Vylkor frowned. “You secured the exit. We have warriors at the entrance.”
But the forest sounded different, the lake’s ice had shattered, and someone had stolen one of my daggers to kill a rival Clan leader. As much as Vylkor had earned my respect, these secrets weren’t for his ears.
“If the entrance has been breached once, we can’t take any chances,” I said instead. My gaze caught his and didn’t let go. “Someone needs to stay here. Someone I can trust. To guide them. Look after them.”
As much as I could with the dagger burning against my leathers. But I knew the one thing Vylkor cherished above anything else, even his own life.
The crater.
He’d dedicated his entire life to Solkar’s Reach. Never married. Had truly never looked with any interest at anything other than his sword.
Despite the corners of his lips tightening, he nodded gravely, like the true warrior he was, and turned back to the arena. “Good thing I still got one eye.”
I huffed a laugh through my nose.
Vylkor’s eye was another reason he had to stay home. I’d seen him stumble through the fortress halls, still not accustomed to his new vision. It would take months–maybe years–to regain his fierce precision in battle, long after the start of the war.
I wouldn’t let him be slaughtered by the Serpents.
“What about the Huntress and her kin?” he asked with much more bite than I’d anticipated.
That was another problem.
Allie would surely want to join the war.
I wanted her safe and away from bloodshed–which meant nothing if she decided otherwise.
She would be remarkable against the Serpents.
But I worried. Always when it came to her.
“No Vegheara should be out on that battlefield,” I said.
Powerful and fierce as most of them were, someone wanted that family dead. Especially Allie.
The first poisoned arrow shot at the wedding had been aimed at her.
Not Alaric.
Not Silas.
Not any of her cousins.
Her.
“I have seen your Huntress in battle,” Vylkor said. “She is not helpless.”
A rumble vibrated through my chest, pride fighting with a sudden, unexplainable jolt of jealousy I thought I’d dealt with last night.
“She’s frightening.” His tone turned foreboding. “She can control light.”
Tendrils of alarm snaked up my spine; I hadn’t foreseen this obstacle. The people of Solkar’s Reach were fierce, yes. But they were also superstitious. “You live in a land carved by magic. Our ancestors faced magical seas to reach Malhaven’s shores. Your body moves at speeds that defy nature.”
“Only Solkar has dominion over light.” He shook his head, ancient fears dancing in his eyes. “What if–what if she takes it away?”
“No human is that powerful.” I turned to him fully. “You were fine with her powers when she helped us in the passage."
“I was.”
