“The commander should’ve sent a messenger as soon as my arrow was spotted.”
“Arrow?”
“Aye,” he said as he glanced back at Terena. “One arrow to signal your return.”
“Have you seen the oracle?” Rydon asked, nudging his mount closer to Jason.
“Not yet. We’ve sent scouts, though. The commander will update you.”
They rode in silence until they reached the camp. Three men came forward to take their horses away to be cared for, while the rest of them followed Jason into Daris’s tent.
The interior was sparse, with a cot to the side and a small collapsable table where four men stood, three of them with their backs to the opening. When Terena saw Daris, his usual impassive mask slipped and his lips tugged up in a smile before he schooled his face and he was the Commander once more.
“So this is where the party’s at,” Croak said, folding his arms as he stood with legs braced next to Terena.
“Melanos!” Daris’s face lit up when he spotted the god. He came around the table to greet him. Melanos held out his arm and Daris clasped it with a grin. “You’re out. How do you feel?”
Melanos made a sound and leaned back, his eyes landing on Terena. “Ask me in a few days. I might have recovered from the shock by then.”
Daris made quick introductions and Terena and the others clasped each man’s arm.
“Have you heard anything?” Rydon asked as he released the arm ofthe Spartan army captain, Linos Athanasi. He looked to be older than Daris but not by much. Ten years at most was Terena’s guess as she took in the slight wrinkles at the corners of his mouth and eyes. He had thick brows atop deep-set brown eyes that made him seem angry even when he was smiling.
“No, not yet,” Daris replied, “although I hadn’t expected to hear so quickly. I sent a messenger earlier telling them we’d meet them at dawn for the exchange.”
“You’re not worried they’ll just send troops in to take it from us?” Croak snorted.
Daris spared him a glance, then walked back to where he’d been standing when they first came in. “I’d love to see it. Especially with you here.” He motioned to Terena and Melanos.
“Let’s not forget this little spitfire,” Croak said as he hooked an arm over Sonah’s neck and dropped a kiss on her head.
“Have you seen her?” Terena asked.
Daris gazed at her for a moment before shaking his head. “My men haven’t seen the oracle, no. But they’ve locked up her Magi. One escaped. We’re not sure where he is, but he wouldn’t leave his priestess, so he must be nearby.”
Terena thought back to the Magi she’d seen in Pytho’s temple; the same man who had stood off in the distance while she and Croak had killed his men in Agraboda.
No,she thought.The Magi would not leave Pytho.
“So, what’s your plan?” Rydon asked, his arms stretching his tunic as he crossed his arms.
Daris shifted his eyes to Rydon before looking at Terena. “Terena, Melanos and I will?—”
“And me,” Rydon grunted.
Daris sighed. “We’ll go make the trade. A guard of four will travel with us, and Captain Athanasi will have his men positioned here.” Daris pointed at a spot on the map in front of them. “I’ll have Gabriol join them,” Rydon said as Gabriol moved closer.
“Fine,” Daris said with a nod as he continued to regard the map. “Since they have most of their men posted here, the captain willensure our archers target them.” Looking up and around at the others, Daris’s eyes landed on Sonah. “Sonah?—”
“Sonah will stay back,” Terena said firmly. Sonah did not contradict her.
“And when we have Pytho?” Rydon asked after a pause.
“We take Messene.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Messene differed vastly from their last visit. The legion of soldiers lining the streets as Terena and Daris led the way into the heart of the city was a big reason. Another was the fact none of the citizens so happily thronging the streets on their previous visit were anywhere in sight.
