“I was on guard with Mezhimar at the stairs before dinner; he said he’s been watching the courtyard. His room has a good view of the other dormitories. The other brigades are behaving similarly to ours, so he thinks it’s unlikely the King Commander knows that the 18th has split from them.”
Iryana considered that. “It seems unlikely that they wouldn’t know; representatives were at Myura River fordays. Wouldn’t they have found out?”
“If they knew, why would they invite us?” Pepha added nervously. “Unless thisisa trap.”
“I don’t think it is,” Vaneshta said quickly. “The King Commander has been all about maintaining peace between the brigades, uniting them again. Creating a situation requiring bloodshed would go against his messaging.”
He certainly wouldn’t like Karvek starting a war with his neighbors then. Although if everyone else had agreed to be united under the King Commander, would Karvek have to challenge them all? It didn’t seem Karvek’s style.
Iryana froze. Was he going to challenge the King Commander after all? Kill him like he did the last general of the 18th? Hope there wouldn’t be retaliation? That would bechaos.
She shook that thought away again; it made little sense.
Vaneshta sighed. “I tried asking the captain, but he wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Pyetar keeping his mouth shut didn’t surprise Iryana. Despite her sort-of offer to help him stop Karvek from starting a war, Pyetar had not come to her for anything. Had only cemented the distance between them.
“Why do you think Karvek came to the summit then?” Pepha asked.
Vaneshta shrugged. “He has always been like this.”
“Like what?” Iryana asked, although she thought she knew.
“Secretive. We’ll hear of nothing until suddenly he is enacting some new plan. It was the same when he took over as major two years ago, and then as general this year.”
There was a strange look on Vaneshta’s face, and Iryana wanted to demand more details, but then she heard voices in the hall, speaking in soft, angry tones.
Her body tensed immediately. She was about to go see what the commotion was when Pyetar barged in.
He was staring at her, mouth pressed tight.
“Pyetar?” she asked.
Then he looked at Vaneshta and Pepha. “You two, take over guard of the floor. Now.”
“Yes, Captain,” they answered, rushing out of the room with confused glances shot back toward Iryana.
Her dread deepened once she was alone with Pyetar.
He tossed a box that she hadn’t even realized he was holding onto her bed.
“What is this?” Her heart was already racing as she looked at it. The box was lined with aged satin, parts of it still a dusty pink, though most was stained with varying shades of gray.
“Karvek is gathering with the other leaders now that today’s meetings are over.” Pyetar’s voice was stiff and angry. “He has ordered that you join him. Wearing that.”
She didn’t want to know what was in the box, but her fingers tentatively traced the edge of the box.
Pyetar leaned down next to her, one arm on her bed to support him. She was struck still for a moment by the closeness.
“Karvek is his own breed of horrible, but don’t mistake the King Commander for someone noble,” Pyetar whispered. “He had the chance to stop Karvek already, and he didn’t take it. And he knows Karvek isn’t submitting to him. I’ve talked to the other generals; they didn’t do anything to prevent any of this either.” Then he left, leaving Iryana staring at the box.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When Iryana joined Karvek at the entrance to the 18th Brigade’s dormitory, she was struggling to control her anxiety.
Despite the wear on the box the outfit had been delivered in, the dress was immaculate. Every inch of fabric was a show of craftsmanship only possible with forged tools. The silk fabric had been earth-spun and earth-woven, the threads impossibly fine and strong, the weave so delicate it was almost transparent. She had known it was put together with fire-forged tools the moment she put the dress on.
It was like the dresses his courtesans had worn, but even finer. Fit for the highest of ketsan.
