“Maybe they will stop killing things just for the sake of killing them. Might make hunting a bit easier.” She hated running across dead animals in the woods, brutally killed but left there for the scavengers.
“I suppose we will have to wait and see.”
They fell silent for a while, listening to the wind rustling the trees. But Iryana couldn’t quiet her mind. There was so much riding on their mission, on getting more soldiers to march on Karvek.
“Do you really think the River Brigades will agree to help?” she asked.
“I’ve tried to talk to them about Karvek before.” His face grew weary. “They haven’t been in the strongest position, even united; their brigades and territory are small. If they think it’s too much of a risk, they won’t do it.”
“It’s better than letting war come to them though, right?”
“One of the King Commander’s goals is to avoid the kinds of territory battles that used to happen between the brigades.”
“That and to play King,” she grumbled.
She remembered seeing the King Commander, how he strutted himself around like a peacock. Surrounded himself with a mock-court.
“If my brother brings war to the River Brigades, the King Commandershouldstep in.”
“Should…” she parroted. “Karvek is sneaky though; he could take out the generals and majors before the King Commander could march his army there, anyway.”
“All things Jesha and Nenad will have to weigh.”
“I’ve been wondering… How did you meet the other brigade leaders?” So much of Pyetar’s scheming was still a mystery to her.
“After I became a specialist and started my solo missions, General Pavoshol sent me to meet with them occasionally.”
“Ah.”
“I’ve known Jesha and Nenad since we were kids, though.”
“Really?”
He turned slightly, propping up his head with his hand. “We were all the kids of powerful generals,ideal playmates.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” And if he had a more personal relationship with them, hopefully he would have a better chance of convincing them to march on Karvek.
“Is that how—” She turned onto her side fully. “Is that how Karvek met the King Commander’s daughter? There’s history there, right?”
Pyetar groaned. “Never bring her up in front of Karvek.”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Sometimes I wonder…”
She punched him in the arm, but not hard enough to hurt. Pyetar chuckled.
“Karvek has been obsessed with her since we were children.” Pyetar grew more serious. “Hid it for the longest time, but some soldiers found out after she rejected him publicly.”
She winced. “I’m amazed he didn’t have her killed.”
“You know my brother well.” He frowned as he said this, and Iryana could assume what he was thinking about.You don’t even know I just kissed your brother!At least she hadn’t told him the rest.
There was almost a question in that lingering silence. A tension in Pyetar’s face. As if he wanted to know but didn’t at the same time.
“You’ve done horrible things to stay in your brother’s graces, to limit the damage he does,” she pointed out quietly. “I’ve done the same.”
Pain flashed across his face.
