“We need to get out of here,” Vrathgar said, Common again. His eyes weighed me, and then he looked away. “Let's go see Tyralk.”
SOMEPLACE PRIVATE
Tyralk’s home was up against the cavern wall, reached by a series of wide, uneven steps, and I winced at how difficult this would have been on that crutch. When Tyralk’s mother emerged, tall and broad-shouldered, she embraced both of them and then pulled me to her. I gasped before realizing this was a hug, my face pressed against her bare neck. She squeezed me once, said something before releasing.
“She says thank you,” Khal said quietly. I bowed a little, unsure what to do, how to show deference. She had some kind of dark markings, like ink, on her neck, sleek hair swept up on her head.
She called something in their rolling tongue farther into the house, and a familiar voice called back to her. Khal leaned towards me to murmur, “Zhana also married from outside our clan. She was initially a captive from the Sheerk.” Tyralk came limping out from a low cave mouth, a wide smile on his face.
“Khal! Vrathgar! Rowena!” he said, and I realized I'd never heard any of them beside Khal call me by name. “Drazha didn't devour you yet!”
His mother Zhana made a scolding sound.
“Not yet,” Vrathgar grunted. “Piotr intervened. But you should have heard Khal bickering with her. He was one strike from declaring a schism in the tribe, or challenging someone with a knife.”
Zhana clucked at us, beckoning us inside. The wide, round room circled a sunken fireplace, their low ceiling hung with drying things, garlands of sliced mushrooms, hanging bundles of herbs. When we were seated near the fire, she pushed warm mugs into our hands. The brew was earthy, and sweet.
“So what? She wants to kick you out? She can't do that,” Tyralk looked to Vrathgar, like he searched for reassurance that he was right.
“Of course she doesn'twantto throw him out.” Vrathgar threw back the contents of the cup, wiped his mouth on his wrist. “It's Rowena she's after.”
“But Rowena is gethriss- she'sboundto Khal.”
“Not if she can nullify their binding ceremony.” He looked grim.
“Can she do that?” I asked quietly.
Vrathgar’s mouth twisted. “Can she pull support for a stupid ruling when she comes back triumphant, and we return unpaid with an enemy bride? Why not?—"
“No.” Khal’s jaw was set, his eyes hard. “No, no one can break someone else's oath. And if she tries to throw you out, it will not end in her favor.”
I waited for more explanation, but no one seemed inclined to elaborate, all of them nursing these wide mugs of drink. “Not in her favor. But not in yours either, right?” Fear climbed in my chest. “What happens if she decides to do it?”
He set the mug down. “She won't.”
“But if she does,” the words tumbled out in a squeak, and I closed my eyes, tried to calm my breathing. I didn't need to annoy him, didn't need to change their minds about protecting me.
Khal’s answer had no trace of annoyance in it. “If she sends you out, I go with you. Probably, some join us. We do not go alone.” He picked up a wooden ladle from the pot hanging over the fire, filled both our cups again. His expression was distant, set, and I realized that he'd always known this possibility, that he'd planned for this, likely from before we'd met at Belnor. “We continue our work as mercenaries, we accomplish great deeds, and in time, the chieftains welcome us back. They say we've redeemed ourselves. We return heroes. Everyone saves face.”
None of them were looking at me. Regardless of the dangers of the world outside, the life on the road, they would not be this tense if this was their only danger. Slowly, I whispered, “...this place is a secret, is it not?”
None of them looked up at me. Khal nodded.
“Then surely sending me on my way is not her only option. If she doesn't trust me to live here, why would she trust me to leave alive?” I would kill, to protect a place like this.
Tyralk whistled through his teeth. Vrathgar scowled at him.
“That won't happen,” Khal said.
“Why?” I demanded.
“Because I can challenge the verdict in combat.” He wasn't joking.
“That's a terrible idea.”
Khal shrugged. “I'm good at it.”
“But what if you get hurt?”
