Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
“Are you stupid, girl?” someone called out from the crowd as they all stared in shock at Vaneshta. Iryana wondered that herself.
Gintar cocked his head to the side, as if trying to figure out what hole Vaneshta’s courage had crawled out of.
“The challenge came from her. You all saw it,” he said to the crowd, then turned back to Vaneshta. “Even your guard dog of a captain can’t protest that.”
“Pepha, out of our way,” Vaneshta snapped. Iryana saw it for what it was.
Pepha took a small step back, looking around at the crowd nervously.
If Iryana wanted allies, she needed to be one too.
She stepped forward and grabbed Pepha’s arm, pulling her to stand beside her. Pepha pressed tightly to her, looking uncomfortable and trying to avoid the eyes staring at them. Iryana glared at the soldiers until they looked away.
“He’s going to kill her,” Pepha whispered.
Iryana awkwardly put an arm around Pepha’s shoulder and squeezed her tentatively. “I’ve never seen Vaneshta lose a fight.”
Her apprehension rose as Iryana watched the soldiers finish marking the boundary of the match.
“She’s usually smart. Only picks fights she can win.
” Pepha’s voice was so soft and quick that Iryana almost couldn’t follow it.
“Did you know I was married? He got himself killed. Wasn’t careful enough.
It’s not a good day for this, too sunny.
It’s probably hard to see, and did she even have lunch? I don’t know if—”
Iryana shushed Pepha as Vaneshta and Gintar squared off.
She searched the crowd, picking out an angry-looking Vabihn a couple rows back, but it didn’t seem anyone else from the team was there.
Lidishta was there, though, hovering on the edge of the crowd, and she looked pale.
There had been something off about her for weeks.
A burst of movement snatched Iryana’s attention.
Vaneshta didn’t wait for Gintar to hit first. She sprang into action, catching him on the jaw.
Rage came over Gintar’s face, and he lunged at her. It was a dance of flying fists and elbows, and they moved too fast for Iryana to catch every movement.
Gintar caught her on the shoulder and Vaneshta spun, barely catching herself before falling over.
Iryana’s stomach clenched. She didn’t want to see Vaneshta beaten.
But Vaneshta was already attacking Gintar again. She kept his blows from landing anywhere she couldn’t recover from, sneaking hers in at spots ideal for causing pain. A jab to the stomach, an elbow to his side, a kick to the side of his knee. She seemed to be winning.
Iryana had seen Vaneshta fight before; there was typically a controlled efficiency to her movements. She ended things quickly, not showing off. This was different.
Gintar finally got a good hit in, bashing his elbow into the side of Vaneshta’s mouth.
“You think you’re so tough.” Vaneshta spat to the side, a glob of blood seeping into the dirt.
“Because I am,” he growled.
She smiled, her teeth smeared red with blood.
Then she launched at him again, with far more energy than Iryana thought she’d have left. Instead of punching or kicking, she grabbed his arm when he raised it to defend himself, and swung her lower body up to wrap around Gintar.
The momentum sent them both tumbling to the ground. Vaneshta’s legs clamped around Gintar, with his arm trapped in hers. Vaneshta yanked, and a sharp pop echoed as his elbow twisted in the wrong direction.
Gintar screamed, back arching off the ground.
Vaneshta took advantage of his pain to flip him onto his stomach, his arm still held at a bad angle. She grabbed the back of his neck with one hand and pushed his head into the dirt.
Iryana’s brows shot up in surprise. She had no idea Vaneshta had that in her.
“Submit,” Vaneshta ordered.
“You dirty whore,” he ground out, gasping around the pain.
“Submit, and this stops.” Her voice was cold, demanding.
“No.”
So Vaneshta grabbed a handful of hair, lifted his head, and slammed it back down. Both her hands moved to his throat, squeezing from behind, until his thrashing limbs stilled.
“He should have given in,” she said casually.
Iryana stared open-mouthed as Vaneshta climbed off Gintar’s unconscious body, glaring at the crowd, still in her fighting stance.
“Does anyone else want to call me soft?” Vaneshta shouted out, staring everyone down as blood dripped out of her mouth, the left side of her face bright red. “Anyone want to call my team soft?”
Iryana stiffened, waiting to see if anyone else would challenge her, but the crowd roared their approval instead, and Iryana relaxed.
Two of Gintar’s soldiers rushed toward their captain, lifting him between them and rushing off, likely to take him to a medic.
Then Iryana saw Vaneshta sway slightly.
“Come on,” Iryana gave Pepha a push, and then rushed to Vaneshta’s side.
She grabbed Vaneshta’s fist and held it in the air, leaning her hip against hers to keep her steady.
The crowd kept cheering, respect and fear in their eyes.
“Get me out of here,” Vaneshta whispered.
Iryana looked around, catching Vabihn’s gaze. She widened her eyes, trying to signal him somehow. He didn’t care for Iryana, but she knew he was close with Vaneshta.
“That was awesome,” Vabihn roared as he stepped forward, pulling the attention of the crowd. “I doubt any of you could beat that show.”
As some of the soldiers stepped forward, challenging each other, Iryana took advantage of the distraction to lead Vaneshta away. Between her and Pepha, they supported most of her weight, quickly slipping into the barracks.
“Thank you, Vabihn,” she mumbled under her breath.
They could hear the roar of a new fight out in the yard as they made their way up the stairs. Vaneshta tried to help them, but she kept swaying backwards. Iryana carried as much of her weight as she could; Pepha wasn’t much help.
She still looked panicked, eyes wide and filled with fear.
By the time they made it all the way up the stairs to Iryana and Vaneshta’s room though, Pepha had loosened up.
“Thanks,” Vaneshta grunted as they sat her on the edge of her bed.
Iryana looked her roommate over. She was not in great shape, but there didn’t seem to be any serious damage.
Grabbing one of the wooden bowls off the shelf above their beds, Iryana started pouring water inside.
“I’m glad you made it,” Pepha mumbled as she crouched on the floor next to Vaneshta. “Sorry you had to defend me. I don’t know why I always freeze up when—”
“Hush,” Vaneshta groaned. “You’ve saved my ass out with the dakii enough times; we’re more than even.”
Iryana sat the bowl of water on the table next to Vaneshta, dipping a rag inside.
“I’ll go get some more supplies.” Pepha smiled with relief and squeezed Iryana’s shoulder on her way out.
Iryana took a breath. She could do this.
“I got it,” Vaneshta argued tightly, reaching for the rag.
“Please. Let me do it.” Iryana raised her brows, showing Vaneshta how stubborn she was prepared to be.
“Fine.”
She started wiping the blood off Vaneshta’s face.
It had been so long since Iryana had interacted this closely with someone. Actually helped someone directly like this. It felt strange, but kind of nice. Still, that didn’t stop the extreme anxiety she felt every time Vaneshta glanced her way.
“Thank you for your help,” Vaneshta said tightly.
Iryana sat back.
“I have sisters. And a lot of cousins,” Iryana started, not sure where she was going yet, worrying the rag in her hands. “Coming here, I was trying to look out for myself. In big families, there are a lot of expectations. I didn’t want that here.”
One of Vaneshta’s short, round brows lifted.
“So,” Iryana hesitated. “I’m sorry for turning down your help before. I still struggle around people, I guess I’m like Pepha in that way. But I could use an ally. And help with the formations and tactics and well… anything you’re willing to help with.”
“You’re not good at playing the game.” Her voice was stern, but Vaneshta was smiling.
“What game?”
Vaneshta grunted as she pulled her shirt off, leaving just her undershirt and the blooming bruises on her arms. “It’s all a power game. Who orders who around? Leverage, influence. You only seem to know how to make enemies.”
“Ah.” That was exactly the problem. “No, I don’t know how to play that game.”
“I’ve grown up here my whole life, and there are different strategies. My dad handles resources, what we trade for, who gets what. That’s a kind of power. Some use fear, some use money, some use friendship.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“You get used to it.” But Vaneshta looked tired, looking down at the floor, shadows blooming under her eyes. “And now, with what the general is doing, all the new soldiers—everyone is trying to figure out where they stand.”
“Lidishta uses her influence, her family. She’s confident.” Iryana pointed out.
“She does,” Vaneshta laughed. “Lidishta would happily push you off the top of the wall. And now that her brother is the major of Myura River, she would probably get away with it. The other recruits are afraid of being her enemy, so they let her boss them around.”
Thinking about the other soldiers in terms of how they reached for power made sense to Iryana. She could categorize most of them into little groups in her mind. Darish used his influence with the general. Antar was good at what he did, useful. Pyetar used fear; Vabihn used his bravery.
Karvek—well, she wasn’t sure about him yet. Fear, leverage, control—it all fit him. But she also felt like he understood her, like he could see her sharp, ragged edges and see past them to what she could provide. Maybe he truly wanted to help her too.
“Standing up to Captain Gintar should help.” Iryana wiped the blood off Vaneshta’s arm, looking to see if anything needed stitching.
“We’ll see.”
“I wouldn’t want to mess with you after that,” she added, trying to be joking. “I am pretty sure you snapped his elbow.”
Vaneshta chuckled softly, but then grew serious.