He grins. “Oh, you know that word, too.”
I nod, but I can’t smile back. I glance uncertainly at Niall again, and my stomach churns.
Molly draws up her reins and climbs aboard her horse. “Well, I will ride with you both, if you don’t mind.”
“Idon’t mind,” Leo says, and he sounds so enthusiastic that I don’t need any translation.
Sephran gives him a withering glance, but he looks back at me, and his expression is intent. The smile is gone, and his blue eyes are very serious. “Don’t worry,” he says. He looks pointedly at Niall and then back at me. “Stay with me and Leo. Or Kutter.”
“Or me,” says Molly.
Sephran smiles, but his eyes are still serious, and fixed on mine. “Do you understand? Don’t worry.”
My stomach feels tight again. As usual, I wish Tycho were here.
But for now, I’m glad Sephran is.
I give him a short nod and let out a breath. “I understand.”
At the front of our group, Kutter gives a whistle, and we head out.
Like before, I don’t really know where we’re going, but after days of lessons, I feel more confident on Teddy’s back, and I’m glad to have a break from the pressing heat from the forge. I’m surprised when we cross the castle grounds, pass the archery fields, and ride out past the sentry gates onto the main road. I haven’t left the castle grounds since I arrived with Tycho.
There are so many people that I expect to drift along, but I really have learned more words than I realized, because I find myself picking up bits and pieces of conversation. Molly is chattering to Leo aboutsomeproblem in the kitchen that seems to involve potatoes, but he obviously doesn’t mind. He’s hanging on every word she says.
Ahead of us are four soldiers who I don’t recognize at all, and it seems that two of them were on patrol with Sephran’s regiment, but the other two weren’t. There’s a conspiratorial tone to their conversation, and they’re speaking in lower tones, so I can’t hear everything, but I do pick out a few words.
Attack.
Scravers.
I look at Sephran. “Attack?” I say quietly, not sure if I’m meant to have heard.
He shakes his head. “Only rumors,” he says. “Stories?”
“Some people say the monster has returned,” Molly says.
I frown, trying to piece this together, and Leo holds up his hands and growls, “Monster?”
Molly giggles.
Sephran says, “There have been reports of monster attacks from all over Emberfall. But we didn’t see anything on patrol.” He taps underhis eye and then points at the sky, then shakes his head. “We didn’t see scravers. Just heard stories?” He lilts the phrase like a question, seeing if I understand.
I do, and I nod, but I’m already thinking of Tycho. It’s been well over a week—almost two. He should be returning by now. I wonder if I would have heard this gossip earlier, if I knew enough to converse with others. I need to ask Master Hugh if he’s heard anything.
I think of the scravers who attacked us in the field when we camped, and I cast a glance at the sky and wonder if we should be worried.
“Danger?” I say to Sephran.
He shakes his head and makes a big circle with his hand, indicating our group. “Many soldiers. No danger.”
But I wasn’t just asking about danger tous. “What . . . what . . .” I break off and scowl, then swear in Syssalah. This is so hard.
“Slow,” he says, and his eyes are kind. “We can figure it out.”
He sounds so earnest, so I take a slow breath—then realize Molly and Leo are peering at me, too. I try again. “Danger for Tycho? Malin?”
“No word yet. But there were reports of heavy rains to the north, so the going would’ve been—” I’m losing track of the language, and I’m sure it’s obvious, because he breaks off and winces. “Sorry. Rain and mud for Mal and Tycho.” He pats his horse, then points between the sky and ground. “Slow for horses. Very slow.”
