“But youarecoming with us?” I sound small again—small like an indentured servant, not like a person who defended herself froma monster. I wonder if the terror of this day did this—caused me to shrink back into the cage everyone else’s demands have built for me.
“I’ll come.” And more quietly, “At least until I get us out of this disaster.”
Elianna suddenly appears, standing behind the wagon seat and raising her hands. “You won’t be taking Soli anywhere. Prepare to be bound, thief.”
The silver glow of her power shoots out from her hands so fast, Trick doesn’t have time to move or dodge or duck.
All he has time to do is scream.
The Sylvan code of honor rules every facet of their existence. What seems like an innocuous remark to an outsider may be a deadly insult to a Sylvan. Such insults often result in duels between the parties.
These duels are always to the death.
—Honor, Etiquette, and Guest Right Amongst the Sylvan, authors uncredited
CHAPTER NINE
The rest of our party gallops over to us, weapons raised, at the sound of the scream. I clumsily jump down from the horse and rush over to the wagon seat, reaching to touch Trick’s arm to offer comfort. Trick abruptly stops screaming and clutches my hand so hard I wince, his face drawn with pain and horror.
“Why?” I shout at Elianna. “What did you do, and why did you do it? You had no right!”
The sorcerer winces and presses her fingers to her temples. Her eyes flare hot when she glares at me. “Don’t talk to me aboutrights. All of Altarra depends on what we do here. We have no time to worry about whether he might escape and take you with him. If I have to bind him to ensure his loyalty, I damn well will.”
Sergeant Neville clears his throat. “I don’t mean to question the decision of a Guild sorcerer, but what exactly did you do to him?”
Bern, his face contorted into a grimace, suddenly stands up from his seat on the wagon and points at Chitai and then Andras. “If we can’t trust him, why would we trust them? Who are they, and why would they have any loyalty to us? If we’re going to bind people, we should bind them!”
Oh, no.Bern, careless in his grief over Lil, just dealt a deadly insult to Andras Al’Sylvan’s honor. And that means the soldier is as good as dead if somebody doesn’t step in and stop it. There’s no way he’ll win a duel with a Sylvan lord.
My stomach sinks when I figure out that the somebody who needs to step in is me, because I don’t know if anybody else here has readHonor, Etiquette, and Guest Right Amongst the Sylvan.
Crap.
I whirl to look at Andras, whose hand is already reaching for the sword at his side. Before I can tell myself it’s a truly terrible idea, I rush over to stand directly in front of his horse, praying it won’t decide to stomp me to death.
“No! Lord Al’Sylvan, he didn’t mean it! He’s distraught from Lil’s death. Please don’t call for a duel.” I bow to him as deeply as I can without falling over, hoping beyond hope that the rituals inGuest Righthaven’t changed.
“Lord?” Neville says.
“Rise, Soli,” the Sylvan says, his voice hard.
When I stand, he’s staring down at me, a forbidding expression on his face. His flashing black eyes, bronze skin, tightly braided black hair, and black travel clothing screamHere is a dangerous warrior. Cross him at your peril.
And that’sbeforeI consider the weapons he carries.
Oh, yeah.So muchperil. I have a wild urge to smack myself in the head a few dozen times, but I wait silently, hoping he refrains from killing me and Bern both.
When he finally speaks, what he says is unexpectedly gentle. “You would sacrifice your pride to save him, Soli?”
I sigh. “My lord, in all honesty, I’ve never been allowed to have much pride.” I push up my sleeve and show him the ugly Gray Mind brand on my wrist, shame flushing hot through me. “Do you know what this means?”
“I do. Your people are barbarians to brand their own like cattle, and fools to discount you for a difference in your mind.”
Even fearing death by duel, I’m warmed by his words. “I agree. But Bern is grieving, and he doesn’t understand the insult he leveled against you. Please forgive his comment, which was made in ignorance.”
“Do you offer to stand surety for this man?”
“Yes.” I’m proud that I only sound a little shaky. I know whatstanding surety means. If Bern trespasses again, we’re both dead.
