Chapter 20 #3
Iryana had found herself enjoying Vaneshta’s company more than she’d expected to, more than she should allow herself to.
Vaneshta was blunt and straightforward, but she was also deeply loyal.
Still, Iryana couldn’t let herself forget that she wasn’t there to stay; she wasn’t on Vaneshta’s side.
Even if she didn’t fuck up badly enough to ruin Vaneshta’s opinion of her, the soldier would eventually find out that Iryana was betraying them all.
But for now, she hadn’t had a friend since—well; it had been a very long time.
They fell into silence as they kept watching, Iryana’s mind puzzling over the metal-forgings she’d seen while she alternated between watching Pyetar and scanning the trees. She noticed Pyetar had slowed their pace.
Pyetar raised his hand beside him, fingers outstretched. Iryana’s blood seemed to rush as everyone in the group slowly came to a halt.
She felt the urge to summon her shield, but there was no point in hiding her scent amongst all the others. She would save her magic for when it mattered, though hopefully she wouldn’t have to use it.
They were near the southern valley.
With a point in their direction and a wave over-head toward the higher ground, Pyetar signaled for the rear to provide cover. Iryana followed Vaneshta and the two other archers around the rest of the group and up what turned out to be a small cliff overlooking a valley.
Iryana and the others crouched in the trees at the cliff’s edge while Vaneshta crawled out to look over the valley. When Vaneshta gestured for them to come forward, nerves tightened Iryana’s muscles.
The valley spread out before her like a vast green basin cradled by dark, pine-covered ridges.
The hint of a slender river shimmered between clusters of birch and alder trees.
Wildflowers painted the slopes with streaks of yellows and purples, and beyond the faint whoosh of wind through the trees, the valley was quiet.
Looking down between the trees was not unlike being in the watchtower at the Dovaki Post. Except she was not alone, and she wasn’t just looking for dakii.
They watched Pyetar and another scout move into the valley where the trees were less dense, and while it provided Iryana good visibility of their soldiers, it meant the dakii would see them more easily too.
The archer to Iryana’s left pointed toward a group of trees a few hundred paces away from where Pyetar and the scout were quickly moving between the trees, metal-forged weapons already formed and ready.
Iryana sucked in a breath and watched them closely, arrow nocked and ready to fire if the others were noticed.
It felt like ages before Pyetar was slipping back through the trees alone. The rest of the soldiers on the mission followed Pyetar into the valley, only ten paces apart.
Her breath felt tight in her throat.
Eventually, it was their turn to follow.
The forest was quiet, and Iryana watched the space between the trees in the direction she knew the dakii waited.
Knowing they were there and not being able to see them was nerve-wracking.
Her bow was half drawn like the archer’s.
Vaneshta and the others had their forged weapons formed, leading slightly ahead.
Iryana was scanning the rear when the silence was disturbed by a growl.
“Dakii.”
There were only three visible, having snuck closer without them noticing, but those in the trees would hear a fight.
Vaneshta signaled for Iryana to follow her, and they rushed past the others. With an impressively smooth transition, Vaneshta pulled her magic back in and once again wielded her bow.
They held their ground and began firing at the beasts.
With the dakii distracted, the others disengaged and rushed further ahead under the cover they provided.
But the distraction didn’t last as long as they needed it to.
The dakii tore through the trees toward Iryana and Vaneshta, every snapping branch and quake through the ground sending shivers up Iryana’s back.
“Cover me,” Vaneshta ordered as she switched back to her spear, rushing toward the charging dakii as it formed mid-swing.
Iryana’s heart was beating so fast she could hardly hear, but she let loose arrow after arrow. What if she failed? What if Vaneshta was ripped apart and it was all her fault?
But then the other group started firing, and Vaneshta was leading Iryana to fall back. It was maddening, the constant switching, but they kept moving.
Eventually the dakii stopped following, slinking back through the trees in a way that made Iryana nervous. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard soldiers talking about the dakii retreating, but it used to be unheard of. Any change in the pattern, even a good one, was unnerving.
Iryana looked over to where Vaneshta was walking quickly beside her, wisps of hair flying wildly around her square face. They were both out of breath, but Iryana felt light.
They had done it. The formations worked.
The urge to celebrate, to tell Vaneshta how well they had done, almost sent the words spilling out of her mouth.
But she had to draw the line somewhere, for her own sake as well.
Vaneshta wasn’t family—none of them were.
It didn’t matter what they thought of her.
Iryana just needed to remember why she was there.
As they slipped through the valley toward the rest of the group, Iryana was still smiling slightly when she was stopped in her tracks. It was like a great pine had fallen right on top of her.
In the clearing before them was a vast field of flowers. Black flowers with delicate, paper-thin leaves.
The Beast’s Poppy.
All she felt was horror. It slammed down her throat and grabbed her stomach in its fist. Sent her knees trembling and chills over her sweaty skin.
Was this where the brigade was getting all the poppies from?
Their source? She knew she should look away, that others could be watching, but she just stared and stared and stared.
Death. It was death spread before her. Her own torment.
She wasn’t sure how long she stood frozen, but eventually a touch pulled her out of it.
“Come on,” Vaneshta whispered, lightly pulling on Iryana’s shoulder.
She looked over to see Vaneshta’s nose wrinkled at the field of poppies, just as disturbed at the sight as Iryana was.
Knowing she wasn’t the only one affected made it easier to conquer her reaction.
She wanted to ask Vaneshta about it, but there was something unspeakable about discussing the poppy. And they had to keep moving.
Iryana tried to focus on the trees, on her careful, quiet steps, but it was impossible after that sight. The thought of that black field, like a pool of dakya blood, appeared every time Iryana closed her eyes.
She was still in a bit of a daze when the other archers caught up with them, allowing them to finally make it the rest of the way out of the valley.
“That was good.” Antar nodded sharply when they reached the rest of the group. “Well executed.”
Vaneshta smirked and knocked forearms with a few other soldiers before they fell back into the rear guard. Iryana was quiet, but she nodded at a few of the other soldiers.
Despite everything, getting closer to her team was working. She just had to play their game, be the friend or whoever it was they wanted her to be, just long enough for them to accept her.
Iryana splashed water on her face, hoping to get rid of the lingering grogginess of sleep. She had come back to their room after catching a few hours of sleep in her preferred spot above the stables. Her roommate, of course, thought she’d been up for hours.
Vaneshta was just finishing inspecting her gear while Iryana reached for hers.
They had a mission that afternoon—frustrating given they’d only had a day off after the last one.
Usually they had longer, especially after how big a deal they’d made of it.
But this one was just a short patrol at least, quick and uneventful.
“Oh, I wanted to thank you for showing me that drill yesterday,” Vaneshta said as she slipped her chest-piece on. “I’m so sore today!”
“Uh, you’re welcome. After you spent hours going over that open field formation with me, it was the least I could do.”
She was trying very hard not to be transactional about everything, but with how few interactions she’d had like this, it made Iryana less anxious if she paid everything back. As far as she was concerned, she and Vaneshta were currently even.
The only person she still owed something to was Pyetar, and she tried not to let that drive her too crazy.
“So, don’t punch me,” Vaneshta hedged, and Iryana stiffened. Nothing following those words could be good. “But I was wondering… the way you were here at first, sticking to yourself—is that how you were with your family?”
Iryana swallowed. Vaneshta had become pretty chatty, but she had kept the conversation pretty impersonal. Until now.
“’Cause I was just thinking things have gone better with us since you stopped doing that, so maybe if you—”
“You know what,” Iryana cut her off, faking cheeriness. “I just realized I forgot to replace this buckle.”
She held up one of her arm bracers, where the leather straps that were meant to secure it around her arm hung loosely. She had a spare buckle in her one drawer, but it was the first thing that had come to mind.
Vaneshta looked at her closely and then sighed. “Here,” she said, tossing her a spare buckle from her side table.
“Thanks.”
Usually their silence was comfortable, but the air now felt charged, almost itchy, as Iryana finished getting ready.
“Anyway,” Vaneshta said more cautiously. “Tomorrow night is the full Honey Moon. There’s going to be a party. Did you know Vabihn’s wife is a forged brewer? It’s going to be a good one.”
“I hadn’t heard, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that.” The thought made her skin crawl. Being in the hall was bad enough.
“It would be good for you to get out more.”
“I don’t know, Vaneshta.”
Vaneshta sighed. “I just thought—nevermind.”
She turned away, but not before Iryana saw the look of disappointment on her face.
Her whole body stiffened. She was used to seeing that look on her family, Hadima and the First especially. She was used to Misha’s little face twisting into it when they passed.
Iryana sucked in a breath. It may have been inevitable, but she wasn’t ready to see it from Vaneshta. Not yet.
“Fine,” she hurried to say, her voice cracking. “I’ll go to the party. Just for a while.”
Vaneshta turned, a wide grin on her face. “Great! Wait until you try the wine.”