“You will.”
She would.
“Do you like your gift, my precious?”
A long silence stretched, heavy with breath and dark and dust.
Then—
“I’m going to make you burn.”
An unforgiving cold bit through Kai’s thick furs as the wind howled through the jagged peaks of Black Spear Mountain. Dryja shook the thick snow layer from her fur and snorted a plume of steam that turned into frozen clouds. Her heavy hooves crunched across the white terrain, and her thick spikes gleamed under the pale sunlight.
Kai tightened her hold on the reins, and the silence wrapped around her, broken only by the memory of Atsadi’s words, spoken mere days ago.“Usti is the least of our concerns.”
Who would do this to their people, and why would Usti help them?
It was a blessing from the gods that things weren’t as bad as initial reports had stated. Shadow Water clan had worked fast, and thanks to their quick thinking, the reduction in their water supply only affected some of the lower caverns. Rationing would be essential in the coming months, however, prioritizing the needs of the healers and the beasts. This made living together tense but manageable for now.
Atsadi reported to Kai daily regarding the structural damage—a situation he was monitoring closely. He didn’t have to, but trust had to start somewhere. It was through him that Kai learned that the sabotage had caused cracks and fissures in the stone supports. Rising Moon’s buildersworked night and day to reinforce the damaged sections, but the work was slow and delicate. While the main aqueduct remained operational, the auxiliary lines had been compromised, leading to fluctuations in water pressure.
The strain of diverting resources would eventually catch up with them in different ways. Food supply was becoming a concern as Steel Arrow put more effort into clearing debris than hunting. Outside trade also dropped in priority while White Spirit focused on internal trade, ensuring distribution didn’t favor one clan over another.
Kai increased security throughout the mountain. No one could do anything without a warrior from Silver Wolf scrutinizing their actions. This heightened tensions, but Kai prioritized safety over comfort. It was better to be safe until this matter was resolved and Usti’s plot was uncovered.
If only she could start her interrogations.
She’d tried—she damn near punched Inola Rising Moon during that meeting. Without full council support, Kai couldn’t hold Usti or anyone else for mere suspicion. She needed proof, no matter how small. They might have been more open to Kai bringing him in, but he was a matriarch’s son and firstborn, and that demanded a certain level of respect. Some council members also argued that she had to focus her resources on protecting the remaining aqueducts. Another act like that could devastate them.
“Ask Atsadi for help,” Fala had suggested last night. Once she heard the intentions behind his friendship with Usti, she leapt to his defense and thought Kai was wrong to threaten their union. “He’s done everything you’ve asked. He’s stayed away from Usti. His loyalty is toyou.”
Kai wanted to believe that—she did. But what if this was all an act? This could be a diversion.
No, for the time being, she would keep things as they were. Besides, her mother and Misae White Spirit had quietly suggested to Kai that there was another way to handle this. Tonight, at the clan meeting, Kai would call on the matriarchs publicly to allow her the leniency to begin interrogations. The people were frightened—they wanted the saboteur caught—and the pressure might force the full council to agree to her terms.
By tomorrow, the men who stood for Usti would be gathered and questioned, and Kai would finally have her answers.
Dryja’s massive head jerked to the side, and Kai followed her gaze.
A flicker of shadow fellagainst the snow.
“Easy, girl,” she murmured, patting Dryja’s thick neck.
She didn’t want to overreact; it could be her Stormguard. They split up as always and came together when it was time to return to the mountain.
The oxbeast shifted beneath her, muscles rippling.
The wind picked up again, whipping Kai’s long braid over her shoulder. Every part of her tensed—something wasn’t right.
She adjusted the bow strapped to her back, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. The weight of the bone-pommeled blade at her side had never felt more present.
Shadows darted between trees and the snow-covered rocks a mile out.
The wind howled once more, carrying the faintest scent of smoke.
Someone had lit a fire.
Fools.
