Maili raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.”
A blade kissed Aloisia’s neck, and she fell silent. She glared at the woman holding it.
“I have not yet addressed you, girl. It would be wise for you to remain quiet until I do.” She folded her hands behind her back. As she paced forth, the hawk on her shoulder rustled its wings, its beady eyes examining them all.
Aloisia held her tongue, as instructed, and the others had the sense to do the same. Though Inari’s posture eased, his fists unclenching, he remained alert, watching as Maili circled them like a bird seeking its prey.
“I am Maili Lathurna, Chieftain of the Shadow Sisters.” She paused beside the woman holding a blade to Aloisia’s throat. The woman withdrew at her touch. “The Vale of Poppies is under my jurisdiction, and mine alone. Chieftain Cathan knows this. He also knows those who venture as far within the vale as you have, do not leave. Not alive, at any rate. Then I can only draw one conclusion from the chieftain’s actions: he saw fit to amuse himself by sending you into our land so you could die at our hands rather than his own.”
“False,” Aloisia said.
The others tensed at the word, spoken out of turn.
Maili brought her own blade up, the tip pressing into the huntress’s cheek. “I still have not addressed you.”
“Chieftain Cathan sent us here as we have a common goal, a common enemy.” The blade pressed deeper as she spoke, the warm trickle of blood tracing down her skin. “The Forgotten Gods.”
A chorus of gasps and murmurings erupted at the mention of the gods, the Shadow Sisters having much the same reaction as Morag and his men.
Maili withdrew her blade, now tainted with a slash of red. “You dare speak their name in this place?”
“We have a map, the only clue we have to stop them,” Aloisia pressed on. “It has led us here to the vale.”
“What are you insinuating? That they reside here? That they are present upon our bidding?”
“No. I only mean there could be something within your land which can stop them from killing anyone else. They grow in power, and if they are not stopped—”
“Enough!” Maili waved the blade before Aloisia. “I do not need to hear more.”
“Will you permit us to find what is at the end of the map?”
Maili tilted her head, a frown furrowing her brow. “No.”
Aloisia’s stomach dropped. “You must—”
“I must do nothing.” She pointed the dagger at the huntress. “Not another word.”
Ludin stepped forwards, Oda grabbing his arm to stop him. “Please, at least listen to what we have to say.”
Maili turned slowly to face him, an incredulous look on her face.
“This involves everyone. Not just us.”
Maili approached him and the hawk on her shoulder gave a cry, beating its wings to soar above them.
“Aiding one another—”
With a flick of her wrist, Maili cut off whatever else he might have said.
Ludin clutched at his throat, a vicious line of red pooling beneath his fingers.
Oda screamed, clinging to him as he fell to his knees. Ludin gave a cough, blood foaming at his lips. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, frantic as he choked for air. Then he went still.
“Silence is golden.” Maili wiped the blood from her blade on a cloth hanging from her belt.
“You killed him.” Aloisia looked from Ludin’s lifeless body, cradled in Oda’s arms, to Maili’s wicked grin.
“And yet you are still talking.”
