“I’m good at holding my tongue. It’s imperative to my job.”
“You couldn’t have resisted,” Aloisia said. “The darts have a truth potion on them.”
“So, that’s why I said what I said.” She gingerly touched her swollen cheek. “I didn’t have a positive view of them before. Then they killed Ludin. The witch didn’t even blink as she slit his throat.”
They fell into an uneasy silence, their attention on the hut. Aloisia tried to keep to Inari’s word.Bide our time, he’d said. And so she waited. Time dragged on and still Inari had not been brought out. He had been in there for so long, far longer than Kaja and Oda.
A shout rose from the hut, followed by a commotion. Before the Shadow Sisters could approach, the hide curtain was moved aside. Maili stepped out first, Inari behind her, unshackled with a blade to her throat. The Shadow Sisters lifted their spears and blades, but with Maili as a human shield, they could not move against him.
“Weapons down,” Inari shouted. “Or I will kill your chieftain.”
The Sisters bristled. They did not set their weapons down, instead awaiting a command. Inari pressed the blade further, drawing blood.
“Set them down!” one of the Shadow Sisters called, and they all obeyed, albeit reluctantly.
“Now,” Inari continued, “you will unlock the cage and step away.”
The one who had given the command looked to Maili, who managed a faint nod. With teeth bared, the woman stalked to the cage and unlocked the door. She swung it open and commanded her clanswomen to move away from it. Instead, they gathered around Inari and their chieftain.
Without delay, Aloisia, Kaja, and Oda fled from the cage. Their shackles jingled as they ran towards the cover of the trees.
“The keys for the chains, if you please.”
Another Shadow Sister came forward, holding out a small ring of keys. Inari pocketed them and began striding through the crowd, Maili still at knifepoint.
“None shall follow us, Maili. Swear it.”
“Fine,” she growled. “Just go.”
“Swear it.”
“I give you my word that none of my clan shall follow you. Satisfied?”
“Quite.”
Now at the treeline, Inari withdrew his blade. He shoved Maili forwards and dashed into the cover of the forest.
“Undo the spell you cast, shaman,” Maili called after them. “You gave your word.”
Inari paused, still near the treeline. “And I shall. Once my companions and I are out of this place. Alive. And unharmed by your people. If those conditions are not met…”
“I gave my word,” Maili growled. “But remember this, shaman: My people have long memories. And debts are always paid, in one form or another. And, sooner or later, we will come to collect.”
“Likewise.”
Inari guided them into the trees, though Aloisia was certain he had as little idea of where he was going as the rest of them.
“We need to get as far from the camp as we can,” he said, “then we will regroup and figure out where we go next.”
“You can’t be serious?” Oda asked. “We have to turn west. We should get out of this damned place and head back to Littlewatch.”
“I am perfectly serious.” Inari glanced over his shoulder, ensuring they had not been followed. “We came here for a reason. We have to continue. Otherwise, all of this was for nothing. Otherwise, Ludin’s death will be in vain.”
“How dare you!” Oda skidded to a halt.
“Can’t we discuss this later?” Aloisia interjected. “You know, when our lives are not in peril and we have these shackles off?”
“Ludin’s death will be paid for,” Oda continued, as if she had not heard Aloisia. “I promise that much. What they have done here today means war.”
