“Orbai’s just going through a difficult phase,” I mutter.
“Perhaps she’s smarter than I gave her credit for.” Ghoa watches my eagle. “Even she can see the folly of your mission.”
“Heading to the Kalima’s rendezvous point isyourmission,” I remind her. “And Orbai doesn’t doubt me. She doesn’t have a choice.”
“Why is that?” she asks dubiously.
I don’t owe Ghoa any sort of explanation, but the words gush from me like a geyser: “Orbai had to be healed with Loridium in Kartok’sxanavafter you nearly killed her. Now she’s tainted with his magic. Bound to him—until I find a way to reverse it.”
I don’t know how I expected Ghoa to react—to scoff and scorn like always, I suppose—but her brows pinch together and her hand slowly drifts up to her throat.
It’s Ivandar who eventually speaks. “What in the name of the Goddess is Loridium?”
“Medicine. Kartok keeps it in a small cedar chest. It’s black and green and smells of steel and soil. I figured it was common Zemyan magic….”
Ivandar shakes his head. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything of the sort.”
From what I’ve heard of his standing, this is probably because he was purposely left in the dark. Before I can think of a kind way to point this out, the sled in front of us skids to a halt, causing the sled behind it to ram into its runners. A series of collisions ripple through the tail of the caravan, and shouts of outrage flare up behind us. Though, they’re quickly overwhelmed by screams coming from the head of the group.
Serik’s at my side in an instant, boosting me up onto the nearest sled to get a better view.
I immediately wish I hadn’t seen.
Silhouettes speckle the horizon—an army of imposing shadows, framed by the eerie red sunlight. The shepherds naïvely ask if it’s the Kalima, eager for our trek to be over—wouldn’t that be convenient? But even at a distance, I can tell there are far too many of them.
Which means it must be the Zemyans. Not the battalions from the war front—they couldn’t have marched so quickly. These are the Zemyans who invaded Sagaan. The onesIbrought into Ashkar.
“Blazing, burning skies,” Serik whispers. “Why would they come this far north? They couldn’t have known the Kalima would be up here. Or us. Could they?”
The same panicked thoughts are whirring around my head. So loud, I can no longer hear the shepherds and Chotgori screaming.
I clench my fists, pulling the tendrils of darkness around our group, even though it’s likely too late.
“Is this your doing?” I glare down at Ivandar. “Was this your plan all along?”
He shakes his too-pale face. “No! I swear I had nothing to do with it.”
I give the night a firm tug to alert Ziva, who’s been walking with the other children. Instantly she joins her efforts with mine, thickening the walls of our defense.
“What do we do?” Serik murmurs low.
We knew we’d have to face Kartok and the Zemyans eventually, but I had hoped it would beafterwe warned the Kalima about the threat to the First Gods and convinced them to fight with us.Afterwe gained the support of all three Protected Territories. This ragtag jumble was never supposed to go to battle. We could try to retreat, but we have nowhere to go. The Zemyan soldiers will easily overtake us.
“Stand your ground and prepare to meet them,” I command. “Ready any weapon you can find.”
The shepherds wail. The Chotgori exchange grim looks. And Serik gives a firm nod and raises his hands.
I don’t notice Ghoa climbing the sled until she’s suddenly there, beside me, hands poised to fight. It’s somehow fitting to have her on my right and Serik on my left. Facing our very possible end together—just as we began.
The Zemyans march closer.
My blood teems faster.
Give us strength,I beg the Lady and Father.
The Zemyans soldiers are mostly shadows, backlit by the sunset, but even still, we should be able to see the menacing white of their skin, the billowing strands of their silver-white hair. But they remain a smudge of unbroken brown no matter how I squint.
Because that’s the reality they want us to see.
