Chapter Thirty-Two
Wyatt
Why did I drink so much last night? My head is pounding. I can barely move my legs thanks to that strenuous climb up the Cap. The ale flowed freely last night; I shouldn’t have indulged. Especially after little to no food, yeah, that would have been the smart thing to do.
Not that I’ve ever been called smart.
Damn, why does the sun have to be so bright?
No one is around, but it must be near midday, they should be here, mulling about like usual. Where is everyone? Shrugging, I don’t think twice about it until I near the training field.
Iza heartily laughs. “There’s no way the skinny little runt could beat me. Never in a million years.”
Wait. Am I the skinny little runt?
I look at my body, I’m not as muscular as Kaleb or Ronan, but I wouldn’t call myself skinny. I’m already stronger and bulkier than I was when I first arrived.
Arel catches my eye, and Misneach, I remember now, Iza challenged me to a fight.
Whipping around on my heels, I hope to slip away unnoticed. Iza shouts at me, and my heart lodges in my throat. Grimacing, I turn to face her.
Kaleb beams with delight, and Ronan is his usual stone-faced, while Arel looks apologetic. I eye Iza up and down, she’s slight, about a head shorter than me, but there’s a look about her that tells me she would have me pinned in seconds.
“What’s the matter, little cub, scared to fight a girl?” Iza pouts her lips, resting her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.
Little cub? I have a faint memory of her calling me that last night. What does it mean? She continues to tap her foot, watching me.
I grew up with Andi and Elana, and I know manipulation when I see it.
If I say no, then I have to fight her, and even I know that the chances of me winning this are slim.
Minuscule. But if I say yes, she’s going to rip me into shreds.
Not only her, but the others too. Although that will happen either way when I lose.
Kaleb laughs, walking over to Iza, he rests his arm over her shoulder.
“I don’t see any girls around here.” He looks around everyone, then back at Iza.
She elbows him in the ribs, kicking away his feet, and Kaleb lands with a thump.
“I was… joking.” He tries to laugh as he stands up, flinching from another whack by Iza.
I debate my options, watching her topple Kaleb in a split second. This is not going to end well. “Fine, let’s do this. But do me a favour? Leave the face, I know how much you love looking at it?” I say with a wink, walking away, dodging her first punch before the fight has even begun.
Arel and Kaleb walk over to me. Kaleb playfully punches my shoulder. “Rile her up first, maybe not your smartest idea.”
There we go again. Why am I this stupid?
Trying not to look terrified, I glance at Arel. “Any advice?” I ask while rolling up my sleeves, instantly wishing I had put on something warmer this morning. The ground is covered in snow, and the damp is already seeping into my shoes.
Arel watches Iza before turning back to me, frowning. “Nope.”
He pushes me into a drawn-out ring, black ash to contrast with the snow. Stumbling over my feet, Iza eyes me like she is sizing up her next meal. Folk congregate around the circle, watching us, placing their bets with Kaleb. I don’t have to hazard a guess as to who they think will win.
Surely no one is foolish enough to bet on me.
Arel walks into the centre. “Alright, first person to force the other out of the ring wins. What does the winner get?” he asks.
“Just the joyful reminder that I am the best fighter here?” Iza says as she bounces lightly on her feet.
“Ok…ay, and Wyatt?”
Iza laughs. “He’s got no chance.”
Arel shrugs. “Alright, let’s begin.”
Iza stalks her prey. Her knees bent, her arms hanging free, watching every move I make.
I copy her movements, watching for a twitch in her stance, for a weakness.
She lunges forward, grabbing my arm, twisting around, and kicking the back of my knee.
I fall instantly but roll over and jump back to my feet.
She might win, but it’s not happening that fast.
Iza jumps forward again, swinging her fist out.
I lift my hands up to protect my face, but she diverts, landing a punch to my ribs.
I kick her in the side, catching her off guard.
She stumbles but remains standing. “Come on, little cub. That all you’ve got?
” She spins and swings her fist out, almost hitting my face, I duck just in time.
“Little cub? What does that even mean?” I shout, circling her again. Iza throws her head back and laughs. Taking my chance, I spin my leg, swiping hers from underneath her. She falls on the ground but immediately spins back to her feet.
“You have no idea, do you?” she says with sincerity in her voice. I don’t think I’ve heard her talk to anyone without venom lacing her words.
Pouncing again, she pummels me, and I land on my back with a thud. I hear the crowd ‘oof’ in unison. “Don’t you remember?”
I scramble to my feet, my vision now fuzzy, and I rub my head, trying to keep an eye on her. She swings for me again. I step back as the crowd gasps, my heel precariously balancing on the black powdered edge of the ring. Iza grins and runs for me. I duck down and toss her over my head.
She lands on the ground groaning. The crowd cheers. I haven’t even realised what has happened before Arel steps into the ring, lifting my hand in the air, announcing me the winner. Ronan smirks as Kaleb jumps up and down, slapping his shoulder.
Pushing Kaleb off, he holds his hand out for me to shake. “Congratulations. Although you lost me a shit ton of coin to Kaleb.”
“Thanks for the support, Ronan,” I roll my eyes, grumbling.
Iza rolls around on the ground. I lean down with an outstretched hand. Surprisingly, she takes it. “You gonna tell me what this is about?” I ask. She was toying with me in the ring, but now she owes me some answers.
“Fine. But I need a drink first.”
Iza and I sip from our cups in silence beside the fire. Long, drawn-out minutes go by before she finally speaks, “Little cub.” She laughs under her breath. “I didn’t think I would see you again, and then one day there you were bound and weeping in that wagon on route to Zury.”
“I wasn’t weeping,” I grunt.
Iza ignores my comment, “I didn’t believe it was really you, not until you mentioned Vendyl. It’s been ten, no, fifteen years. Misneach, I feel old.” She gulps down some ale, and I stare into my cup.
“You’re my little cousin,” she blurts out.
I blink at her, my eyebrows furrowing on my head. Cousin?
“Our mothers are sisters, were… sisters. Part of an order of fighters known as Iron Claw. A stupid name I always thought. Our ancestors used to wear daggers on their fists during battles, hence the name. They were fierce and fought off the best of them. We grew up in Eilia, our family was loyal to the Tanith royals. Which you know all about.”
I nod, taking a sip of my ale. Andi’s family? My family? How do they tie together? This can’t have been a coincidence. I wonder if Iza knew Andi was in Vendyl. But then no one knew Andi was there, no one knew she survived. Except Caelan, somehow.
“Mercenaries hunted and killed anyone loyal to the Tanith’s for years after the attack on the castle.
Until Zayn put an end to it. No one was safe.
I was fifteen when they came for us, although I could fight, my parents made me stay behind and look after you.
If anything went wrong, we were to leave.
Which is what we did. I took you to your dad’s brother, Nik.
He left the order years before, fed up with fighting, I’m not sure, I never asked. Then I found my own way.”
I swallowed down the contents of my cup, slammed it on the ground, and pace back and forth. “Do you know what happened to me after you ‘left me’ with my uncle? He beat me, for no reason other than the fact that I was there.”
Iza looked at her feet to avoid meeting my eye.
“I didn’t know,” she whispered. Lifting her head to look at me, she says, “Wyatt, if I had known he would abuse you, I would never have left you there.” Her jaw twitches, composing herself, she says, “You were what, seven, eight? I could barely look after myself. I thought… I thought I was doing what was best for you. Get you away from this life. Have a normal childhood.”
I couldn’t argue, I did have a normal childhood, once I met Andi.
I look at Iza, my cousin. I can see in her face that she’s been through a lot, living with no home, no family.
No one. How can I judge her for trying to look after herself, and at fifteen?
At that age, there is no way I could have been solely responsible for a child.
Yes, my life was shit, the beatings and his words will always be with me, but the memories of Andi and Elana overpower them every time.
Sitting down beside Iza, I pour more ale in her cup. “It’s fine. It’s in the past.” Her face softens.
For the first time since meeting her, I’m gobsmacked.
“And hey, look who’s got a new family member. Bring it in.” Leaning forward to wrap my arms around her, she pushes away.
“Fuck sake, why did I tell you?” I laugh at her, nudge my cup off hers. “Little cub,” she laughs under her breath.
“You’re gonna need to explain that one.”
She snorts. “That was my nickname for you, you were fierce as a child, never backed down from a fight. Always crawling around, growling at people.” She sighs. “I’m sorry Nik broke you, but you’ve proved yourself. Those idiots really like you.”
“What’s not to like?” Settling into a peaceful truce, we watch the fire for a while until my stomach begins to rumble.
“Tell me about them. Your family.”
I don’t know if I can. I’ve been pushing thoughts of them to the back of my mind to stop the guilt tearing me apart.
“Another time. I need food, come on. My treat.”
Iza laughs, rolling her eyes and smiling. I’m winning her over; I can feel it.
Iza and I walk arm in arm, slightly inebriated, laughing as we crash into the dining hall, to meet grave faces. Our laughter simmers down, taking in the sombre atmosphere.
“What’s happened?” Iza asks, instantly sobering up. I head over to Arel and Kaleb, trying hard not to fall over. Ronan tosses me some bread.
Caelan clears his throat, addressing everyone, “Now that we’re all here,” side-eyes me and Iza, “patrols have noted multiple guards in the mountain areas. We haven’t seen this many in a long time, and certainly not in winter.
We don’t know what they’re looking for, but let’s make sure they don’t find it. ” The crowd quietly murmurs.
“Patrols are out tonight watching their movements, so far, they’ve not ventured near our door, but it won’t be long before they get too close for comfort. Tomorrow, Ronan will be taking a group out.” Caelan gestures for Ronan to take the lead.
Ronan swirls his glass. “Like Caelan said, a few of us will head out tomorrow to scout and deal with any problems we find along the way.” I try to hide my smile.
I’ve been waiting to hunt some Zury guards.
“Iza, Arel, Kaleb, Aron, Izaac…” He lists a few more names, and I wait impatiently for him to call mine, “Wyatt.” I almost punch the air when he calls my name.
I pretend to be uninterested, but with the amount of alcohol in my system, I don’t know if that look is being portrayed.
“Aryan and Ruaridh will keep look out in the trees or high in the mountains if we have to go that far, they will stay far away from any fighting. Lookouts only.” He nods to two young boys, the same ones who opened the doors when I first arrived.
I haven’t seen them since, but this is the biggest group I have seen around this table.
Caelan must have called for a village meeting rather than a warrior's one in his hut. A woman sits beside the boys, her stern face looks between the boys and Ronan, either she is telling them to listen to him, or she’s pissed they’re involved.
“At sunup, I want you all armed and ready to head out. No more drinking.” Ronan’s eyes dart between Iza and me. He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
Caelan stomps out the room, indicating for me to follow.
The cool night air slaps my face, sobering me up for whatever conversation we’re about to have.
“I wanted to catch you before you head out. I know you’re worried about your family.
I wanted you to know that we found them.
In Zury.” He grips my shoulder. “They’re alive, and as far as we’ve heard, not ill-treated.
Adrian must be holding them for a reason. ”
“For Andi. His guards have been hunting her for weeks. But why?”
“I wish I could tell you. In the meantime, we need to remove the threat of the soldiers in the mountains, otherwise, we won’t be able to help them or anyone, for that matter. Can you do that?”
All I can do is nod. They’re alive, and as safe as they can be, for the moment.
Absentmindedly, I slump down at the table with the stragglers, their stories and jokes a faint mumble in my ears. Kaleb and Arel mocked me for a painfully long time about Iza being my cousin. I’m happy. Other than Nik, she’s the first real family I’ve known.
After being ushered out of the hut, we walk through the village. It didn’t take long for Nu’cov to feel like home. Folk smile at me as they pass by, rather than glare at the newcomer, it feels like I have found somewhere I belong. In amongst the other riffraff and outsiders.
The clanging of metal at the training field catches our attention.
Sneaking behind some bushes at the edge of the field, we watch Caelan and Ronan train together.
This is the first time I have seen Caelan in the field, other than to give orders.
He is swift in his movements, slower than Ronan, but most folk are.
Parrying and dodging Ronan’s advances, he preys on his target, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ronan is fast, nipping under Caelan, swiping his two Katanas around the air in a dance.
“What’s his deal?” I ask, not taking my eyes off the fighting.
“Can’t tell you,” Kaleb says swigging his flask. Ronan told us not to drink anything more, but Kaleb decided that rule only applied to Iza and me, since we stumbled in drunk for the ‘meeting.’
“How is he so good at fighting, then? Can you tell me that?”
Arel and Kaleb look at each other, deciding what I might be allowed to know.
Arel clears his throat. “All we know is he was an assassin in Eilia. He likes to keep to himself.”
Somehow, Ronan being an assassin makes perfect sense.