“But we’ll leave,” I say quickly. His soldiers seem to have the flames more under control, as they’re throwing buckets at the mud huts now. Ky looks at me in surprise, and I drop my voice. “We’refrighteningthem.”
He seems struck by that, because he falls back a step. He casts a gaze around at the Suross people, some of whom are soaking wet andshivering, some of whom are exchanging anxious glances. There’s a sense ofothernessto them, and I understand why Ky leaves them alone. I suddenly realize they have no weapons at all.
I wonder if they know who he is, or if it’s just the mere presence of soldiers that they find unsettling. He hasn’t even announced himself, but the older woman who was arguing with him looks ready to cower if he draws a blade.
I put a hand on his arm and tug him back another step. “Go,” I say quietly. “Gather your men. I’ll find Charlotte and head back to the crest of the hill.” I give the woman a gentle nod. “Forgive us. We just wanted to help.”
She says nothing. Her gaze stays wary and hard.
I give Ky’s arm one more tug, then move away. At my side, I hear him sigh, but he begins giving orders to his men.
As I head toward the stream, I look for Charlotte and Asher. I don’t see my lady, but I eventually spot Asher at a distance, responding to the king’s calls. He must sense my focus, because he looks over, and when he spots me, his eyebrows go up. He’s too far to shout, but he mouths two words to me.All good?
The question gives me an unexpected burst of warmth. Despite everything, he and I are all right. I nod quickly and move on.
As I move toward the stream, I pass several other huts like the one that burned beside the girls. They’re very small, not much bigger than the space we shared after Asher and I kidnapped the king. Ky said these people are nomads, and I wonder if the huts are so crudely constructed so the Suross can move at will, whenever they need to go.
Near the stream, I spot Charlotte just as I move to pass a final hut. It’s set a little ways off from the others, well out of the path of the flames. As I walk by, a noise catches my attention, something soft and low, like a whisper or moan. Is someone else hurt? My steps hesitate, and I peer into the shadowed doorway.
Without warning, a hand latches on to my wrist, and I’m jerked into the shadows of the hut. It’s so fast and unexpected that I don’t make a sound—but then my instincts flare, and Ifight.
When I swing a hand back, the man grunts, but he’s easily as bigas Ky, and he wrenches my arm back so hard that I cry out. I inhale sharply to scream for the king and his soldiers, but cold steel finds my throat. The man clamps a hand over my mouth. I freeze.
Asher did this once before, and it was terrifying.
This time, it’s worse.
“Quiet,” says the man. “I’ve got you.” His accent is different from the king and his men. Is he part of the Suross? Or have I been caught by another Hunter?
My heart is in my throat, my thoughts narrowing down to nothing more than that blade. The man’s breath is against my cheek, and he smells like leather and soot. From the pressure at my back, it seems like he’s wearing armor, too.
I don’t want to whimper, but I do.
Did Charlotte see him grab me? What about Ky and his soldiers? Asher? A full minute ticks by, and I hear voices outside, but no one close. I pry at the man’s arm, but he’s too big, too strong. Another whimper squeaks out of my throat.
Is he waiting? Am I bait?
Am Ileverage?
Desperately, I try to sketch a sigil—but Ky is nowhere close, and nothing happens. The man redoubles his grip. He’s pinned my head back against his shoulder, so I can barely struggle. His hand is so tight over my mouth that I can’t even part my lips to bite him.
A cool wind rushes through my thoughts, and I think of the way I sparred with Ky. For a few minutes, I felt so strong, so powerful.
I’m not. I’m helpless.
But as soon as I have the thought, I remember Asher fighting Nikko. He had no armor and no weapons, just sheer determination and grit.
Ky called me formidable. He called mevicious.
I’ve never thought of myself as either, but my hand slips down, brushing cool steel along the man’s leg.A dagger.
I don’t think, I just grab the hilt.
And then I slam it into his thigh.
The man roars at the sudden pain, jerking away. Metal scrapes against my skin, and I’m panicked, terrified that I’ve sliced my throat,that I’ve done this assassin’s job for him. But I stagger forward, slapping a hand to my neck, bursting out of the hut into the sunlight.
Ky catches me. He must have been right there—or my attacker’s shouting summoned him. But I fall against his chest, gasping.
