“Good. Because if you do anything to undermine their capture, there will be a price to pay,” she says.
I have no doubt there will be. Just like I have no doubt that I won’t want to pay it.
Chapter 16
AUREN
I don’t let myself hesitatetoo long in front of the tent, because if I do, I’m worried I’ll chicken out. I’ll turn around and tell Lu I’d rather play dice with them than to actually face the saddles.
The problem is, I don’t know what to expect, but I’m going to go out on a frozen limb and say they still don’t like me.
Pinching the corner of the leather flap, I lift it up and duck inside.
As soon as my eyes adjust, I’m already doing a mental count. When I confirm that all twelve of them are accounted for, I let out a breath of relief.
Even though I stand at the entrance awkwardly with the chill of night at my back, none of the saddles see me at first. They’re too busy arguing with each other to notice.
There are fur piles everywhere, flickering lanterns hanging on the poles that hold up the fabric of the tent, and food trays shoved aside, forgotten. The tent is big, but it seems tiny with all of them inside, the energy thick with irritation as they bicker with each other.
My gaze flicks to the loudest voice, and I find black-haired Mist arguing with a small, pixie-looking female named Gia. They’re standing face-to-face, arms crossed, anger flashing in their eyes.
“You ripped my Divine-damned dress!” Gia growls, the sleeve of her bodice clearly torn, making it sag slightly.
Mist shrugs. “I warned you not to stretch your gangly ass limbs on my side.”
“I’ll stretch wherever I damn well please, Mist. You’re not in charge, and this tent barely fits all of us, in case you haven’t noticed. Not thatyou’rehelping any, since you’re about two of me put together.”
Mist bares her teeth like she’s about to tear the girl’s throat out, but a saddle with long red hair cuts in. “You think you have it bad, Gia? Isis stinks so bad that even the goddesses in the high heavens are pinching their noses.”
Isis, the statuesque saddle on the other end of the tent, whips her head in the redhead’s direction. “Excuse me? You thinkyousmell like roses, bitch?” she demands, angry red patches appearing on her cheeks. “You’re bathing with melted snow rags and shitting in holes just like the rest of us, so don’t try to pretend you’re any better!” she screeches.
“I don’t care who stinks,” Mist cuts in, still glaring daggers at Gia. “If you touch me again while I’m trying to sleep, it won’t be your dress next time. I’ll rip out your stupid hair.”
Gia fists her hands. “Try it, you whore!”
Several other saddles jump in to defend whichever side they’re on, tossing insults vicious enough that I worry they’re about to physically tackle each other.
Okay, so, the saddles aren’t doing great.
Bright side? All twelve of them are alive.
I clear my throat, trying to cut through the multiple spats that seem to be going on. “Umm...hi.” Not my best opening, but at least everyone stops arguing.
Immediately, two blondes who had their backs to me whip around at the sound of my voice. “What are youdoing here?” Polly asks, looking me up and down. She’s still wearing my old golden coat, and her sneer for me seems to have returned.
Mist rounds on me, all of the vitriol she’d been using on Gia now directed at me. “Oh, look, it’s thefavored,” she says, practically spitting.
I ignore her. “I just came to make sure you’re all okay,” I say, glancing around.
Mist lets out a dry, ugly laugh as she sits down, propping herself up on a pile of furs and snatching one to drape over her. “You hear that? Thefavoredcame down from her pedestal to check on us lowly saddles. How kind.”
My ribbons tug against my back, like they’re envisioning coming out and shoving her again the way they did on the pirate ship.
I pointedly ignore her. “Is everyone okay?” I ask, glancing to Rissa for an answer.
She hasn’t said a word since I came in, and she, more than the others, makes me nervous. I truly did want to make sure the saddles were alright, but I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that I specifically came to see her.
My life depends on it.
