“Just because I don’t want to remain at the post doesn’t mean I want the entire village to die,” she answered carefully, fighting a glare.
“Sure. Still too noble for the 18th, though.”
“We can’t all be heartless.”
Pyetar ground his jaw. “Can’t all be so lucky.”
Iryana angled away from him, hoping that was the end of theirpleasantconversation, and started putting her armor back on. It was usually a job one asked for help with, but Iryana had been handling her own armor for years. Still, it required some awkward contortions to get it all laced properly.
“Where’d you get the coin from?”
“Huh?” She turned toward him.
“The coin you showed Nevesh. Who gave it to you? Were they from Myura River?” He was watching her intently now.
“I don’t know; he didn’t say. I only met him once, in the Yuresh Valley. All he told me was his name,” Iryana shrugged. “Karvek.”
Pyetar’s entire body went rigid.Interesting.
“And how did you earn such a boon from Karvek?” Pyetar’s voice was dangerously tight.
His reaction made her think more fondly of the intense man she’d helped in the woods. It was stupid; she had no reason to think he was any better.
“He watched me take down a dakya.” She held his stare, making sure he saw that she was a threat too. “He was impressed enough to give me the coin.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She bristled. “I don’t particularly care.”
“Tell me everything he said to you.”
“After calling me a liar, you can hardly expect me to bother. You wouldn’t believe me, anyway.”
His eyes tracked over her as if searching for an answer. His brows only furrowed.
“You don’t fool me,” Pyetar growled. “You’re hiding things.”
“And you’ve been so forthcoming yourself,” she snapped before she could think. She was pushing him too far when she should have been defusing the situation, butgodshow she hated him.
“You’re going to regret leaving your post.” He was tense, all coiled muscles. The threat of danger wafted off of him like a foul stench.
“Perhaps, but I don’t see what that has to do with you.”
Was this it? The moment Pyetar gave up on running her off and instead decided to run her through? Iryana’s hand twitched as she moved it slightly closer to her bow, ready to grab it if he gave any sign of action.
In the bloated silence, Pyetar carefully re-strapped the black belt around his middle.
“I don’t care what your motives are. It’s not any of my business unless you start causing trouble for me.” He turned to pack his things back up. “Let’s get moving.”
Chapter Nine
“Welcome to Myura River Fort,” Pyetar grumbled. He had stopped to face her, hand held out toward a break in the trees where it looked like the forest opened onto a river bank.
A surge of trepidation filled her, despite how good it sounded to get out of the cold and off her feet. Her feet were slow to step around him, her eyes lingering on her guide.
