He fell into step beside me, confirming my suspicions. “You need to walk more silently. I can hear the cracking of the grass beneath your feet from several steps away.”
I had no retort for that.
“Look at my feet, see how I stay on my toes when possible?”
I nodded, watching as he picked the areas of less grass to place his feet.
“It’s quieter and keeps you from knocking down grass and leaving a trail.”
I adjusted my steps to match his, taking the care to pick a route through the grass.
“Good.” We continued our walking for a few more steps. “Though I am teaching you as I would a male spy, I do want to say that being what everyone expects, while also doing the unexpected is also a tactic. It’s why I think you will make a good spy.”
I didn’t know what to say. Compliments were rarely directed at me and receiving one from the General of Ralheim’s army made heat rise in my cheeks. “Thank you, sir,” I said at last, not able to come up with anything else.
Otho didn’t say anything more.
CHAPTER 17
Scout training wasn’t the easiest, but it also wasn’t nearly as hard on my body as the few hours of soldier training I had completed. Otho taught me about hiding tracks, listening in on conversations, and becoming what the enemy expected me to be so that I could sneak in behind their lines.
He also taught me more about the details of the war we were fighting.
I couldn’t deny it, all of this learning sent a certain type of thrill through me, and I found myself regularly buzzing with excitement as I learned my new role. But two days passed in a blur, and here I was once again, binding my chest in the toilet room and tossing my worn pack over my shoulder as we prepared for our journey.
I wished I could say goodbye to Milo. Wished I could somehow get word to him that he was free. I also wanted to say goodbye to Collum, but something told me all of that would be frowned upon if I asked.
They would have to make their own inferences when news of my death eventually reached them. I just hoped they remembered my promise and knew enough to assume that I was living my best life somewhere . . . just without them.
I was surprised that Leif hadn’t come to visit me in the past few days, but all that surprise melted when I saw him standing with the horses, saddling one as Otho talked to another man I had never seen before. The light of the sun glinted off his light hair, but shadows obscured his facial features.
Please, Leif,I begged silently,don’t ruin this for me.
I didn’t know if weighteds could hear the other’s thoughts, but I hoped somehow he would get the message and not try anything crazy. Not when I was this close to freedom.
Whether it worked or not, I’ll never know, because when he lifted his face to take me in, his expression was entirely impassive, as if I was just some other individual he was required to prepare a horse for.
Okay then.
I watched in silence as the process continued. Watched as Otho finished his conversation and mounted his own horse as Leif finished on what was supposedly the one I would ride. The tension was thick in the air, yet there was still a cool breeze, one that told me winter would be here soon. Likely before I reached the front lines—wherever that was.
When Leif finished, I stepped forward, thinking the horse was for me. But before I could reach for the reigns, Leif shook his head.
“It’s for Askel,” he whispered. “He goes to the front lines too.”
Color rose in my cheeks, and I stepped back, wondering how I would be getting there.
It didn’t take long for the answer to come to me as a group of what had to be at least twenty soldiers exited the building. Panic snaked through my veins as I wondered just how Otho and I would be pulling this off. But one look at the general, and the way his eyebrows were raised as if I was the crazy one here, told me he had a plan.
Askel separated from the front of the group, taking his position on a horse, and before I could make more of a fool ofmyself, we were off, marching into the dawn, toward where the battle awaited us.
Leif did not join us.
Nor did he stick around to even watch us off, his form ducking back into the barracks before I could even wave goodbye.
My heart twisted in my chest.
Maybe it was better this way.
