Chapter Twenty-One
Iryana pushed herself toward the estate, Pyetar’s forgotten waterskin dangling from her fingers. He had left it on the cart when they’d gotten back from their patrol, and the team had elected her to return it. They knew how distant she and Pyetar were now that he was captain, and it made her wonder if they were trying to fix it. Though they had never cared about those things when Darish was captain, so she wasn’t sure.
Vaneshta had told her Pyetar was likely reporting in at the estate, so she was headed there to get it over with. Vaneshta had insisted she join the rest of the team for dinner afterwards. Apparently, Mezhimar was making meat pies in the barracks stove, the good kind with mushrooms, potatoes, onion, cloves and sage. Her stomach grumbled at the thought. Who’d known Mezhimar cooked?
She knew it would be good to go, to spend more time with everyone. The last few missions had gone well, and training with her team had been very productive. It was helping; she knew it was, but that wasn't enough to still the discomfort bubbling within her.
Slipping out of the fresh air and into the gloomy shadows of the estate, Iryana could already hear the racket growing from the main hall. Turning away from the noise, she headed down the side hallway, past the stairs to the private quarters of Karvek and his closest officers, and toward the small meeting rooms and offices on the far side of the building.
At first, she thought that side of the building was empty; it was quiet. Then she heard two voices speaking from the furthest room. They sounded sharp and dangerous. Iryana considered abandoning her attempt, but then she realized who those voices belonged to.
Karvek and Pyetar were talking in low tones, the kind not meant for others to hear. And Karvek sounded angry.
Iryana found herself inching closer to the room the Horvol brothers were in, until she could make out their words.
“You are a Horvol, even though you hide from that legacy,” Karvek seethed.
“It’syourlegacy, brother.”
It was silent for a moment, and then she heard a few footfalls traveling across the study.
Karvek’s voice was even lower. “You refuse to take responsibility and be anything but a puppet that the rest of the world can stomp on and control. You need to step up and stop being so damn weak.”
“What do you want me to do, Karvek?” Pyetar sounded exasperated.
“I want you to look out for this family, look out for yourself. Take what I’m offering you.”
“We want different things.”
A slam vibrated through the floorboards. “You don’t know what you want! You are being childish. You are part of something bigger now, and you need to grow up. Be a true Horvol, not one that hides in the shadows because he’s too afraid. Take your place in this family, and take the power I can give you!”
Iryana felt paralyzed, body nearly glued to one of the dark tapestries in the hallway.
She’d never heard Karvek talk like that, but she knew what it was like to be told she wasn’t enough. She felt for Pyetar, but she couldn’t stand up for him. Couldn’t go against Karvek.
She moved to leave, but hesitated. She didn’t like Pyetar, the way she couldn’t ignore him, but she had pushed him further into his murderous brother’s control. And she still owed him. She might not be willing to put herself in the line of fire to protect Pyetar, but she couldn’t make herself walk away either.
“I can’t.” Pyetar sighed, and Iryana wished he would just give in to whatever Karvek wanted. It would make his life so much easier.
“If you don’t, then I will not hesitate to find someone who will; someone more suitable.”
When Pyetar finally replied, his voice had lost its edge. “Why does it have to be this way? It never had to be like this.”
Karvek chuckled softly, and it sent chills up Iryana’s spine. “Itdoeshave to be this way. You will get beaten down by anyone more willing grab power, and people would call me weak if that happened to my own little brother. Better I do it myself.”
Even in the other room, Iryana could feel the tension between them, taut as a bowstring ready to fire. She knew Karvek would never back down.
Iryana couldn’t take it anymore. She either had to leave or do something.
Taking a deep breath, Iryana pushed away from the wall and headed toward the room. She knew she was going to regret it, but there was no turning back as she pushed the wooden door open.
“Karvek, have you seen Pyetar?” she called casually as she stepped into the room. The two brothers were standing nearly nose to nose, Karvek’s hands balled into fists. It took them a moment to acknowledge her, as if they didn’t want to stop glaring at each other.
Seeing them so close, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t immediately realized they were related. Yes, Karvek was a few inches taller and Pyetar a good bit broader, but they were both an intimidating sight to behold. And their features were so similar—their full lips, their strong noses, their prominent brows… but Karvek’s face was sharper, colder. Like someone took Pyetar’s and carved a bit extra out of the softness. Their eyes were both pale blue, but with them together she could see that Karvek’s were slightly lighter and more gray. Like ice or dakii fur. Pyetar’s were bluer, softer. Like a clear sky in winter. And while Karvek’s gaze was searing and intense, Pyetar’s was turned down a few notches.
She’d always thought her sisters looked as similar.
“Iryana.” Karvek finally turned toward her, eyes narrowed and tense.
