A knock at the door.
Lia practically jumped out of her skin, sloshing water all over her lap and bumping her burned calf against the edge of the cot. She hissed, tossing the wet blanket on the floor as Cosmos leapt to his feet and crept to the door.
Three short raps and then two slow knocks.
Her brother sighed and then heaved the bulky table out of the way and unlocked the door. He cracked it just a smidge, his shoulders tense.
“Move, please,” Lo’s familiar voice sounded from outside.
Cosmos opened the door, and she rushed inside, making sure to stomp her snowy boots outside first. She locked the door and then helped Cos push the table back in place. Loshika shucked off her cloak and tossed it onto the table before unwrapping her scarf from around the bottom half of her face.
“What’s it like out there?” Lia asked. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” Lo sat gently on the cot, placing her fingers beneath Lia’s chin, tilting her face left and right. “In the end, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Many burns, broken bones, smoke inhalation, and lacerations. There was only one local death. The surprise was too much for an old giant. His hearts just stopped.” She exhaled heavily. “Mizar was very, very lucky the Loriian army was prepared for an attack such as this.”Loshika’s expression darkened. “If they hadn’t pushed back the human army, their trebuchets would have devastated this town.”
“How is Felix?”
Thenonnaelifted the bandage, uncovering the burn on her right ankle. “He’s doing well. I only had to stitch him in a few places. Most of the wounds were superficial.” She smiled at Cos, who hovered nearby. “You did well with these dressings.” She covered the burn again.
Cosmos flushed at her praise. “Thank you.”
“The fires?” Dahlia asked, wincing when the giantess probed the small cuts on her palms. She hadn’t even noticed those.
“It seems many of the homes and buildings along the border are made mostly of stone due to frequent raids in the past. Porches burned and a few roofs. The stones did some heavy damage to many homes. There are some displaced families, but they’ve found shelter with other family members or friends.” Lo studied Lia’s face, her large hand resting over Dahlia’s heart. “I know what you’re thinking, but there is nowhere to go.”
“What do you mean?” Lia croaked, her throat suddenly dry.
“We can’t leave.”
Lia’s bottom lip trembled, and she bit it hard. The time for emotions was over. “It’s not safe here. We have to leave. The Loriian army is here.”
“That is my point,Reilleve.”
Oh no, Loshika was using honorifics. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Loshika sighed, running her hand over her face, smearing the cosmetics covering her scars. “We planned on crossing the border into Astera to get around the mountain range so that we can reach Fierre, no? But the human army is blocking the way.”
“Then we go through the mountains.”
The healer shook her head. “At this time of year? It is too dangerous. Even if we had enough supplies, which we don’t, youand Cosmos would not survive the journey.Iwouldn’t survive it.”
Dahlia painfully swung her legs over the edge of the cot, her feet swinging as she frantically tried to come up with a plan. “Then we go west and backtrack.” They had to do something.
Lo caught Lia’s hand, her skin so much warmer than Dahlia’s. “The army has set up camp there. They surrounded the city for the inhabitants’ protection. No one will get in or out without their knowledge.”
“So, we’re trapped.” Her breath shortened and her eyes lost focus.
“No, we’re safe.”
A lie. . .and they both knew it.
Her gaze focused and turned to Cosmos, who’d crawled back on top of the workbench to stare out the window. She needed to keep it together for his sake.
“We have to keep our heads down,” Lia finally said, turning to Lo.
Thenonnaenodded, her expression creased with chagrin. “Which means paying our rent and buying food.”
Meaning Dahlia had to return to work. Despite the wealth she’d managed to smuggle with her, it was too flashy here. It would be noticed immediately.
