“Nothing.”
He nodded as if he didn’t believe her in the slightest. “I was going to set up camp and wait for you, but if you want to head back tonight…” he trailed off.
“Yes.” That was all she could do after all, help her family from this side. “Let’s head back.”
She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, heading toward the fort. It took a few moments for Pyetar to follow.
Iryana wasn’t sure what her plan was. Kill as many dakii as possible? Get information back to the Kleesolds that could help? Try to stop Karvek’s war? Stay close enough to him that she could at least warn her family?
At least Karvek would accept her.
Iryana had not been prepared for how excited the 18th were when new soldiers were initiated. Even Shahn had clapped her on the shoulder and congratulated her.
There had been little time to get settled back in or talk to the others and learn what she might have missed before it was time for the ceremony. Which was how she found herself standing in the estate’s large hall, towering windows on one side, less than a day after returning.
Iryana had to make her oaths to the 18th.
Once, soldiers of Istri swore to obey and protect their queen, but it had been a long time since the queen had control of anything beyond her city. Now, soldiers swore to their generals and brigades. Iryana tried to focus on that as she waited, not on her family and her failures.
Had the military abandoned the queen then? The oaths they had taken long ago? Even though some claimed she still lived. Or perhaps they’d just changed how they interpreted those oaths for convenience? It mattered not.
Iryana looked around the hall, finding most of the regiment present and some from other regiments in the brigade too. Her own team stood at the center left, standing tall and quiet. Then she realized she wasn’t the only one waiting to take their oaths.
Lidishta came to stand beside her and glared like a fox approached while eating, ready to fight ferociously to keep its meal.
Had she been forged too, then? Iryana scanned Lidishta’s lean, leather-wrapped body, finding the edge of a metal tattoo peeking up around her collar. As if it were reaching around her throat to strangle her.
Lidishta had been at Redni Castle, so there must be another well nearby, Iryana realized. Something to tuck away for later. At least she had been spared the torment of having to go through her forging with Lidishta present.
As much as she disliked the woman, Iryana needed fewer enemies, not more. So she inclined her head in what she hoped looked like an offer of peace.
It wasn’t long before it was time for the ceremony to begin. Major Darish Babishol, leader of the regiment and second only to Karvek, stood before them.
“Before we belt our newest soldiers, there is a promotion we must handle first.”
Excited murmurs erupted across the room. Iryana was thankful for the extra time.
“Sen Vaneshta, come forward,” Darish ordered, staring down at the crowds as if to silence them.
An excited whoop went through the crowd as Vaneshta stepped forward and Iryana tensed, but her roommate did not seem worried. If anything, she seemed bored.
Then Iryana remembered Vaneshta was ketsan, alady, and destined for more within the regiment. Had Vaneshta known this promotion was coming? If she did, she had not told Iryana.
Vaneshta kneeled before Darish, head lowering slightly in deference.
Darish spoke loudly above the excited murmurs. “Vaneshta Frankola, daughter of Captain Rokosh, heir to the barony of Tyegron, you have proven yourself as a soldier of the Myura River regiment and the 18th Brigade. It is past time you are made an officer. I raise you to sergeant of the first team. Do you accept this?”
“I accept.”
Darish held up a dark navy belt, folded in half and stretched above him. The crowd roared. The entire regiment may not havelikedVaneshta, but they all respected her.
A strange feeling wormed itself inside Iryana. It wasn’t quite jealousy; it was more painful than that. Iryana longed for such acceptance.
Then Darish laid the belt over Vaneshta’s shoulder, who clasped it to her chest with a hand over her heart and said her part, though Iryana could not hear it over the crowd.
Vaneshta rejoined their team, and Darish called his sister next.
Nerves were getting the best of her as Iryana watched Lidishta’s belting. Iryana couldn’t stop thinking about what her family was going to do and what lengths she could handle going to in order to help them.
