“How do you know this?” he asked.
Xoran’s lip curled. “You’re not too bright, are you? I’m his fucking Imperial Guard Captain.” He shifted his eyes to Terena. “I can get her for you before Ovenno takes her out of Sparta. I have men already in place.”
“Why are you here?” Terena said, pushing gently on Rydon’s shoulder. Rydon retreated a step, allowing Terena to fill the space in front of Xoran, her eyes flashing as she glared at the captain. “You’re his fucking Imperial Guard Captain,” she mimicked. “So what are you doing in Ovenno and not in Sparta yourself?”
“Solon’s dog has a very long leash,” Rydon growled, his eyes burning into Xoran.
“I’m here foryou.”
“Ah! The truth at last,” Croak laughed harshly. “Kill him, Rydon.”
“Enough!” Terena erupted, her face red as glared at all of them. “I don’t give a fuck anymore about why he’s here. I care about Sonah. I will find her myself.”
She turned to leave and said over her shoulder, “If you’re smart, you’ll stay out of my way. Come near us, try to take her from me, I will hunt you to the ends of Elysium.”
Before Terena took another step, Vassori darted in front of her, prostrating before her.
Head bowed and sword lifted, she said, “Take me with you.”
“I do not want your brother’s bargain,” Terena spat, pushing past the kneeling tracker.
“That’s his bargain, not mine,” Vassori said as she stood. Glancing over her shoulder at Xoran, who watched them in frustrated silence, she turned back to Terena. Lifting her chin, she gazed at her with a look Rydon could only interpret as reverence.
“Goddess, please?—”
“Come. Stay. I care not,” Terena sighed and stepped away, turning for the door. “I am going to Sparta.”
“You won’t find her,” Xoran called out. Terena paused but did not turn back around. Rydon shoved the captain aside as he strode to Terena’s side.
“Why not?” Croak asked, popping something into his mouth as he followed in a leisurely manner.
Xoran’s face went blank. When he replied, he spoke to Terena. “Because the Fates have other plans for you.”
Chapter 10
LAKONIA
At midday, Sonah and Lerek spotted a small village where the coin Sonah had pilfered from Jenos was enough to secure them two horses.
Lerek had hidden beneath his hooded cloak while Sonah negotiated, the stable master nodding enthusiastically at the sum, even throwing in a dagger after Sonah had asked where she might procure one. She was still uncomfortable around the beasts, but at least this one listened to her, and it seemed docile enough.
When they’d reached the main road outside the village, they’d continued west, sticking to the less populated paths.
“Wouldn’t it be quicker using the Greek roads?”
“Aye,” Sonah called back. “Quicker getting caught. We stick to these paths and shelter in the woods as much as we can. If we keep going west, there’s a forest we can hide in for days. The woods are dense enough to keep us well hidden.”
“West?” Lerek looked around as they rode on. “We’re going east.”
“What?” Sonah pulled on the reins and the horse slowed to a stop. Resting one hand on her hip, she frowned at her surroundings. “Are you certain?”
“Aye,” Lerek said with a sardonic lift of his lips. “Can you not tell?”
“I’m not good with that stuff,” she grumbled.
“Well, now that we’ve determined we are, in fact, goingeast,” Lerek said with exaggerated patience, “where do you suggest we go from here?”
Chewing on her lip, Sonah thought for a few seconds before she brightened, snapping her fingers and pointing at Lerek with a huge grin. “We’ll be in Ibros soon, if we’re not already. We head north until we get to Thuria. I have a friend up there.”
