“Iryana?” Hadima stepped away from the others, her face twisted with confusion. “What are you doing here? Is that mom’s dress?”
Her cousins stared her down from behind Hadima’s shoulder, eyes wide with shock and surprise. Iryana was caught in their glares for a moment, the accusation in their eyes familiar.
Iryana felt her chest constrict as a wave of panic rushed over her, but she kept it hidden inside and forced herself to utter the words she had been practicing in her head. “There are too many dakii in the area—an entire horde. You need to go back. Now.”
They didn’t seem to process her words.
“You said she went to the settlement.” Levek turned to Hadima, hurt in his eyes.
Hadima shrank back, looking between Iryana and their cousins with wide eyes.
“It’s complicated,” Iryana cut in. “But there really isn’t time. It’s too dangerous, and you need to get deeper into the valley. Go back to the post.”
“What is going on?” Kladara snapped, with at least the sense to keep her voice low. Her wide oval face was set firmly in a glare. Her scarf was wrapped thickly around her head and draped over her shoulders.
“There isn’t time to explain. Please, we need to hurry,” Iryana pleaded.
Hadima finally found the ability to speak, telling the others, “I will explain everything back home, I promise.”
Kladara crossed her arms, and Iryana immediately recognized the look on her face from when they were children and she had thought of a scheme that was bound to get them into trouble. There was no way Kladara was going to wait for an explanation.
“You’ve convinced us to go against grandmother’s orders and go beyond the wall to hunt the dakii,” Kladara shot at Hadima, and then turning to Iryana added, “And you’re supposed to be at Lake Vranna. You both lied to me, and I’m not moving until I know why.”
Iryana looked around nervously. The moon-cast shadows between the trees seemed to move ominously. She needed Kladara to move, and it looked like the only way to do that was to answer her.
Her jaw quivered slightly as she took a bracing breath.
“I didn’t go to Lake Vranna, I went beyond the wall to try to join the 18th Brigade—”
“What?” Kladara hissed, the others staring at Iryana in shock.
Hadima rushed forward. “If they accept Iryana, they will let her forge her magic at a metal well. Then we will know where one is, how to get to it, and we will have another metal-forged.”
“And why didn’t you just tell us?” Kladara’s voice getting starting to get louder.
Tonhald stepped up to his sister, putting a hand on Kladara’s shoulder. “Don’t be childish, Kladi. We can ask more questions where it’s safer.”
Kladara’s glare spun to Tonhald. He was taller than Uncle Byorsh, and Kladara had to tilt her chin up to hit him with her gaze. “You are not father. Don’t treat me as if you were.”
Tonhald pulled his hand back from his sister’s shoulder, pain flashing across his face.
Iryana pushed through her tight throat to say, “I had to tell as few people as possible. If the soldiers find out I’m only there for the metal well, they’ll kill me. Probably go after our post, too.”
Kladara ground her teeth and then spun, heading back toward the post.
Iryana breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hurry.” Iryana ushered them east, scanning the trees behind them. Hadima gave her a long look, seeming to try to communicate something, but Iryana didn’t know her sister well enough to understand.
As they walked through the trees, weapons ready and eyes scanning the forest, Iryana couldn’t help but think of Vaneshta and her team. Part of her itched to suggest they cover the trees like the brigade did when passing through, but it wasn’t her place. She didn’twantit to be her place.
They made it anyway, growing jumpier by the moment, the moon climbing higher in the sky.
A crack in the trees not too far away had them all freezing in place.
Iryana saw Kladara raise her air-bow, an arrow half-drawn. Iryana knew they needed to avoid a confrontation, and looked around, waiting for her sister or one of the cousins to give them direction.
It was painfully silent.
