But I didn’t know–
My gaze snagged on one of the troll’s legs. A healing wound, turned almost scar. A precise cut, made by a human’s hand.
My eyes jumped to its face. I recognized him.
He held up the satchel I’d given him, the leather now more crumpled.
He recognized me, too.
I allowed my shoulders to relax slightly. He hadn’t come here to kill me after I’d helped him…right?
All of them were waiting for something–from us.
They’d come here for us.
No.
They’dgreetedus.
“Stand down.” My hiss bounced off the crater’s bare wall.
Vylkor looked at me like the avalanche had banged the logic out of my skull. “But–”
“I said stand down.” I slashed my gaze toward him. “Now.”
“They’re armed! They could harm you–and us!”
“Do you see them waving their maces at us?”
Vylkor clenched his jaw.
I lowered my dagger toward the ground, loosening my grip. Dax’s gaze raced between me and Vylkor, before he let his hands fall to his sides.
Reluctantly, every other warrior followed our example, Vylkor among the last to do it. But he still followed command, choosing to trust me once more.
I jutted out my chin at the trolls, hoping it wasn’t a sign of violence for them. I’d learned the hard way not to bare my teeth at a hungry wolf during winter.
The largest one of them, who stood at the front of the group–pack? herd? swarm?–and had fangs long enough that they peeked from underneath his top lip, jutted out his chin back at me.
Hopefully a good sign.
But then he opened his great big mouth, fangs glistening in the light, and let out a bone-searing roar. I flinched at the howl, all of my instincts screaming at me to run or fight.
I forced air in and out of my chest.
I’d seen them do the same thing during that secret gathering I’d fallen into, weeks ago. Each troll had roared as it had taken its turn.
More trolls began to roar in unison, the chaotic chorus vibrating the ground underneath our feet.
It was harsh and guttural, evolved to shake the snow off the tree tops and hills. But it didn’t sound menacing. Only imposing.
“Does anybody have any idea what they’re saying?” I yelled over the ruckus.
The grunts hit so deep, they gnashed against my bones.
“We can’t even speak the tongue of the wolves, and they live among us,” Vylkor yelled back.
The grunts stopped suddenly, leaving behind only a ring in my ear and a tightening in my chest.
