Some of them looked as young as fourteen, but everyone was dressed similarly in training gear. It was similar to what her family trained in. Dark pants tucked into sturdy boots, padded gambesons over an undershirt, and wielding blunted weapons. They seemed to train with spears like Pyetar’s forging, war hammers, great swords, shields, and bows the most. They would be the primary weapons, what most metal-forged would want to turn their magic into. But they trained with common sidearms too: hand axes, falchions and other single-handed swords, and knives. Any weapon that let the dakii get too close was risky.
She noted that the training seemed to focus on only a few forms and techniques, likely what they deemed the best strategies for how they fought the beasts. Guardians trained exhaustive series of forms and sequences, things for any scenario and enemy, as had been the tradition for hundreds of years.
“Depending on what other jobs you’re assigned, you’ll either train in the morning or the afternoon.” Vaneshta stretched out her back. “I will probably train at the same time some days, either way.”
“Who decides what jobs I do?” If they put her anywhere near their drugs, she wasn’t sure she could hide her revulsion.
Iryana pushed the worry down. Whatever it was, she would get through it.
“Captain Antar handles the uninitiated. If you’re accepted into the brigade and forged, then Captain Darish will assign you to a squad and team. He is the highest-ranked squad leader.”
Antar hadn’t seemed to mind her too much, but Darish certainly abhorred her presence. The only person that likely wanted her to succeed was Karvek, and she couldn’t truly be sure with him either.
“I thought Major Karvek was in charge?”
“The major is in charge of the regiment and this fort, but the captains are in charge of day-to-day operations. You can maybe think of Karvek as a Second to the general. That’s what guardian families have, right? Not to say that MajorKarvek and the general don’t interfere when they want to, but they normally have bigger things to deal with.”
Iryana looked up to Darish, where he stood on the small wall walk around the yard. Lidishta was talking to him in a hushed voice, clearly upset about something.
Darish was a brute of a man and Lidishta was petite, fox-like, but they moved their arms in the same animated patterns as they argued. Then, with the way they were standing, Iryana realized their eyes were shaped the same. Their noses had a similar curve to them too, their lips the same proportions.
It dawned on Iryana. “Are Darish and Lidishta related?”
“Oh, yeah. Captain Darish Babishol and initiate Lidishta Babishola. They’re siblings.”
“Are the Babishols in the Ketsan?”
“Yeah, their late father was a baron. Lidishta will be an officer one day—once she proves herself as a soldier.” Vaneshta scrunched up her nose at that.
It explained where Lidishta’s power came from. Her brother was the captain, and they were of noble blood. Lidishta was aLady, if people still cared about those things. Iryana shifted the bundles in her arms around. Maybe she should try not to piss her off after all.
“And that’s not all—their mother was a Horvola. Daughter and then sister of an earl. The Horvols are one of the main military families of the 18th Brigade. Before the current general, it was always a Horvol in command. And obviously they still have a lot of power here, given who our major is.”
It seemed silly to talk about ranks of the Ketsan in a time where such titles hardly mattered, but everyone held onto some traditions and customs from before. The settlement that the Guardians of Klees protected was led by a duchess, but she was actually in charge of a territory. There was no queen to answer to anymore. Being in the ketsan, being noble, still seemed to have meaning in the brigades.
“So Darish and Lidishta are related to the major?” she asked, trying to make her mapping of connections and influence.
“Yeah, they’re Karvek and Pyetar’s cousins.”
“Really?” Iryana blinked. “Pyetar is related to the major?” She struggled to wrap her head around it. She remembered the way Pyetar had reacted when shetold him the coin had come from Karvek. He’d still argued against her coming. And she remembered the way Karvek had watched Pyetar when they entered the hall. There was clearly no familial fondness there.
Vaneshta shrugged. “Karvek and Pyetar are brothers.”
Brothers?
If Pyetar was an enforcer and peddler, did that mean the whole family was involved with the drug operations? Having not seen any sign of the drugs thus far, Iryana could hope Karvek wasn’t involved. It would be everywhere if he was. Was it more of a side operation then? Or perhaps the gang didn’t even control the operation, just moved the drugs around?
Still, being Karvek’s brother had to mean something.
“Is that why everyone is afraid of Pyetar?”
“Among other reasons. He has refused to be an officer, only willing to be an ambassador for the regiment. He handles the most… difficult groups.” Vaneshta sighed, looking contemplative.
Anambassador.The thought of that almost made her laugh. He was an enforcer, a thug. And did that mean her family was considered difficult?
She took a risk, needing to know how Vaneshta would answer, adding, “And don’t forget that he sells poppy.”
Vaneshta gave her a shuttered look. “I wouldn’t get on Pyetar’s bad side if I were you.”
