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That was a relief. Sleeping in the cold would have made them all even crabbier.
“It is good to see you again, Iryana.” The Keeper squeezed her shoulder where the tattoo he’d marked her with lived beneath her coat and armor. “You brought more to me after all.”
“A lot has changed, I thought I’d be smuggling my clan members here. Thankfully this pilgrimage has been easier than I had imagined,” she admitted.
The Keeper smiled. “I heard you’re Third of the Kleesold Clan now. Congratulations.”
“Ah, thank you,” she mumbled awkwardly.
“And I heard how you fought the late general. With metal and water forgings.” There was a question in his eyes.
Iryana nodded, hoping he wouldn’t ask her to show her two forgings. Instead, she pulled her collar to the side to reveal the blue-tinged tattoos that extended off the marks he’d made on her.
“I met with the conclave already; we aren’t sure what to make of it yet.”
His gaze was still tracing her water-forged tattoo. “We’ll talk more, I hope.”
“Of course.” She bowed, gratitude dropping her head low.
He offered her a smile—the proud kind that a parent wore when their kids took their first steps or shot their first bullseye.
“You’ve done well, Iryana.”
A sudden surge of emotion made her chin quiver, and she had to swallow to keep her composure.
Keeper Tomislar turned to the rest of them. “Come, I’ll show everyone to their rooms. And then we’ll get some warm food into your bellies.” They all cheered.
Her cousin was glued to her side as they made their way into the narrow stone walls of the temple. The air was damp and the halls smelled of beeswax candles and burning herbs. The plank floors were worn and darkened where countless feet had passed over the decades. Tapestries covered the walls between narrow windows, telling stories of the conquests of metal champions, of battles between god-giants.
“It doesn’t look that different from the air temple,” Edvar murmured.
Iryana nodded, though she’d never seen one.
They were brought into a long hallway that stretched the length of the entire temple, one side lined with five doors. The first few she peeked in revealed a cramped chamber with two bunk beds and little else. Small and utilitarian.
“General. Third,” the Keeper addressed them. “There are smaller rooms on the end if you’d each like your own.”
The thought of having her own space for a while sounded amazing, but Edvar grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly. She counted out the beds and realized that if she had her own room, everyone else would be even more cramped and Edvar would have to room with some of the soldiers.
She wanted to ease her cousin into it, not toss him right into the fire.
Brushing aside her disappointment, Iryana told the Keeper, “I can share a room with my cousin.”
When she headed down to her small room with Edvar, Pyetar watched her intensely as she passed. She swallowed. If they had their own rooms… no. It didn’t matter. They still would have only been a thin wooden wall away from the others.
“So, what do you think about gathering a few people for cards? A dice game maybe?” Iryana asked Edvar once she’d finished stashing her bags beneath her bunk. He was usually a fan of games.
“I’m going to stay in here,” Edvar said, crawling up to the top bunk.
“Okay,” she relented. There was plenty of time. “Then I’m going to check in with a few things if you don’t mind…”
He waved her away, clearly feeling comfortable enough in his own room.
She slipped out, shutting the door behind her. She didn’t see Pyetar, so Iryana dipped into the room she’d seen Vaneshta and the others claim.
“Iri!” Vaneshta exclaimed once she saw Iryana was alone. She and Lidishta were sitting on one of the bottom bunks, Lidishta’s legs draped across Vaneshta’s lap.
“How’s everyone doing?” Iryana asked, leaning against the doorframe. There wasn’t really room for her to walk all the way inside—there was barely enough room for one person to stand between the two bunk beds.
