Chapter 10 #2
“Captain Antar handles the uninitiated. If you’re accepted into the brigade and forged, then Captain Darish will assign you to a squad and team. He is the highest-ranked squad leader.”
Antar hadn’t seemed to mind her too much, but Darish certainly abhorred her presence. The only person that likely wanted her to succeed was Karvek, and she couldn’t truly be sure with him either.
“I thought Major Karvek was in charge?”
“The major is in charge of the regiment and this fort, but the captains are in charge of day-to-day operations. You can maybe think of Karvek as a Second to the general. That’s what guardian families have, right?
Not to say that Major Karvek and the general don’t interfere when they want to, but they normally have bigger things to deal with. ”
Iryana looked up to Darish, where he stood on the small wall walk around the yard. Lidishta was talking to him in a hushed voice, clearly upset about something.
Darish was a brute of a man and Lidishta was petite, fox-like, but they moved their arms in the same animated patterns as they argued.
Then, with the way they were standing, Iryana realized their eyes were shaped the same.
Their noses had a similar curve to them too, their lips the same proportions.
It dawned on Iryana. “Are Darish and Lidishta related?”
“Oh, yeah. Captain Darish Babishol and initiate Lidishta Babishola. They’re siblings.”
“Are the Babishols in the Ketsan?”
“Yeah, their late father was a baron. Lidishta will be an officer one day—once she proves herself as a soldier.” Vaneshta scrunched up her nose at that.
It explained where Lidishta’s power came from. Her brother was the captain, and they were of noble blood. Lidishta was a Lady, if people still cared about those things. Iryana shifted the bundles in her arms around. Maybe she should try not to piss her off after all.
“And that’s not all—their mother was a Horvola. Daughter and then sister of an earl. The Horvols are one of the main military families of the 18th Brigade. Before the current general, it was always a Horvol in command. And obviously they still have a lot of power here, given who our major is.”
It seemed silly to talk about ranks of the Ketsan in a time where such titles hardly mattered, but everyone held onto some traditions and customs from before.
The settlement that the Guardians of Klees protected was led by a duchess, but she was actually in charge of a territory.
There was no queen to answer to anymore.
Being in the ketsan, being noble, still seemed to have meaning in the brigades.
“So Darish and Lidishta are related to the major?” she asked, trying to make her mapping of connections and influence.
“Yeah, they’re Karvek and Pyetar’s cousins.”
“Really?” Iryana blinked. “Pyetar is related to the major?” She struggled to wrap her head around it.
She remembered the way Pyetar had reacted when she told him the coin had come from Karvek.
He’d still argued against her coming. And she remembered the way Karvek had watched Pyetar when they entered the hall.
There was clearly no familial fondness there.
Vaneshta shrugged. “Karvek and Pyetar are brothers.”
Brothers?
If Pyetar was an enforcer and peddler, did that mean the whole family was involved with the drug operations?
Having not seen any sign of the drugs thus far, Iryana could hope Karvek wasn’t involved.
It would be everywhere if he was. Was it more of a side operation then?
Or perhaps the gang didn’t even control the operation, just moved the drugs around?
Still, being Karvek’s brother had to mean something.
“Is that why everyone is afraid of Pyetar?”
“Among other reasons. He has refused to be an officer, only willing to be an ambassador for the regiment. He handles the most… difficult groups.” Vaneshta sighed, looking contemplative.
An ambassador. The thought of that almost made her laugh. He was an enforcer, a thug. And did that mean her family was considered difficult?
She took a risk, needing to know how Vaneshta would answer, adding, “And don’t forget that he sells poppy.”
Vaneshta gave her a shuttered look. “I wouldn’t get on Pyetar’s bad side if I were you.”
Well, it was too late for that.
Iryana frowned, but it didn’t really change anything. Pyetar wanted her out, and Karvek was the one who had accepted her. That made things clear enough for now. As long as Pyetar didn’t poison Karvek’s opinion of her, she would be fine.
As if he knew her thoughts, Pyetar walked into the yard through the main gate, heading toward Captain Antar. Her eyes fell on Pyetar’s belt, and she realized it wasn’t any of the colors Vaneshta told her about. His belt was black. She would have to find out what that meant later.
“Apparently the guardian impressed Karvek by killing a beast, even though she’s unforged.” Lidishta’s voice carried over the yard, and she sent a look their way.
“Sounds like she got lucky.” Darish answered just as loud. He turned toward the training groups, rested his hands on the railing, and raised a brow at Iryana in challenge.
This was a test, Iryana realized. The training slowed, and everyone around seemed to wait for her response. They were thugs—they only respected strength. Of all the faces now staring at her, Pyetar seemed the most interested. His gaze was piercing.
They were all waiting for her to mess up, he was waiting for it. Her throat was tight, and she was suddenly too warm, but she forced her body to appear relaxed.
“I’ve been on watch for dakii since I was sixteen,” she called out in a clear voice. “Sometimes that meant taking down dakii that got too close.” Iryana shrugged. “It’s what I trained for. We don’t wait until we’re forged to leave the safety of our walls.”
Lidishta rolled her eyes, disbelief all over her face. Pyetar’s frown deepened. Disbelieving chatter rose around her.
So sorry to disappoint, Iryana thought, clinging to her anger.
“What better way to back up those claims than to prove it?” Darish was smiling now. “We have a pit outside the wall, perfect for this.”
Iryana frowned, not sure what he was suggesting, and while the other recruits seemed just as confused as she was, the ranked soldiers murmured excitedly.
“Darish, what are you doing?” Pyetar asked calmly. “We’ve never sent an unforged into the pit.”
“I think the guardians have grown weak, hiding in their settlements, but maybe I’m wrong. If she’s as good as she claims, this won’t be a problem. And if she’s not, well, she’ll learn quickly that things are harder out here.”
Lidishta smiled and clapped her brother on the shoulder. “I think it’s a brilliant idea.”
“The pit is a bad idea,” Vaneshta whispered urgently next to Iryana’s ear. As if Lidishta’s enthusiasm hadn’t made that clear enough.
“Why?”
“It’s a fighting pit. For training against dakii we’ve captured.”
Iryana whirled to look at her. They captured the dakii? Fought them for sport?
“Well, little guardian?” Darish chuckled. “What do you think?”
Her eyes flicked to Pyetar, who shook his head slightly, as if to say she didn’t have a chance. Anger coursed through her. What was his problem?
She needed to impress them, right? The sooner she saw a well or learned something useful enough, she could go home.
She forced a confident smirk onto her face. “Sounds fun.”
Darish’s lips turned up into a bloodthirsty smile. He wanted her to fail, and he wanted it to be bloody. She could see it on his face.
“I’ll grab your stuff,” Vaneshta grumbled, worry pressing the slash of her lips thinner. But she took the supplies Iryana had been carrying and hurried toward their room.
With Captain Darish’s shouted invitation to spectate, everyone was herded out of the barracks, Iryana trapped in the crush. The previously sluggish trainees seemed bolstered by excitement.
“You have no self-preservation, do you?” A low, soft voice growled as she was pulled along by the crush of people. “You getting ripped apart in that pit will cause us such a mess with your family.”
She turned to find Pyetar over her shoulder, pressed in by the crowd. But before she could respond, he had slipped away back through the people. He reappeared at the front of the crowd at Captain Darish’s side.
Why did he think so little of her? Did he think she could only survive dakii by outrunning them?
Besides, he was wrong. Her clan wouldn’t put themselves up against the brigade just for vengeance over her death.
Especially not for her death. It went against their oaths and everything the guardians stood for.
She looked away, focusing on the growing horde as they moved through the fort toward the main entrance she had only seen glimpses of so far.
The gatehouse of the fort was massive; a large portcullis looming overhead as they passed through. With the mass of soldiers and trainees crowded around her, she couldn’t get a good look at the palisades and other fortifications.
But then a break in the throng revealed the huge abandoned city beyond. Neat, straight streets, handsome buildings, inviting shop fronts. Only with a longer look did she notice the smashed doors, the places the streets were ripped up, the glittering glass sprinkled across the sidewalks.
Iryana felt drawn to explore, but she didn’t have a chance to look closely before she was pulled onto a side street.
A strong hand pulled her to the side.
“Quick, give me your cloak,” Vaneshta ordered, loaded with armor and weapons.
Hesitating only briefly, Iryana shrugged off the warm cloak and started attaching her armor.
Iryana had never been so happy to put her full armor on.
The gauntlets were comforting on her arms, her helmet cutting down the noise of the crowds, all the leather giving her some sense of protection.
Vaneshta handed the bow and quiver over next, and Iryana slung them over her shoulder, glad she still had her falchion.
“You know how to use a spear?”