“It’s a long journey over the water,” she said. “Unless they build a boat, I don’t see how they would make it. They’re so heavy.”
“Have you faced them yourself?”
“No,” she said. “But I’ve been close to them. Watched them kill both of my parents.”
“I’m sorry.” I pitied myself for losing my mother in childbirth, but that wasn’t nearly as brutal as being murdered. And my father lived a rich life before he died—a life longer than it seemed the Obsidians did. The self-pity was unnecessary.
“Don’t be,” she said. “It’s pretty similar to everyone’s story.”
We stood there for a while, everyone crammed together, to wait until Morco said it was safe for us to leave. They kept the doors open so the air could come in and keep us cool since the fire continued to burn.
I spotted Morco’s mother, sitting with other elders who also had no eyes. They spoke to one another without facing one another since they couldn’t hold eye contact.
People sat and stood for hours, snacking on dried meat and sipping from their water canteens. Conversations were quiet, like everyone was too stressed to discuss anything. I sat with my arms around my knees, wondering how Morco was feeling at that moment, carrying the weight of his people on his shoulders alone.
“Shut the doors!” one of the guards ordered the others who were supposed to guard the entrance in case the enemy made it inside.
“What’s happening?” Allegra jumped to her feet.
I did the same, feeling my heart drop into my stomach.
Noises broke out in the crowd, gasps and little screams.
They shut the door and locked it, and the gasps turned quiet in a silent terror.
I turned to look at Morco’s mother.
Her hands were tightly together, and her head was bowed, like she was afraid. But my limited time with her told me she wasn’t afraid for herself or even her people—only her son. I crossed the room and moved to her, kneeling down before taking her hand in mine.
She squeezed it back without knowing who I was, just grateful for the comfort.
“I’m scared too.”
Her chin lifted slightly to look at me, an action she still committed even though she’d lost her sight some time ago. “Hanne.”
“Yes.”
She squeezed my hand harder. “I thought you would be with him.”
“I wanted to, but he ordered me to come here.”
She gave a slight nod and then a deep breath. “The bow you made. Will it be used?”
“No. Morco didn’t want to have his men use a weapon they were unfamiliar with.”
She was quiet, continuing to look at me with her sockets. “Do you know how to use it, Hanne?” Her voice had been weak in fear a moment ago, but now it strengthened.
I’d never fired a bow myself, but I understood the mechanics. “Yes.”
She squeezed my hand before she let me go. “Then use it.”
17
MORCO
Low-burning candles were lit around The Gathering because we refrained from using the bonfire, the light so powerful that it could be seen from a distance. Not everyone had armor because most of our supplies had been lost on our journey. I did, along with our strongest fighters, the soldiers more likely to do the most damage.
I stood there with my sword across my back, my dagger in the belt on my hip, staring at the trees and the shadows, searching and listening for any sign of movement. Hours had passed, and nothing was amiss.
