Chapter 19 #3
She had never been the biggest fan of the food they offered in the hall; it couldn’t compare to what the best cooks in her clan could make.
But since they had returned a week ago, the number of soldiers at Myura River had swelled.
Despite the access to fresh fish, meat, eggs, berries, and other foods that came with the onset of summer, the kitchen seemed unprepared to feed so many.
The fort got more crowded every day. The newcomers weren’t recruits, but experienced soldiers. Some came from other regiments within the 18th, but she’d heard some came from outside that. Soldiers switching allegiance.
The shadows in the fort had always held a bit of depravity, but now it wasn’t relegated to the dark corners.
What happened in the shadows now—well, Iryana kept her head down and ate quickly, trying not to look.
Agitated soldiers with glazed eyes and rosy cheeks were in trances from eating expensive mushrooms. Lower-ranked soldiers pushed away from their tables as others claimed their seats.
Bloody fists and dripping noses. Slapping flesh and frenzied moans.
New addicts of the Beast’s Poppy hovering with their toes barely touching the ground.
Even Darish had been bolder, more cruel with his new power. Iryana had even seen him pushing his sister, Lidishta, around. Some of the new teams were wild, not following protocols as closely as they should have, leading to two soldiers coming back dead in the last week alone.
She had asked Karvek about it—why he allowed the soldiers’ behavior when he was otherwise so strict.
He’d explained that he could only ask so much of his soldiers, and he needed them to fight for him.
What they did to blow off steam didn’t matter.
She had thought him a bit more controlling than that, but figured the soldiers’ behavior appealed to the darker parts of Karvek that seemed to light up around violence and passion.
It felt hypocritical to be too judgmental of Karvek’s darkness when he was so accepting of hers.
She reached into her pocket, the folded scrap of paper crumpling further between her stiff fingers.
Hadima had managed to get a message to her through the post’s liaison, apparently having both bribed and blackmailed him.
The wording was vague, hard to pinpoint who it was from or to, but it was obvious enough to Iryana what she meant.
But Hadima hadn’t requested another meeting now that they could pass messages, which Iryana was both relieved and disappointed by.
Unless one of them had something big to discuss, something they couldn’t write, she wouldn’t see her sister.
Hadima’s careful scrawl had told her about a close encounter at the post a few days before and the higher tribute the 18th was now demanding.
Likely to accommodate the influx of soldiers.
She couldn’t stop wondering if Pyetar had been the one to deliver that demand.
The thought made her grind her teeth. Still, being angry at Pyetar didn’t make her feel any better. She had done this—it was her fault.
Hopefully, it would be worth it in the end.
Iryana moved to get up, stew only half eaten, when a hand on her shoulder held her down. She fought her instincts to shield and shove them away; it would only make it worse.
She watched, eyes narrowed, as the golden-haired soldier stalked around the table and sat across from her. The other two soldiers with him stayed behind her.
Pepha, tense and wide-eyed, scooted down the bench, as far as she could from the soldier now sitting next to her.
“You’re the little unforged guardian, aren’t you?” He looked at her with an almost playful expression, smile too cruel to be pleasant.
Iryana opened her mouth to answer, but Vaneshta beat her to it, scooting down to be closer. “She abandoned one of the local guardian posts to join us. She may not be forged yet, but she’s earned her place on Major Darish’s first team.” Vaneshta met the man’s intensity with her own.
“That’s captain to you, Sena,” the man snarled. “And we were talking to the little guardian. Besides, you’re not under the major anymore; you’re Pyetar’s.” He barked out a laugh.
Iryana watched Vaneshta’s jaw clench as she glanced between the three unwelcome soldiers. Iryana thought for a moment that her roommate was going to challenge them all to a fight then and there, but thankfully Vaneshta was smart enough to sit back.
Vaneshta already had a black eye and a bruised arm from one of the many fights she’d gotten into lately. She seemed on a mission to get the new soldiers in line and prove herself as a threat.
Not sure what to do about Vaneshta’s attempted defense, Iryana focused her attention on the soldier across from her.
He was covered in lean muscles, not a bit of fat on him, and he wore that strength like entitlement.
His belt was dark forest green with the silver studs that were awarded for leading large victories against the dakii.
“I apologize, Captain,” Iryana bit out. “I was a guardian, you’re right. I’m surprised you’ve even heard of me. Unfortunately, I haven’t been made aware of who you are.”
Vabihn snorted into his vodka down at the other end of the table.
“This is Captain Gintar Drolnol,” the man behind her left shoulder said.
“Don’t worry, Voor,” Gintar laughed. “We’re new here, but we’ll earn our reputation in no time.” He said the last part like a threat.
Voor chuckled, and Iryana tensed.
The truth was that she knew exactly who he was.
Of all the new soldiers that had arrived, this man was a ringleader of sorts.
He’d been the one carrying the basket of poppy to Karvek that day.
She’d seen him throwing his weight around the fort, even more than Pyetar did, and had asked who he was.
From everything she’d seen and heard, he was vicious, egotistical, and power-hungry.
“What do you want, Captain?” she asked calmly.
Gintar smiled again. “I was just curious about you. After all, this team of yours is apparently the top ranked, yet here you are. Unforged. Not sure how you managed that.”
“It’s interesting,” Voor added. “She must have really… impressed Darish.”
“She’s a good fighter,” Vaneshta ground out. “She fought for her spot in the pit.” Iryana’s roommate might criticize her constantly in private, but thankfully she stood up for everyone on the team to outsiders.
“Hmm, maybe…” Gintar trailed off as if considering it, focusing in on Iryana. “But from what I’ve heard, her performance on missions leaves much to be desired.”
He leaned forward, his eyes dark as the night outside the windows.
Iryana didn’t know how to argue that. He wasn’t wrong. She had messed up a lot lately.
“So, that leads one to think.” His eyes tracked down her front. “Her performance elsewhere must be much better.”
She stiffened.
“And have you heard about all the time she spent helping the general?” Voor crooned. “Alone, night after night?”
Gintar chuckled. “Really paints a picture, doesn’t it?”
“I think you need a demonstration, Captain,” Voor pointed out, his voice even closer to Iryana’s ear, and she forced herself not to flinch.
Iryana’s hands ached from gripping the bench.
“What do you think, little guardian?” He leaned back slightly and patted his thighs. “Would you like to demonstrate here, or back in my room?”
Iryana glanced at her spoon, abandoned in her bowl. She could stab him in the eye with it. She could throw up her shield and abandon the rest of her team with them. Iryana swallowed. As much as she wanted to leave, she could see the predatory glint in his eye. If she ran, Gintar would hunt.
“Captain Pyetar will not like you messing with his team,” Vaneshta said stiffly, anger clear in her voice.
Voor laughed as Gintar slowly shook his head. “I outrank Pyetar. I’ve been a captain for years. And I have a few openings on my team. I have plenty of good fighters already, though, so I am looking for… other skills.”
Outrage burned within her. The rumors about her and Karvek weren’t new, but they had died off after he revealed her involvement in his takeover. She had thought so, at least.
Iryana glanced down at the rest of her team.
Pepha was frozen like a deer. Vabihn looked amused, like he couldn’t wait to see how Iryana responded.
Mezhimar was watching silently, and Shahn wasn’t even paying attention, just eating his stew like nothing was amiss. No surprises there. They’d be no help.
Panic climbed in her. How far would Gintar take things?
There was only one person left at the table who had a chance of stepping in. Iryana finally turned to Vaneshta, hoping she would know how to diffuse the situation.
Instead, Vaneshta pushed up from the table and turned away.
Iryana watched each of her steps thudding into the floor as if she was trampling on her chest. Vaneshta left the hall entirely, leaving Iryana on her own.
Iryana’s stomach twisted painfully, even though she knew she had not earned her roommate’s defense.
She’d thought they were on better ground after she’d returned, but she must have been wrong.
It became abundantly clear that Iryana needed more allies in Myura River. But for now, she was on her own. Like usual. She’d have to get herself out of this.
She sat straight. “I’m not interested.”
Gintar stood slowly, prowling back around the table until he stood next to her. He leaned down so his face was next to hers.
“I’ll take far better care of you than Darish ever did. Keep my bed warm instead, and you’ll get your share without even going on missions.”
“I never slept with Darish,” she snapped. “And I have no interest in being your whore.”
She refused to turn her head to look directly at him. His hands bracketed her, gripping the table, his body caging her in.
“There are worse jobs you could be assigned here.”
“Doubtful.”
She could see the playfulness in his expression harden out of the corner of her eye.