True enough, her brother stood among the Stav, one of the only men who wore nothing but a loose tunic and a leathersmith jerkin. Edvin swung a stone mallet, cracking jaws and spines and knees.
Never had I seen the quiet-spoken bone crafter with such hatred in his movements.
My muscles clenched with every arrow the prince shot over the wall from his childhood hut. I took longer to fire since I guided the strands of my craft to my targets, but the shots were clean. Deadly.
It was a mark to Thane’s character and devotion to his folk that he was here, fighting unseen for them. The more the fighting raged, the more violence coursed through me. Not so long ago, I would keep to the back of the great hall, head down.
Now I wanted to stand beside the prince and charge into battle to defend this keep.
“Last arrow,” I said when Thane’s hand brushed mine on the quiver.
The prince handed it to me. “Your accuracy is impeccable.”
I pushed it back toward him. “But these are your men. You do the honor.”
The prince studied me for a breath, then winked and nocked his weapon, firing into the battle.
In the frenzy of searching for Kael, I found Roark instead.
Gods, the Sentry was mesmerizing in the way he moved. Like a secret on the wind, he fought with a finesse and agility theravagers could not meet. In one hand, Roark had his battle-ax, in the other a short blade.
He spun and ducked and jabbed. The Sentry dug fissures through skulls in one breath, then turned and opened chests in the next.
The Death Bringer.
It was no wonder so many looked upon him with a sort of reverent fear.
Ravagers fled toward the trees. The Stav pushed them back, cheering and calling out their threats.
I looked nowhere but at Ashwood.
The Sentry stalked a ravager, a man who was scrambling backward on his hands and heels. He was shouting something I could not hear, but it was enough to bring Roark to pause for a breath, two. Then, with a mighty heave, the Sentry swung his ax, catching the curved blade between the ravager’s eyes.
With a jolt, the ravager’s body went slack.
The siege was over.
Thane let his shoulders slump and his bow fall to the floorboards. “Not how I planned for this night to go. Damn Dravens always pissing on us when the ale is flowing.”
Hilda let out a nervous chuckle and Thane grinned, rather pleased with himself for managing to have his wits in such a dire situation. He helped Hilda to her feet, going on about how they’d be wise to safeguard the woods before his future bride arrived for the wedding festivities in coming weeks, then something more about bone blades for the princess to use. I wasn’t listening anymore.
I could not peel my gaze away from the weary units of Stav returning to the gates. Behind them all was the Sentry. At thisdistance, I could not make out his features, I could hear only muffled shouts and the rumble of voices in the lines.
No one would see us even if they glanced our way. The same moment the thought crossed my mind, my blood heated.
Roark paused a pace from the arched gate, one pace from stepping out of sight, and turned. His gaze was aimed at the tree house, as though he knew we were here.
His gaze was aimed at me.
23
Lyra
“It is a feeling unlikeany other, Ly,” Kael said the morning after the attack. We tied dried lilac and sage to the stacked logs that would be the funeral pyres for the fallen Stav. “After so long of not belonging anywhere, I belong here.”
He fought alongside the Stav and helped pike one of the ravager heads. More than one courtier had already taken note and, no doubt, more women would be carving his name like a shrine on their mantels much the same as poor, naïve Märta back home.
I turned away to hide the pain in my gaze. Kael wanted to belong so badly he would ignore the truth—he was forced to be here. This was not a choice.
