taking a circuitous route, I approached Granvil’s tent from the rear. I lifted the fabric and crawled inside. The walls glowed with the firelight from outside, but there was just enough light for me to see a tall man standing in the middle of the tent as if he waited for me.
“Ursan,” I said.
He held the neck armor up. “Looking for this?”
KERRICK
“I can’t leave you and Alga unprotected,” Kerrick said for the twentieth time.
“We’ll be fine, Kerry.” Unperturbed, Great-Aunt Yasmin sipped her tea as if they’d been discussing the weather.
After he had talked with General Zamiel, he had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out a way to deal with the tribes without leaving Alga vulnerable. But he’d come up with nothing. Great-Aunt Yasmin had finally dragged him out of his father’s office to eat a very late supper.
“You can’t do both,” she said. “Go lead your army north to fight the tribes.” She tapped a finger on the table. “Take General Zamiel, but leave Izak. He’s been doing so well.”
“Well?” He sputtered. “He—”
“None of that, Kerry. He protected our people. If Izak didn’t make that deal, what do you think Tohon would have done?”
Taken the town by force, killed anyone who resisted, and turned the dead into his soldiers. Kerrick wilted under her stern gaze. “I’d rather leave you in charge.”
“That’s sweet of you, but I think Izak is the better choice.”
“I’ll agree on one condition,” he said.
She straightened. “Go on.”
“That he obtains approval from you on all future decisions.”
“But, I’ve got—”
“One foot and four toes in the grave, I know. Doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, all right, Kerry. I’ll sit in as an adviser. Happy now?”
“No.”
“What would make you happy?”
“For the fighting to stop, for the tribes to turn around and go home.” He shook his head. “It’s impossible.”
She snapped her fingers at him. “Boo-hooing will not help you. If you think it’s impossible, then it will be. Go.” She shooed. “Make the impossible possible.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed her on the forehead before leaving. Ever since he was little, he knew to never argue with Great-Aunt Yasmin.
* * *
“No,” Kerrick said early the next morning. “It’s too dangerous.”
“What if Tohon returns?” Danny asked.
“He won’t harm you or Zila. You’re too important to him. But the tribal warriors don’t care who you are, and they have no qualms over killing children.”
Danny remained stubborn. “But—”
“No more discussion. You and Zila will stay here with Berna. My brother, Izak, has promised to play chess with you.”
“But—”
“I didn’t come here to argue with you,” he said. “I came to say goodbye. Where’s Zila?”
Danny gestured. “She’s under the bed.”
Kerrick suppressed his impatience. He knelt next to the bed and raised the edge of the quilt. “Zila, please come out.”
“Not until you agree to let us come,” she said.
“All right, then stay there.” He dropped the quilt and sat on the floor, resting his back against the mattress. He rubbed his face. Three hours wasn’t enough sleep, but he needed to get his troops on the road. Time to try another tactic.
“Too bad it’s too dark under there to read,” he said.
He heard her scootch closer.
“Are there books here?” she asked.
“Just a few thousand or so. Our library has two floors full of shelves and these big soft armchairs that are perfect for reading.”
Zila peeked out. Dust bunnies clung to her hair. “Where is it?”
“It’s hard to find, but I can show you.”
She slid out. “Can we go now?”
“Sure.” Kerrick stood and took her hand.
Danny followed them downstairs to the library. Zila squealed and ran around the shelves. Kerrick hadn’t been lying about the place. His father had loved books, and he couldn’t remember a time where his father hadn’t collected them. They even had a printing press.
Grief pulsed in his chest. He missed his father as much today as he had four years ago when King Neil had succumbed to the plague. Kerrick’s mother had never seemed to have time for him or his brother, preferring to spend all her time with his sister, Rae. And Rae had pretty much ignored her older brothers. He never really knew her.
Kerrick scanned the library, remembering many late nights spent here with his father. At least Zila and Danny could enjoy it. And he’d show Zila his father’s prized possession—the printing press—if he returned.
Standing next to him, Danny crossed his arms. “Well played. Zila won’t think about you until you’re long gone.”
“Did you see the chess set in the corner?” Kerrick asked.
“I’m not falling for it.”
“The black pieces have been carved from obsidian, and the white from milk quartz. The kings wear real gold crowns, and sapphires decorate the queens’ tiaras. And the board is marble. The pieces just glide over the surface.”
Danny took a step but stopped. “I’m still mad at you.”
“And I’m still not letting you come along. You might as well enjoy your stay.”
After Danny checked out the chess set and Zila found enough books to keep her occupied for hours, Kerrick said goodbye.