《The Silver Scout: Book 1 of Silver Saga of Kyare》 Prologue After hours of listening to insults and bodies colliding with furniture and each other, it had finally stayed quiet downstairs long enough for Kiran to breathe. She was not looking forward to the pitiful looks she would get tomorrow from the neighbors who shared a wall between their two homes. Who needed pity? Didn¡¯t keep food on the table or ox dung in the fireplace, and certainly didn¡¯t have the power to shame her parents into behaving. At least her family was on the end of the row. Only one set of nosy asses to ignore. Kiran let her eyes close once her mother¡¯s mournful cries faded enough for her to sleep. She was warm, at least, thanks to the pelts she¡¯d finished stitching together into a blanket a few days ago. Everything good in her life were things she¡¯d managed to cobble together, with very few exceptions. As she fell asleep, one of those exceptions started rapping on her shutters. That sound brought deeper relief than the silence ever could. Kiran smiled in spite of the circumstances as she tossed off her covers and quickly stole to the window just a few steps away. She knew Ryland would not be there so late if he wasn''t having a bad night, but after listening to her mother and father wail for what felt like years, she couldn¡¯t help but be glad for a little purpose. She unlatched her shutters, catching them with practiced hands before the icy wind could throw them against the house. Kiran then maneuvered to give her friend a hand. ¡°Hurry up,¡± she whispered. Ryland scrambled over the sill, half falling to the floor in a pile of limbs. He was well practiced in making the climb up to her second-story window, so he was usually much smarter about taking his time and planning his landing. Tonight was not a good night. Not for anyone, it seemed. ¡°Shhh!¡± Kiran latched the shutters back, then went for her candle and flint next to her cot. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Ry?¡± she whispered as she ignited the wick and listened for her parents. The gangly youth said nothing as he pushed himself to sit up against the wall under the window. His rough, rushed breath that pushed through his teeth and nose spoke loudly enough. Not good. Kiran turned and brought the candle up to see what had dragged him halfway across Fort Salit¨¦ tonight. Looked like Ryland¡¯s right eye was starting to swell, and it was the sort of red just underneath that would absolutely be turning black. ¡°Spirits,¡± she hissed in a whisper. Kiran grabbed the earthenware cup she kept near her candle and opened her window again long enough to fill it with snow and leave it on the ledge to chill through. Hopefully Ms. Lila or Vael were awake to see. Then Kiran slipped down to sit near Ryland, her toes toward the wall and close to his hip, and she waited for the anger to settle enough for him to talk. Tears streamed down his chilled face, even if he refused to outright cry. When he did finally speak, it was from frothing lips. ¡°Fucker¡­.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± she said, her impotent ire on the rise. ¡°What was he on about this time?¡± Ryland shook his head. His answer was short, biting, and it was all he could do to keep himself from screaming. ¡°He hit her.¡± Kiran¡¯s face fell from active concern into a deceptively placid place of quiet disgust. Mr. T¡¯Vair was deep into his cups tonight, apparently. ¡°She okay?¡± Did Ry¡¯s mother need Ms. Lila first? Ryland shrugged as he turned his head. ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he hissed. He sucked in his cheeks. ¡°¡­Sh¡¯told me to apologize.¡± Apologize? Kiran needed to check her own impulse to yell before she spoke. ¡°What did you have to apologize for?¡± She glanced at the door to her room. They hadn¡¯t been caught in years¡ªshe really didn¡¯t want this to be the night. ¡°Because I shoved him, and then he fell over a chair!¡± Ryland opened his eyes as he looked up to the ceiling in flaming rage, then set one shaking hand over his eye. ¡°He was gonna kill her, he¡­¡± ¡°Serves him right,¡± Kiran spat as she got back up. She retrieved the mug from the window, pressed it into his free hand, and then guided him to set it against his undereye. There was still some bruise cream left in the pot Ms. Lila had given her, but it wasn¡¯t going to touch that shiner. Ry did as he was wordlessly told, but he clenched his teeth as he did. ¡°He can fucking die for¡ª¡± ¡°Rylan¡¯!¡± He froze, and his entire face dropped wide open as he heard his father¡¯s echoing scream. The drunk didn¡¯t always come looking for him. When he did, though, it was never safe to answer. Kiran stilled, doing her best to keep her wrenching stomach from affecting her face or posture. She knew she wasn¡¯t succeeding, but if she could manage to be calmer than Ryland, it was worth the effort. ¡°You covered your tracks?¡± she whispered, and she breathed a little easier when he nodded. ¡°Rylan¡¯!¡± His father continues to call, his booze-grated voice carrying over the fort. Degenerate was gonna wake everyone at this point. Ryland and Kiran¡¯s fathers would have made a perfect pair if they didn¡¯t hate each other for seeing their own reflected vices. The two youths sat in silence, waiting for the calls to stop. They didn¡¯t end cleanly though. Instead, they were interrupted by pounding on the door of the house just across the alley that separated Kiran¡¯s row of connected homes from the next. ~~~ The yelling had already started pulling Vael from his sleep, but the pounding on the door startled him the rest of the way. He sat up with a soft gasp, then he covered his mouth. His uncle. Had to be. Nobody else had the indecency. Ma would take care of it, but if the drunk really was at their doorstep, then Ryland was in trouble. Vael shifted from under his covers, and he let out a trembling breath as his toes instantly felt the chill. No time to be delicate, though. He ran for his chest on the opposite wall and pulled out a pair of pants, a knit sweater, and one of his older, tighter shirts. It would do in a pinch to keep the stupid sacks on his chest in line. By the time he came down most of the stairs, his mother was at the door in her nightclothes, her right foot just behind it so her brother couldn¡¯t force it open further than a crack. She held a long hunting knife behind her back. ¡°I said he isn¡¯t here.¡± Ma kept her voice low and even as if she were talking down a bear. Vael¡¯s uncle was about as good as listening as a beast, unfortunately. ¡°Then where is he?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But he isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°Damn it, Lila!¡± He banged on the door with the heel of his hand. Ma¡¯s grip on her knife tightened. ¡°Petir, you are going to wake Vael." ¡°I don¡¯t care what your fag little¡ª¡± Now the knife came out, just enough for him to see. ¡°Go. Home. Petir. I will see you in the morning.¡± The brute growled, but he stomped off. Ma closed the door on her brother, leaned against it, and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. Vael descended the last few steps. ¡°Ma?¡± His mother opened her eyes, and she instinctively moved the knife behind her. ¡°¡­Get the basket, please, sweetheart.¡± And she turned back around to bring the bar down to barricade the door. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Neither Ma nor Vael needed to check for any of Kiran¡¯s signals. If Ryland wasn¡¯t there already, he would be soon. Vael hurried back upstairs to the storage closet and grabbed the big, upright basket fitted with straps, threw it on his back, and rushed back down with it. His mother was already working on filling wooden travel bowls with the stew she always had going on the hearth, so he set the basket down to help fit them with their lids and tie them in place. Anything to keep busy. Anything to keep from thinking about what state he¡¯d find his cousin in. Didn¡¯t help enough. ¡°Mama, can¡¯t Ryland just live with us now?¡± It wasn¡¯t fair. The T¡¯Vair family name was respected, so his uncle could get away with being a horror? Their ancestors couldn¡¯t possibly approve of this. ¡°Not until his father stops coming ¡®round here,¡± Vael¡¯s mother said. ¡°We¡¯re all three of us safer if his father doesn¡¯t know where he gets off to.¡± The fire highlighted the peaks of her face, which emphasized every crease she¡¯d earned from hard living in the fort. She was still beautiful, though. The sun had blessed her heart with its warmth and her instincts with its fire. Whatever he might be, he did hope to grow up to be as much like her as he could while still being himself. Anger rose up in Vael¡¯s throat, not for the first time. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the Watch do anything?¡± Uncle Petir was one of them. A captain, no less. Surely they couldn¡¯t approve of behavior like this. His mother looked at him, and she pressed her lips together in a sad smile. ¡°It takes hard men to do what he does, Vael. Not everyone is brave enough to stand up to hard men.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Vael finished knotting a third bowl of stew. She handed off the last bowl for him to tie cord around. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not easy to be brave, sweetheart. Takes practice. When you¡¯re done with that, go get a few pairs of socks. Kiran probably needs new ones, too.¡± Vael nodded, and he made quick work of the knot while his mother went on gathering contents for the basket. He then ran upstairs, fetched three pairs of the thickest, newest socks his mother had made, and hurried to get them into the basket. Once it was loaded up and Vael had his snow gear on and a hearth brush in hand, his mother helped Vael into the basket. ¡°Stay there tonight, if it¡¯s safe,¡± she said as she tightened the straps. ¡°Just remember you¡¯re due at the forge in the morning.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma.¡± ¡°Tell them to open the window if there¡¯s danger. Don¡¯t set out any lights.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Then she unbarred the door and looked out for a long while, making sure the streets were quiet. When she was satisfied, she let Vael out, then closed and barred the door again. It wasn¡¯t easy, walking backward so he could brush away his steps from the snow with a full basket, but he wasn¡¯t new to the task. It didn¡¯t have to be perfect, just enough to keep obvious steps from showing up before they could be filled in. He glanced up as he heard his mother open the window upstairs so she could keep watch. That made him feel better. Fear, anger, disgust¡ªdespite it all, her calm reminded him he couldn¡¯t put those ahead of the duty he needed to perform. And he would see it done. As soon as he got to Kiran¡¯s building, he climbed up the ladder built into the side in case of fire. A big ask in the biting cold and while wearing gloves, but Vael wouldn¡¯t shirk. He would be brave. Then, now, and every time after. ~~~ Ryland startled, even though the knock on the rafters above was soft and short. He can¡¯t have found me, it has to be Vael, he told himself as Kiran got to her feet. He better not get caught. It¡¯s your fault if Vael gets caught, he¡¯s just a kid. You¡¯re just a kid, but you can take care of your own damn self¡ª ¡°He¡¯s gone, Ry.¡± Kiran¡¯s voice snapped him back to reality in a way that just being aware of his surroundings could not. Ryland let his eyes fall closed as she helped Vael inside. He¡¯s gone, Ry. He¡¯s gone. Reminders helped. But only a little. The knot in his throat remained strong, even if he could breathe through it now. He knew there wouldn¡¯t be consequences for crying in front of Kiran and Vael, but he was a man, damn it. More of a man than his father. The chill of the snow carried up by the wind rushed in as Kiran helped Vael through the window. His cousin had brought the big basket this time, looked like. ¡°Hey,¡± Vael grunted as he made footfall and got help from Kiran to remove his load. ¡°Your dad¡¯s a prick. Pretty sure Ma will actually stab him one of these days.¡± He settled down next to Ryland and put an arm around his shoulders. ¡°Really wish she would,¡± Kiran sneered as she took the basket to the floor and started going through its contents. The first things to come out were bowls of stew and a couple of large loaves of bread. Thank whatever ancestors decided to actually do their jobs for once¡ªRyland was starving. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s the captain,¡± she went on as she doled out the food. ¡°The whole fort¡¯d be better off.¡± ¡°Only if I get to watch.¡± Ryland scowled at the walls, but he took the bowl of stew when it was pressed into his hands. Maybe he should stay there a couple days. He knew how to get in and out of Kiran¡¯s house safely. Her parents made it easy, obsessed as they were with each other, and Kiran never minded the company. ¡°Ma said I could stay over tonight.¡± Vael untied his travel bowl¡¯s string as he settled his shoulder against Ryland¡¯s. The kid didn¡¯t like seeing pain, but he¡¯d been learning how not to draw more attention to it, much to Ryland¡¯s relief. Thank the ancestors. You don¡¯t need anyone fussing over your stupidity. Ryland set the mug of melting snow to his eye again as he clenched his jaw shut. While Vael kept talking about needing to make sure he got to his apprenticeship in the morning, Kiran poked Rylan¡¯s leg. He looked her way and was met with her raised eyebrow and a finger pointing to his stew and the hunk of bread she¡¯d just handed him. Yeah. He wasn¡¯t any less hungry. Just more¡­too much. He set the mug down and started in on his late dinner. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± The gratitude was for everyone: Kiran¡¯s reminder, Vael¡¯s delivery, Aunt Lila¡¯s care, even the ancestors who¡¯d gotten off their dead asses to cover all their backs. Kiran pulled a large leather bladder of goat¡¯s milk out from the basket and set it on the floor in easy reach of all of them, then smiled as she discovered three pairs of woolen socks. ¡°Here.¡± She threw a pair onto Ryland¡¯s legs for him to put on later. Then she smiled more as she dug out a candle. Nice touch. Kiran¡¯s parents would notice if she needed a new one too soon. It was how they¡¯d been caught the last time. They didn¡¯t care much about what happened in that house as long as things stayed quiet and cheap. She set it aside under her bed, then pulled out the last of the basket¡¯s contents. ¡°¡­Looks like Ms. Lila sent new stories.¡± Kiran nudged Ryland¡¯s booted foot with her bare one. Ryland immediately looked over his bowl of stew to see a truly precious commodity¡ªa thin book bound with loose leather and sinew. One of the few things being part of a respected family of war heroes had ever gotten him that he actually wanted was the chance to learn to read. Anyone wanting to rise in the ranks in this Kyarian fort needed to learn different types of communication, for internal affairs and correspondence with the nearest city of Veriki down south. That came with the perks of finding entertainment in the odd bound story traders would bring up. Ryland couldn¡¯t always find ways to afford such things, but his aunt had apparently been thinking of him with the last caravan. And she¡¯d thought of sending it to him now. When his unattended thoughts were at their worst, insisting he didn¡¯t deserve this sort of love. His eyes started burning. Kiran settled in on Ryland¡¯s other side with the book and her supper. ¡°Who¡¯s turn is it?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m up,¡± Vael replied, holding out a hand for it. ¡°We wanna start from the beginning or pick and choose?¡± ¡°We can check the titles, see if anything jumps out.¡± She handed it over to Vael over Ryland¡¯s head. Rylan nodded. It was all he could manage. Any sound coming from his tightening throat would give him away. While Vael flipped through the story collection, Kiran fixed Ryland with a look. He tried to appear like he didn¡¯t notice. You don¡¯t need a lecture. You know you¡¯re pathetic. Ridiculous to think. Kiran never lectured. But there was a first time for everything, by his estimation. Not today, though. She set her food aside, picked up the socks she¡¯d set on his legs, and moved down to relieve Ryland of his muddy boots. Ryland watched her for a moment, as if he¡¯d left his body and was observing her work on some project or craft. As she got his first boot off, though, he remembered himself, and he leaned forward to get rid of the other. ¡°Sorry,¡± he managed to croak out. Kiran swatted at his hand, and she finished her task with a wry smile. ¡°S¡¯fine. Eat.¡± Ryland stopped, sat still, and then hugged himself. ¡­And his lips started to quiver. She was safe. Safe from his parents, and safe from himself. She''d keep him warm and calm him down as much as she could. He would survive tonight. Vael wrapped an arm back around his shoulder, pulling him gently over to rest against him. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright, cousin,¡± he whispered. Kiran nodded, patted his newly socked feet and scooted to sit next to Ryland again. "We''ve got you, Ry." She snaked an arm behind him and put her head on his shoulder. And that was it. Ryland broke down, covering his face with his hands as he cried hard, but as quietly as he could¡­ Eventually, he calmed down enough to be quiet and exhausted. The three of them made a haven of the corner of the room, gathering Kiran¡¯s blankets to get comfortable, grateful for their new socks, and enjoying their warm food while Vael read out loud. Ryland kept his snowy mug to his eye when he could, while he still had strength in his arm to hold it up, and he demolished his portion of stew and bread and milk. He stayed awake as long as he could, cuddled between the family he wanted and the family he chose. Someday, they would actually be safe. He¡¯d make certain of it. Lila wouldn''t have to threaten assholes with a knife. Vael wouldn¡¯t have to run and watch his back as he snuck into other houses in the middle of the night. Kiran wouldn¡¯t have to be silent and hidden and cover for them all. And Ryland¡­he¡¯d be done with the pain. The idiots who abused power. The idiots who let the powerful be abusive. He would put an end to it. Someday. That was what carried him through to sleep as his eyelids grew heavier and heavier... Chapter One Kiran pulled the door of the tannery shut with a final jerk, which knocked snow loose from the sign above. The chilly froth landed on her head, causing her to glare up at the offending source. It was too far above her to knock the rest off with her hand, even in a futile but satisfactory gesture of revenge. Ryland was tall enough. Sometimes he used to knock snow off her sign or the edge of her roof to help. Sometimes to be a pain. He would do it with one of his stupid understated smirks, too. The sort other people thought had no actual humor behind it, but she knew different. She could still picture his face vividly. The prominence and edge of his nose, the way he never looked quite clean-shaven, the way his brown eyes were constantly darting about when they were outside, and how they rested when it was just the three of them¡­ Eight months now. No word. No one else was holding out. Not even Ms. Lila. Honestly, Kiran knew how stupid it was to hold on to any scrap of hope. Between the tundra and the Te¡¯iltic castle Fort Salit¨¦ was built to stand watch over, there was no way Ryland would come home. He knew the risks of joining the Watch as a scout. Beat the odds for over a decade. Did the T¡¯Vair name proud, even if half the bastards didn¡¯t deserve his shine. They sure didn¡¯t deserve the signatory ¡®T¡¯ like he did. ¡­It was time for a drink. Kiran yanked her fur-lined cloak hood over her head, not bothering to dry the top of her head first. Then she started the long stomp through cobbled mud lined with drifts. Most of the regular faces were already gathered at the tavern when she came in. Kiran had worked a little past sundown, caught up in a fresh stack of hides one of the hunting parties had brought in late in the day. The more work she got, the more money she earned. Even more valuable than that, though, was the distraction. That was just about every day anymore. Work, chores, and a meal or two, dawn to dusk. Anything that delayed sleep or made it come instantly. Tonight, it would be warm, mulled honey wine. She got the bar¡¯s attention and two steins for her trouble, on owed credit after recently furnishing the place with fresh pelts for patrons to sit on. By the time she headed for a table, the next person to walk in the door was Vael. He¡¯d washed up from the forge before he arrived. Even redid the few braids he kept in his long, ashy brown hair. He was all smiles as he greeted a few of the nearby regulars, then beamed as he spotted Kiran and made his way over. ¡°Hey! Thanks for getting the drinks.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kiran smiled back. They did at least have each other still. ¡°I¡¯m starved, but I didn¡¯t want to let dinner get cold before you got here.¡± ¡°Thoughtful.¡± Vael crossed his legs and settled onto the floor with a satisfied groan. ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t waiting long.¡± ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re here earlier than I thought.¡± ¡°I¡¯m letting Yon close up. He wanted to get a little more work done.¡± ¡°Well! How long has he been under you now?¡± ¡°Two years. He¡¯s doing well, too! I¡¯ll stop by later, make sure it¡¯s all in order, but I haven¡¯t had a bath in over a week. Figured you¡¯d appreciate it if I corrected that.¡± He chuckled as he picked up one of the steins and hefted it toward her in silent cheers. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Kiran did the same. ¡°Sure doesn¡¯t hurt. Staying warm?¡± An old jest, given the man¡¯s profession, but that¡¯s what gave them both comfort. ¡°Only in the smithy.¡± He grinned with his answer. ¡°I swear the fire makes the air colder when I step outside.¡± He took a long pull from his drink, then sighed satisfactorily. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Always.¡± She took a sip, then set her drink on the table and cupped her hands around it. Vael nodded. ¡°Ma asked about you. Been a couple weeks since you came by.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been busy. Getting ready for the next trade caravan. I¡¯ll stop by soon,¡± she quickly added. ¡°You want me to tell her that? She¡¯ll expect you.¡± His tell-tale russet eyes gleamed with his intentions. Kiran rolled her eyes and smirked back. ¡°Fine. Sure. Tell her to expect me.¡± Vael started to reply¡ªbut cut his words off in his throat as he and everyone else caught the deep ring of the fort¡¯s central bell. A few people were already starting to stand when a crier confirmed what they were all trained to assume. ¡°Breach! Breach! Secure! There¡¯s been a breach!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Vael shoved his stein aside and sprang to his feet. ¡°I gotta get to Yon!¡± Kiran was quick to follow him as they hurried out the door with everyone else. ¡°I got your back!¡± If the forge was still going, that could turn into a fiery disaster if the enemy got to it. More than just Yon would be in trouble then. And worst come to worst, Kiran could borrow a knife or two. She hadn¡¯t kept going this long just for some Te¡¯il to take her down without a fight. Once they cleared the bottleneck at the front door, Vael and Kiran took off at a dead run for the smithy. They heard the clash of swords from the wall¡ªa small contingency before the larger forces broke through, maybe. No time to see. Fort residents scrambled all around them, rushing to their posts, their families, their weapons, their shelters. Memories of war made their feet fly, but years of peace interrupted without warning added frenzy to what was otherwise well-known procedure. But Kiran wasn¡¯t letting it grip her. Not even the sudden clash of cold air hitting her lungs would slow her down. Follow Vael, grab weapons, get somewhere safe¡ªthose were her only thoughts. Until they reached the smithy. A stranger hurried out of the wide doors, his hood down low and his black cloak clasped about him, and took a hard right into the thinning crowds. Yon, a stout young man of sixteen, came running after him. ¡°Oi, stop!¡± Vael reached his apprentice and clasped his shoulders. ¡°Woah, wait¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Te¡¯il!¡± the boy blurted. ¡°He stole a sword!¡± ¡°What?¡± The blacksmith froze. Vael might have been stunned for a second, but Kiran¡¯s blood only boiled. She darted into the smithy, headed straight for where her friend kept finished work, and grabbed the first blade that resembled her fleshing knives. As she came running out, Vael was close behind and made a grab for a gauntlet. ¡°I¡¯ve got him!¡± She yelled back as he gathered himself. The Te¡¯iltic thief stuck to the thick of the scrambling denizens around them. They gave him cover, and plenty of fodder for hostages if he decided to stop, but they also hampered his speed. Unfortunately, they were doing the same for Kiran. But they didn¡¯t have to. This was her home, and she knew it well. Kiran tracked the top of his head just long enough to see he was making a straight line for the nearest wall. Perfect. She broke off from the crowds and dodged down the narrow alleys nearby. A death trap if crowds tried to run through, but just wide enough for one crazy civilian to make her way to her target. She just had to keep running. The next move would come when she needed it to. Ancestors willing. As she came out to the other side and turned back to catch him, Kiran spotted him easily as he towered over most of the people around him. She grit her teeth and made a last sprint to get out in front of him, shoving whoever remained in her way aside. As he broke from the crowds, she planted herself in front of him, her borrowed weapon out and pointed. ¡°Not so fast!¡± The enemy managed to skid to a shocked halt. And he didn¡¯t draw his ill-begotten sword. Kiran frowned as she took a step forward¡ªthen froze. She had a view of his face now, shadowed though it was by his hood and the setting night. Didn¡¯t matter. Once she realized what she was seeing, she knew there was nothing in this world that could make her second guess. She knew that face, and eight months away could never make her forget. Chapter Two Chapter Two The scrambling and shouts of Kiran¡¯s people scrambling through the muddy streets may as well have been as distant as the sound of clashing weapons on the wall. Her ears rang as the blood rushed out of her head. ¡°¡­Ryland?¡± She found her shock being mirrored in her childhood friend¡¯s face, punctuated by gauntness he didn¡¯t have the last time she¡¯d seen him. ¡°Kir¡ª¡± ¡°When did you get back?¡± Kiran lowered her weapon. A thousand more questions were warring for priority, and he was going to answer every one of them. ¡°Why are you running? From us?¡± ¡°Kiran, we don¡¯t¡ª¡± His answer was corked by the echo of a chilling cackle. It came from the direction of battle and caused everyone nearby to stutter in their steps before they picked up their pace. If it came from a person, it was not a person who cared about what it meant to be human. Whoever it was wanted to out-chill the snow, and he was succeeding. Ryland jerked his head to look toward the far wall, then he moved to take Kiran¡¯s arm and encourage her toward the wall. ¡°Run.¡± ¡°Wh¡ª¡± Kiran didn¡¯t need him to keep hold of her to go along. He was back. Ryland was back. From out of nowhere! ¡°Kiran!¡± Vael called out from just behind. ¡°Where are you?!¡± She paused just long enough to cup her hands around her mouth. ¡°Vael! Here!¡± She jumped and waved to get the blacksmith¡¯s attention before she hurried to catch back up with Ryland. ¡°What are you doing? Where have you been?¡± ¡°Bad time, Kiran!¡± Ryland took point¡ªwhether to lead or get away from her, it was hard to tell. Keeping pace with him was hard on a good day, and he was not making it easier now. The only certain thing was he was doing everything in his power to head in the opposite direction of the sounds of a haunting lullaby-like refrain sung by the same man who kept cackling between notes. ¡°Out, out, out, out,¡± Ryland chanted as he worked his way to the opposing wall. More disconcerting to Kiran was that the mad singer¡¯s voice continued on as he was accompanied by the grind and squelch of soldiers dying. And Ryland¡¯s clear distress put an edge on her nerves. Screamed once more for Vael¡ªwhere was he? They couldn¡¯t leave him! Seconds later the blacksmith broke through, huffing but putting his all into sprinting across the newly opened ground. ¡°Kiran, are you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ryland!¡± Vael stuttered in his step, flailing his arms to keep his balance, before he burst back into a run. ¡°What?!¡± Ryland glanced back. ¡°Oh for¡ª¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Vael shouted as he caught up. ¡°Just move, Vael!¡± Ryland wasn¡¯t flappable. He didn¡¯t get nervous¡ªhe made people nervous. But the grimace on his lips was not one of sheer determination or even irritation. That laughter was reaching more than his ears. Kiran and Vael met each other¡¯s glancing eyes. They could¡ªand absolutely would¡ªinterrogate later. First, survival. As soon as they got close to the fort wall and the many soldiers readying themselves for further breaches, Ryland stopped, looking for his next move. ¡°Hide,¡± he panted. ¡°Get somewhere safe. Underground, anywhere, and don¡¯t make a sound.¡± ¡°Hide?¡± Kiran spat. ¡°No! You are not leaving us behind twice.¡± She pulled up next to Ryland as she also searched the soldiers¡¯ stalls that made up the lower level of the wall. If they were hiding, they were hiding together. ¡°What¡¯re you gonna do, fight that thing alone?¡± ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Vael mumbled as he caught his breath. ¡°No, I am getting that ¡®thing¡¯ away from here!¡± Ryland snapped back. ¡°He wants me! Now¡ª¡± ¡°Keme!¡± The laughter and singing gave way to an unhinged Te¡¯iltic cry. ¡°Cemen raaaaaaat?¡± Ryland went pale. ¡°¡­Hide.¡± And he turned heel and ran for the nearest door in the wall. The color drained from Kiran¡¯s face. Whatever that was, she didn¡¯t want to find out any more than she wanted to leave Ryland to deal with it alone. She exchanged a glance with Vael, and with a nod took off after their friend. Ryland pulled his hood down and hurried past the soldiers, his comrades. Kiran clenched her teeth as she followed along in the shadow of his furtive movements. Nothing was right. He approached no one who could help, and no one even seemed to notice him. Not even the mercenaries who stood by the double doors they ended up at. Night and the limited number of torches nearby could only excuse their inattention so long. Facts that made it all the more unbelievable when he grabbed the heavy padlock that kept the handles of the doors secured together. ¡°Shit!¡± Ryland hissed as he yanked at it. No one was going to say anything about two civilians and a wayward scout trying to break out? Really? Vael stepped up next to Ryland, and Kiran hoped the cousins would talk some common sense. No such luck. ¡°Move.¡± Vael lifted his hammer over his head. Ryland didn¡¯t follow instructions until he noticed the tool go up, and then his steps backward were right quick. The blacksmith struck the lock with all his might. A few sparks flew, but that thing was meant to hold back an onslaught. It didn¡¯t suffer a dent. Kiran sighed. T¡¯Vair boys¡­ ¡°Damn it,¡± Ryland hissed, and he took the stubborn lock into his hands and yanked. It was as steadfast as before. ¡°Lemme out, lemme out, lemme out you¡ª¡± ¡°Garast¡¯naaaaaa!¡± The hideous man cackled across the sky¡ªand was he getting closer? Kiran turned around and gripped her weapon, looking up to the poorly lit top third of the wall. Only so much fire was safe to have during a raid, so she could see little more than frantic movements of men and women attempting to take down the enemy before they signaled their end with a thud on the floor planks beneath them. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ryland hissed every curse that came to the tip of his tongue as he shook the stubborn padlock. Then he outright screamed at it: ¡°Let us out!¡± Kiran heard a click. It couldn¡¯t have¡­ She turned her head to see a now unlocked hunk of metal in Ryland¡¯s hands. Vael¡¯s jaw fell. ¡°What in the sun¡¯s name¡­?¡± ¡°What was that, Ry?¡± Kiran followed up as she turned her back on the battle she could barely see. The look on Ryland¡¯s paled and blinking face gave way he had little more idea than they did. ¡°¡­Bullshit being less bullshit,¡± he answered before he threw the lock off and yanked the doors open. ¡°Move!¡± And he shoved Vael through first, then motioned for Kiran. ¡°Go!¡± Kiran shoved Ryland so he would go in before her. If he¡¯d thought she was letting him out of her sight for a moment, he had another thing coming. Once he stumbled through, she followed, grabbed the doors, and slammed them shut behind her. No latch, though. They¡¯d swing open without something to prevent it. They now stood in a long-standing, iced-over snow tunnel with gravel underfoot to prevent slipping. A candle lamp hanging from a hook set into the roof further down the way was their only source of light. ¡°Alright,¡± Kiran spoke, though her jaw was starting to strain from clenching in stress. ¡°Get the doors locked!¡± She walked down the tunnel to retrieve the lamp. Ryland grit his teeth and hooked the padlock around the door handles, pushing it so the mechanism would catch with little thought¡­but he froze as it immediately fell open. ¡°No¡­¡± Ryland tried to engage the lock again, only to find it would not. No amount of force or quickness would render a satisfying ¡®click¡¯ of safety. ¡°Son of a whore¡¯s¡ªlock!¡± ¡°Did I break it?¡± Vael swallowed. He looked at Kiran as she returned with the candle. ¡°Probably?¡± Kiran had just watched that thing refuse to open even after Vael struck it, but maybe it needed a few shakes to show the damage? Made no sense, but the thing just falling open of its own accord didn¡¯t, either. ¡°Lock,¡± Ryland hissed at the offending contraption, ¡°or I will throw you into the first damn forge I see!¡± Vael raised a single eyebrow as he rubbed at his forehead, his wide eyes saying every bit of what she was thinking. Eight months had done a number on Ryland¡¯s mind. ¡°Ry,¡± Kiran said, ¡°That¡¯s not how locks work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware!¡± he snapped back, contrary to his own actions. ¡°Good! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re aware! Because we need to move, and we need to move now. If they¡¯re after you and they saw us, we¡¯re cornered and dead in here.¡± Ryland growled through his clenched jaw and let go. ¡°This leads to the tundra. If he follows us and we have nowhere to hide, we¡¯re just as dead out there as we are in here.¡± He rubbed his mouth as he looked down at the length of the tunnel. ¡°So we need whatever time we can get,¡± Vael concluded with calm determination. He pulled his forge hammer from his belt again and kissed the top of the mallet. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t your job, old girl, but we need your help. Keep this door closed as long as you possibly can.¡± And he slid the shaft of the hammer through the iron door handles. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move.¡± He took Ryland¡¯s arm in hand and nodded at Kiran to lead with the lantern. Ryland looked back at the hammer, then at Vael. ¡°Look for a place we can make a stand. There¡¯re rooms along these tunnels for guards to keep supplies and rest.¡± He set his face to a grimace and pushed past to walk just ahead of Kiran. The tunnel was quiet, save for their heavy breaths and the sound of gravel and ice crunching beneath their steps. Kiran couldn¡¯t let them continue on like that, though. Too many questions, and who knew how much time they had? ¡°Ry, what is after us?¡± ¡°What¡¯s after me,¡± he countered. ¡°Us. Answer.¡± The huff of Ryland¡¯s breath was as cold as the packed snow surrounding them. ¡°He¡¯s called Tienja. The Drums of Death.¡± Vael glanced back at the door once with a frown. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like drums. Sounds more like crazy.¡± ¡°Sure does announce himself, though,¡± Kiran pointed out. ¡°What is he, though?¡± Vael asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard a man make noises like that.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pet,¡± Ryland sneered. ¡°He tracks, he tortures, and he kills. That¡¯s what he does.¡± ¡°A pet?¡± Kiran huffed as she shivered. ¡°Who¡¯s his master? And why is he after you?¡± Ryland¡¯s answer was not entirely forthcoming even after a pause this time. ¡°He¡¯s a Te¡¯il. He answers to his people. Keep up.¡± ¡°Sun¡¯s blaze, Ry, what did you do?¡± Vael murmured. ¡°Nothing!¡± Ryland snapped and rounded on his heel, his scowling eyes wild. ¡°I. Did. Nothing.¡± Oh, Kiran¡¯s blood started heating up despite the cold. This man had disappeared on them for eight months, and then had the gall to be angry at the most natural question their sweetest friend could have asked? ¡°Would you calm down and keep walking? I¡¯m gonna have your entire ass,¡± she finished with a grumble. ¡°Take it!¡± Ryland threw his arms open. With the cloak pushed back, she saw he was no longer wearing any of his old uniform. All of his clothing looked to be of Te¡¯iltic make. ¡°Take my ass and everything that comes with it! Maybe I¡¯ll get some fucking sleep!¡± The twinge of worry for her friend¡¯s obvious distress and delirium did not quell Kiran¡¯s fury. If anything, it further stoked her. They were good at fueling each other, always had been. But she couldn¡¯t very well put him in his place, let alone find out who or what really needed to be the target of her ire, if they were all dead. ¡°We¡¯ll sleep when we¡¯re safe. Keep moving.¡± She grabbed his shoulder to turn him back around and then shoved him forward. Ryland sank into himself, huffed out a breath, and marched. Vael moved to march next to Kiran. ¡°That ¡®pet¡¯ won¡¯t stay at the fort, will he?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ryland said quietly. ¡°Not if I¡¯m not there. ¡­But he will leave a mess.¡± Kiran paled at the thought of the loss. The fort prepared their whole lives for an attack. Every one of them grew up with stories of the war their fathers and grandfathers had fought that necessitated Fort Salit¨¦ in the first place. Still, none of it helped her get used to the idea of ¡®if¡¯ becoming ¡®when¡¯, let alone ¡®now¡¯. ¡°No one¡¯s going down without a fight,¡± she said, hesitant at first, but gaining a soft kind of conviction as she went. ¡°And if he¡¯s really after just you, whatever the reason, the best thing we can do for them is draw him away.¡± They weren¡¯t running. They were doing what they had to do. ¡°Mm,¡± Vael agreed quietly, lips pressed into a thin line. Ryland drew his cloak closer about himself. ¡°If that hammer holds, and it¡¯s just him¡­ Maybe he¡¯ll run. Maybe.¡± Both Vael and Kiran paused walking so they could stare at Ryland¡¯s back. Vael was the one to ask what they were both thinking. ¡°Just him?¡± ¡°Who storms a whole fort by themself for one man, Ry?¡± Kiran followed up as they started walking again. ¡°Someone who calls himself Death Drums, for starts,¡± Ryland mumbled. ¡°Fine,¡± Kiran acquiesced. ¡°But why you? What does he want out of you? Why are the Te¡¯ils risking war over you?¡± If Ryland had an answer, he wasn¡¯t being forthcoming with it. He barely turned his head for a moment, not far enough to actually see either of his friends, as he kept on marching. ¡°Ryland,¡± Vael pushed, softening his voice, ¡°please. You¡¯ve been gone so long, and you show up dressed like a Te¡¯il of all¡ª¡± ¡°They take your things when you end up a prisoner,¡± Ryland snapped back. ¡°I wasn¡¯t escaping bare-assed.¡± ¡°Alright, fair.¡± The blacksmith sighed. ¡°Are you hurt? Do you¡ª¡± Ryland cut him off. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. We either need a room we can barricade ourselves in or a place we stand a chance of fighting back from. We survive, we can talk.¡± They had better. Ryland¡¯s strangeness was only compounding the unease Kiran already felt from listening to the invisible cackling intruder. Entire seasons had passed while he was gone, and now that he was back¡­it wasn¡¯t right. None of it. Not right, not fair. She clenched her teeth, but she kept marching after Ryland. Someone was going to be held to account. Soon. Chapter Three Vael sighed. His friend was hurt. Only thing in question was whether Ryland was also physically harmed. But Ry was right. They didn¡¯t have time. They had to keep moving. The tunnel did not remain straight, and they took several turns before coming to a crossroads of sorts. One path continued ahead while two doors set into stone frames stood on either side of them. Ryland let out a small sigh of relief. ¡°Something¡­¡± Thank the sun and moon. Vael pressed an ear up to the door on the left, holding his breath as he listened for anything beyond it. They needed out of this tunnel. They needed out fast. He heard nothing tell-tale, though, and he wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good or bad thing. Well-oiled pair that they were, Kiran mirrored him with the door on the right. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°They locked?¡± Ryland asked as he kept an eye on the way they¡¯d come. Leaning on the door did nothing, so Vael pulled¡ªsuccess. ¡°Nope.¡± Another small blessing. The other side had what looked like a storeroom if the half-empty shelves and handful of small, stacked crates toward the back wall were any tell. Not exactly unused, but not worried over much by whoever did come in and out. Likely patrolmen who needed access outside of the fort and didn¡¯t want to constantly head back inside for basics. ¡°Barracks over here,¡± Kiran called. ¡°We gonna barricade ourselves in one of these?¡± Ryland nodded. ¡°Fast as we can.¡± He glanced over Vael¡¯s shoulder into the storeroom, then swept past Kiran into the room she discovered. ¡°Gather some cots.¡± He grabbed two ill-cared-for swords standing in the back corner of the room. ¡°Anything sturdy. Bring them over.¡± The scout took Kiran¡¯s lamp off her and rushed into the storeroom. That¡¯d do for now. Vael helped Kiran move one of the free-standing cot frames across the hall. ¡°Not much else in here,¡± he muttered to Kiran. ¡°We¡¯ll make do.¡± Her scowling eyes could have melted snow. ¡°Guess we will.¡± Vael set his side down once they were in the storeroom, and he shut the door behind them. ¡°What now?¡± Ryland set one of his found swords on the ground. ¡°Now¡­¡± He took the other by the hilt with both hands as he came right up to the door, raised it well above his head, and shoved the point down into the ground. Once he¡¯d done the same with the other sword, he turned and nodded to his companions. ¡°Start stacking crates. Heaviest first.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Vael hurried to one end of the cot and picked it up. ¡°Kiran?¡± When she had her hands on the other end, he got her help turning it onto its side, and then slipped it into the narrow space between the standing swords and the door. ¡°There.¡± He stepped back with Kiran in time for Ryland to slide the first crate into place. ¡°That should be steady, right?¡± ¡°We can pray,¡± Ryland grumbled. ¡°All the crates, come on!¡± The three of them made short work of moving what there was. What Vael wouldn¡¯t have given for any number of those boxes to be just a touch heavier than they were, though. Kiran was on the same page. ¡°Ry, this isn¡¯t gonna hold forever.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t need to.¡± The scout stood up from shoving the last crate against the door as hard as he could. ¡°It just has to hold long enough.¡± ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t hold?¡± Vael could not have asked a more useless question. He was chiding himself even as he let the words loose. He knew the answer. Sure enough, Ryland said the words Vael knew were coming. ¡°We fight.¡± If only Ryland could have said them with a little more assurance. Confident or not, though, Vael would stand and fight. He had the gauntlet he¡¯d grabbed from his shop and his ball pein hammer. Not the best kit, but¡­ Well. At least if he died, he would die on his feet. But that wasn¡¯t his first aim. He closed his eyes, breathed deep through his nose, and let his lungs forge the air into the calm and resolve they all needed. ¡°Ancestors,¡± he whispered, ¡°keep watch. Send us the strength and resolve of the sun, the moon, the brightest star, so we might see home one more time.¡± Neither of his friends added anything. Vael didn¡¯t expect them to. He was pretty sure Ryland had a fear-hate relationship with their shared ancestors, and Kiran had no respect for the parents who¡¯d abandoned her at sixteen, let alone any of the people who¡¯d led to their existence. And that was alright. They didn¡¯t need to pray. Vael would take care of their souls as best he could, like he always had. Like he always would. The three of them stood together, weapons in hand, with Ryland just in front of the other two. All of them could take down a drunk sellsword with ideas of overstepping decency, but Ry was the only one with formal combat training and experience. He¡¯d taken care of them, taught them enough to be threats to idiots. But the force they were waiting for was no idiot. Vael would stay on his feet. He would stay on his feet. Easy to think, but so much harder to do in the near silence of an icy cave. Kiran started shifting from foot to foot. ¡°How will we know¡ª¡± ¡°Sh.¡± Ryland didn¡¯t turn his head back, just shot the warning into the dim, cold air. He remained motionless, like a hare hoping the nearby fox wouldn¡¯t notice his hole of a home in the snow. Not likely, though. Silence and stillness were their only hopes now. When the silence outside the door broke, it came across as a soft, windy wail at first. Then Vael felt his guts start to wither as it slowly grew louder, and the sound developed a repeating pattern. A song. A soft, lovely song. Lovely, anyway, if it wasn''t ever so slightly¡ªand intentionally¡ªoff-key. Kiran shifted, bending her knees a bit more, and gripped her short sword harder. She and Vael met each other¡¯s eyes. They didn¡¯t have to speak for him to know they were both hoping he would walk by. Pay no attention to the doors. Pay no attention¡­ ¡°If you can,¡± Ryland whispered, ¡°run. Don¡¯t engage. Just run.¡± ¡°Ry,¡± Kiran hissed, but she didn¡¯t risk more noise just to tell him he wasn¡¯t allowed to sacrifice himself for them. Not necessary. Vael would drag the stubborn ass out if he could. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The assassin stopped singing. ¡°Where aaaaaare youuuuuu....?¡± His heavily accented call echoed down the hall. Ryland shook his head as the enemy¡¯s voice faded to nothing. Vael closed his eyes again. Ancestors preserve¡ª The door shifted and tapped quietly against the upright swords. All breathing stopped. THUNK. The assassin started wailing against the door, causing their barricade to shake with his force. Vael moved closer to Kiran. Surely they could rush Ryland and get them all out past the assassin if they were fast enough. ¡°Give up,¡± Ryland whispered. ¡°Give up, give up, leave us be, give up¡­¡± The singing monster did not give up. His force shook one of the blades free enough for him to break through. What iron resolve Vael had built up in his stomach faltered as the sword hit the ground with a crunch against the gravel. One more shove brought the assassin sprinting into the room, a black streak of grins and cackles and knives¡ª And then he stopped. Even as the three of them raised their weapons, they were shocked to stillness as confusion and dismay overtook the stranger¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t come at them. He didn¡¯t even seem to see them. His umber eyes darted to every corner of the room, but his gaze slid off of them with every shift. Even Ryland stepping forward and lifting his sword did nothing to put the assassin on alert. Instead, he planted a fist on his hip and frowned as he looked elsewhere. Ryland lowered his sword. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t. Move.¡± Vael had no intention. Instead, he observed the enemy with all the intensity that the man called Death Drums was denying them. Tienja was dressed from jawline to toe in black leather armor meant to facilitate movement more than provide protection. His armor also had built-in sheaths for knives, half of which were now empty. He held the longest of his weapons in his left hand. Like all other Te¡¯ils, his hair was long and split into many braids, all of which he¡¯d gathered up into a topknot to stay out of his, admittedly, smooth and beautiful face. His narrow brown eyes twitched slightly as he contemplated the air and his confusion. "...Hm." He sneered as he turned to examine their ruined barricade. No sense. It made no sense. There they were, ripe for the killing, and the assassin didn¡¯t even notice? Vael opened his mouth to speak, but where would he even begin? And would speaking break this blessing? Or was it a curse? What had their ancestors done? While Tienja shuffled around the fallen crates, a new noise came from down the hall¡ªfortress soldiers and mercs. He froze at the sound of their scuffling boots, then wasted no further time escaping back out the door. Rylan¡¯s shoulders dropped, but only for a moment. ¡°Close the door,¡± he ordered, then repeated as he ran for it. ¡°Close the door, close the door!¡± Kiran was hot on his heels, and Vael followed. They all shoved the nearest crates back into place, then sank to their knees on the floor, breathing in the burning cold air around them as hard as they dared. Moments after, the sound of gravel and ice crunching under hard leather passed them by. No one stopped to investigate. No time for Vael or anyone else to relax though. His heart kept pounding in the back of his throat as they sat up against the crates, waiting, listening. It was too long a wait before they heard much slower, calmer steps walking through that same tunnel. Wasn¡¯t enough to warrant rest, but Vael couldn¡¯t help but feel it all the same. Especially when Ryland reached over and gripped his shoulder. His cousin kept staring in front of him, barely breathing, but he was there to touch Vael at all. They were there. After months of wondering where Ry had disappeared off to, after looking death directly in the face, all three of them were together, watching out for each other, like they always had. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the time to get emotional, but Vael still felt a part of himself that he¡¯d only just accepted he needed to let harden start to crack. Even if things went south from here, that was a sweet, welcome pain. He couldn¡¯t stay in that moment long, though. Kiran broke his sweet relief with the reality none of them could ignore. ¡°What,¡± she hissed, too calm for the bite behind her tone, ¡°in the frostbitten fuck was that, Ryland?¡± The scout closed his eyes and let his head fall back. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°He¡­didn¡¯t see us,¡± Vael spoke, almost asking more than stating. Had that happened? How could it have? They were eye to eye. Or they would have been if Tienja had managed to look at them properly. ¡°Any of us could have reached out and touched him, and he just¡­ He acted like the room was empty.¡± ¡°I noticed.¡± Ryland shifted his head forward and rubbed at his eyelids with one hand. ¡°But¡­¡± Vael pushed one hand over his hair. He¡¯d have to re-braid it. It was a mess. Easier to think about that than try to comprehend what had just happened. Kiran wasn¡¯t letting it go, though. ¡°That man was intent on murder, and he looked right through us.¡± She leaned in to look sternly at their friend. ¡°You said give up and leave us alone, and he did. Why would he listen to you? How would he have even heard you? Is this some ancestor¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Ryland nearly lost his grip on his volume, but bit back his words and hissed, ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know why anything¡ª¡± He huffed and shook his head as he gathered his feet under him. ¡°I have to get out of here.¡± ¡°We, Ryland!¡± Krian spat while she scrambled to stand, and she moved in front of him. ¡°We. We¡¯re going back to my place and figuring this out. That little creep is gone, and you apparently need sleep. And if you think we¡ª¡± she gestured between herself and Vael, ¡°¡ªare letting you out of our sight after this, then maybe you got snow-brained out there. You don¡¯t get to turn up after eight months and just disappear. Not again!¡± Vael pushed up to his feet and placed his hands on Ryland¡¯s shoulders. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°Whatever happened, wherever you were, you¡¯re not leaving without us again. We¡¯ve always worked better as a unit.¡± He squeezed his cousin¡¯s shoulders briefly before releasing him. ¡°You said you need sleep; we should find you some. And food. ¡­ and maybe a change of clothes.¡± The Te¡¯iltic garments were excellently crafted, but they wouldn¡¯t be taken well around the fort. ¡°No,¡± Ryland shook his head, ¡°Kiran, Vael, I can¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t get it, he will come back, and he will bring more people, I cannot stay!¡± ¡°How quickly?¡± Vael asked as he quirked one brow. ¡°Quick enough that we can¡¯t gather provisions and get you a nap?¡± Why was Ryland making as little sense as¡­well, anything they¡¯d just witnessed? ¡°Yes!¡± Ryland barked back. ¡°Because if the fort finds me, I¡¯m just as fucked at this point!¡± ¡°What?¡± Now Vael knew his cousin had lost his mind to the winds. ¡°Why?¡± Both men were distracted from saying further as Kiran yanked the nearest crate down and toward her before throwing the lid off. ¡°You better have a damn good explanation, Ryland T¡¯Vair, or so help me I will flay you right here and wear your ass as a hat.¡± Ryland blinked and stared at the unexpected rifling. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°We need to leave, yes?¡± Kiran sneered at the obvious, not stopping her search. ¡°I don¡¯t see a pack hiding under that cloak, and Vael and I were just sitting down at the tavern for dinner. If we¡¯re leaving we need supplies. This is a storeroom. I¡¯m looking for supplies.¡± ¡°Good call,¡± Vael said, following suit with another crate. ¡°Why would you be fucked if the fort found you, Ry?¡± Ryland sputtered, ¡°You¡ªno, you can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Can¡¯t what, Ryland?¡± Kiran wheeled on him, crowding directly into his space. ¡°Tell me what I can¡¯t do. I dare you! Because if it doesn¡¯t start and end with ¡®stay behind while I galavant off without another word,¡¯ they will be the last words you utter before the sun rises.¡± Even in the low light, Vael could tell Ryland was turning red. ¡°I didn¡¯t galavant anywhere! I got dragged out! And if you come with me, I can''t get you back in!" ¡°What do you mean you got dragged out?¡± Vael replied, brows raising as he paused to look at his cousin. ¡°It doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± Ryland started with a scream. He immediately stopped himself, though, and looked to the door, holding his breath as he waited to see if there would be consequences for his unbridled temper. Vael gave it a moment, listening for anyone coming their way. When it stayed quiet, though, he turned right back to his cousin, his face set to neutral at the moment. The sort of neutral anyone with sense knew was a sign of danger. Both he and Kiran asked with a similar threatening tone, ¡°What did you do, Ryland?¡± Ryland didn¡¯t feel quite so secure in speaking again for a moment longer. But he couldn¡¯t ignore the two people staring through him for long. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Then why¡ª¡± ¡°You wanna know?¡± he hissed as he undid the brooch of his cloak. ¡°For this.¡± He let the cloak drop, then turned around and pushed the back of his shirt collar down. From under his shirt, reaching up and ending in a V lining the base of his short hairline at the base of his skull, was a trail of thick, gleaming, silver scales.