Stepping back, I gave her a tight smile. I couldn’t promise that.
We climbed back up to the hut, then out into the worn-out village. Snow was falling softly, and if I’d still been a small child, I would have run around to see how many snowflakes I could catch on my tongue.
Instead, I pulled up the hood of my jacket, and Epsy moved down to curl up in my pocket. Reeba had thanked him for his hard work with a giant piece of boiled chicken, and his little bellywas bulging full. He’d probably spend most of this trip in a food coma.
We moved quickly, or as quickly as we could, through Pillago Pass. I caught Lierick and Iker both looking west. Across the pass, and a day or two through Pillago Forest, was their home. Or the home of their Line. I could almost see the way they were leaning toward it, and I vowed to myself that no matter what, they would find their way back there eventually.
We were all quiet, and I tried not to think about Zier. The idea that he was probably being tortured at the hands of the First Line was like talons around my heart, pressing tighter and tighter. Had the Baron wanted to capture us too, to try us all for treason?
It would make sense. Nothing crushed a blooming rebellion like the public hanging of a group of people.
Fuck Baron Vylan. Fuck his little toy soldiers. Fuck Stanlus.
The closer to Fortaare we got, the more I felt rage replace fear. The more determined I was to end this, once and for all. I wanted to be free. I wanted us all to be free, and we couldn’t do that with the ever-present threat of that psychopath looming over us.
Hayle moved closely beside me, and occasionally, I felt Vox’s air lift me, easing the strain on my muscles as we crossed the rugged terrain of the mountains that ran down through Ebrus like an armored spine. It wasn’t an easy trek, but we made good time into Third Line territory. A thin sliver of land between the Alutian sea and the Hallgate mountains was the only path, and it was barely more than two hundred yards wide at some points. You couldn’t march an army down here, anyway, so I wondered where the Second Line would land their boats.
A loud caw sounded overhead, and I looked up to see Quarry circling. “I sent him ahead,” Hayle murmured, putting out his arm so the raven had somewhere to land. They had a shortconversation, before Quarry took to the air again. “My brothers are meeting us just up ahead,” he told me in a low voice, and despite my inner turmoil, real nerves struck me again.
Meeting Hayle’s family was terrifying. I was pretty secure in how much Hayle loved me, and I hoped he knew just how much I loved him in return. But if his family hated me, it would make him miserable. I wouldn’t want him to have to choose between his Soul Tie and his family.
He chuckled softly. “Don’t look so worried. They’re ugly bastards, but you shouldn’t turn to stone when you look at them.” I shoved his chest, and he wrapped me up in his arms, kissing me softly. “They’ll love you, because I love you.” I kissed him back with a sigh.
There was a small hunting cabin up ahead, and standing in front of it was a bear. An actual bear. It was sitting on its haunches beside a tall man, who had to be Hayle’s brother. He looked almost identical, right down to the wide smile. Behind him paced the largest war cat I’d ever seen.
“Hayle, you ugly fucker! Goddess, I’m glad to see your face.” The man ate up the space between us, wrapping Hayle up in his arms like he was a child and not a man who was well over six feet. His brother was huge, though, even taller. “I see you’ve brought us a new sister too,” he said, softening his voice. He bowed deeply. “Avalon, my father said you were far too pretty for this little swamp troll, and he did not lie.”
“Fuck off, Remy,” Hayle grumbled, pulling me tight to my side. “Avie, this is my brother, Remy. Somehow, he is Heir to the Third Line.”
I smiled. “It’s lovely to meet you. Hayle speaks highly of you, uh, usually.”
Remy threw back his head and laughed. “I bet.”
“Where’s Lyle?” Hayle asked, and Remy waved a hand behind him.
“His fucking chicken took off into the woods again. He should be back in a minute.”
With that, the woods beside us rustled, and the biggest bird I’d ever seen appeared. It was huge, easily taller than me.
“What in the Goddess’s tits isthat?” Lierick breathed.
Hayle laughed. “That’s Rooster. One of my brother’s companions. He’s a warbird.”
I had no doubt that this creature was made for war. It had a large, bone-looking comb that seemed to run down the back of its head like a helmet, its black feathers gleaming blue in the light. Its feet were as big as my head, and the talons tipping each one were massive.
It could gut a man in seconds. It cocked its head at me, then pecked at those aforementioned talons. It seemed to be getting more and more aggravated that its own toe wasn’t some kind of bug, and he couldn’t rip it off and eat it.
“Fierce, but not particularly, uh, smart,” Hayle added.
Behind the warbird, another man emerged from the forest. He looked annoyed, but when he spotted us, his face lit up. “Sock!”
Hayle strode to what was clearly his other brother, wrapping the guy in a hug. They were more similar in height than Remy, and this must’ve been the brother who’d given up Second Heir responsibilities to Hayle.
Remy leaned closer. “Want to know why we call him Sock?”
Hayle whirled around. “Don’t you fucking dare,” he threatened. “Avalon, this is my other brother, Lyle.” The bear lumbered over to the new brother, sitting beside him with a yawn. “And his other companion, Ruas.”
I put my hand out, and Lyle shook it gently. “The Soul Tie,” he murmured. “A true sign that our blessings from the Goddess are returning.” There was a gentleness to Lyle that was missingin his older brother, and maybe in Hayle too. I gave him a crooked smile.
