A hint of resentment bubbled up inside her. Anger at her sister’s over-eagerness to please despite the cost. The same eagerness that had led Hadima to pushhertoo hard before she’d healed. Iryana pushed that irritation to the back of her mind to deal with later.
She looked at her sister. “You’re a healer, Hadima, not a murderer. And Karvek won’t accept just any challenge; it has to be one that he has no choice but to answer or look weak.”
“But it’s dangerous.”
“Believe in me, Hadima,” she urged, just as much to herself as to her sister. “I believe I can do this.”
Hadima nodded so slightly Iryana could have easily missed it. “I’ve always believed in you, Iryana.”
That was enough. The rest of the hurt between them would heal.
Iryana stood quickly, yanking the needle out of Hadima’s hands. “We don’t have a perfect choice. Too many things could go wrong, so let’s improve our odds. Jesha and Nenad, if you open negotiations with Karvek, it will buy us time. The rest of you can arrange a small force for breaking our people out. And then I will challenge Karvek.”
Iryana waited for someone to argue, to point out the flaws in her plan, but they were quiet.
“We don’t have a water well in our territory,” Nenad pointed out contemplatively.
Vesima met Iryana’s eyes and gave her a long, hard look. “Hadima knows where the water well is, the one she was forged at.”
The thought of Hadima guiding her was a balm to the worst of her fears. She wouldn’t have to go alone.
“You have no way of knowing this won’t kill you.” Jesha observed her, as if trying to decide if Iryana was brave or just crazy. “Or what it will do to you if it doesn’t.”
“I know.” Iryana couldn’t explain it, but she knew this was her best chance. There was no risk she wouldn’t take if it meant a chance to save them. “One way or the other, I’m challenging him. He’ll definitely kill me if I don’t gain an advantage. At least this gives me a chance.”
“Then it’s worth trying,” Jesha said, her husband nodding in agreement.
They were all silent, as if considering if they were really going to put their hope in something that should be impossible. Iryana opened her mouth to plead to the First when a warning sound came from beyond the tent.
Everyone froze.
Then a soldier rushed in, panting and gasping. “Beasts.” The room burst into movement.
“If you’re going to go, go now,” Jesha snapped, forming two dark purple swords.
Iryana looked to the First.
“Go. Quickly,” her grandmother said.
Hadima grabbed Iryana’s hand and clung to it. “I know another way out.” Her sister’s hands were shaking.
Iryana nodded and rushed out of the tent with the others.
Between the rocks, Iryana could see blurs of blue-gray leaping at the soldiers. Watched a man’s head ripped right off his shoulders.
Someone was screaming.
The urge to fight seized her. These were the people who were too important or too vulnerable to have marched on Myura River Fort. Many couldn’t fight.
She shook that thought away. In the dakii’s realm, everyone had to be ready to fight.
“This way,” Hadima squeaked, pulling Iryana toward a crack in the rocks.
She followed her sister, hoping she’d recovered enough to summon her forgings if needed.
One last look behind showed the First of the Kleesold Guardians holding her arm out, a slender gray-violet sword slowly forming. Iryana stared at that forging.
The First looked over her shoulders, looking right at Iryana and Hadima.
