Chapter Forty-Three

Raimie

Ren was determined to lose me and Oswin in this strange forest. In the short time we’d been following her, I’d lost sight of her a handful of times already.

Considering night was quickly falling, this didn’t surprise me, even if it was concerning. If Ren shook us off her tail, I couldn’t find my way back to camp.

Perhaps I wouldn’t have to, though, given who was at my side. A spy from a Queen’s Hand could definitely backtrack along the progress we’d made, right?

Then again, I was skeptical that Oswin was what my father had claimed he was. Since shortly after we’d entered the forest, he’d been puffing and panting beside me, not that I could blame him. Ren was taking us through a different section of the forest, and while its terrain was similar to before, we’d been traveling at a swift, climbing rate, which given the mountains looming ahead of us, we should have expected.

Still.

“You’re out of shape for a spy, especially one from a Hand,” I said.

Licking his lips, Oswin shot a pointed glance at me before fixing his eyes ahead.

“So, they finally told you. I wasn’t sure,” he said. “I’m sorry to have kept it from you, sir. Before they’d let me help, I had to agree to that stipulation.”

Finally? Meaning Oswin had wanted me to know about this for a while? If that was the case, why hadn’t Marcuset or my father let him share?

“As for your question, I’ve been stuck in Daira, mired in paperwork, for the last year or so,” Oswin continued, “and that hasn’t been conducive to staying in shape.”

Snorting, I shook my head, letting a smile crawl across my face. I hadn’t expected an answer to my question, using it to broach the subject instead. Still, I wasn’t upset to have one.

With the subject addressed, though, I wasn’t sure how to continue. On the journey to Auden, I’d grown fond of Oswin. He’d been the only member of the crew that I’d found approachable. Add to that the strong sense of familiarity I’d always felt around him, and I was left with an easy companionship forming between us.

Now, though, I knew he was a spy, and because of that, I had to wonder if he’d faked the friendliness between us. I’d even dismiss the nagging familiarity I'd felt around him as a manufactured emotion if I hadn’t run into it before meeting him.

And of course, there was the question of his loyalty.

Rubbing my face, I said, I don’t know what to do, Nyl. What do you think?

Nylion would have a plan for this. He always did.

If this was so, however, he couldn’t convey it with emotion alone. I got a sense of reassurance and a surge of warmth, but that was it, and I wasn’t sure what either feeling was supposed to mean.

“Sir? I didn’t mean to distress you,” Oswin said. “Do you need a minute? I can stop the girl if you like.”

When considering how Ren might react to that, I winced.

“No, I’ll be ok,” I said. “I’m just…”

Sucking on my lip, I scanned the trees ahead of us, wondering if we’d lost our guide. I didn’t see her nearby.

“It’s a lot, all right?” I eventually continued. “For one thing, how can I believe you’ve truly defected? No member of any Hand, especially not Kaedesa’s, has ever broken faith with the monarch they serve, and yet, here you are.”

I waved a hand over Oswin, frowning when I saw his rueful smirk.

“What?” I snapped.

Shaking his head, Oswin fixed his eyes on the ground.

“Sorry, sir. I’m not laughing at you. Your question is more than reasonable,” he said, “but technically, I haven’t broken faith with the person I serve. I inherited my position in the Hand, and at the time, Kaedesa didn’t take my oath of loyalty. In fact, she never has. So, while I served in her Hand, I may have advanced Ada’ir’s interests, but my loyalty has always remained with my king: you.”

Freezing up, I nearly tripped over myself before I could force my body forward again.

Him too? Good gods, how many people wanted something from me that I could never give?

Despite my quick recovery, Oswin must have seen my stumble, considering how hard he’d pressed his hand to his mouth. He was acting in an exceptionally callous manner toward the man he professed to serve.

After a moment, he got a hold of himself, clearing his throat.

“Forgive me. Did you have other concerns?” he said. “I’d rather address them now than when we’re surrounded by possible hostiles.”

Much as it galled me to admit, he was right. I would much rather ignore the spy, his flippancy, and the conundrums he represented, but like he’d said, I should address the issues between us while we had peace.

Even knowing that, I was reluctant to mention the chief of these. Could I tell Oswin about how I’d seen him in Daira and felt like I’d known him for my whole life?

He’d think I was crazy, wouldn’t he? I said.

Surprisingly, Nylion responded to this with another surge of reassurance. He wanted me to talk about it?

“I…” I said before sighing. “Back in Daira, do you remember how strangely I acted when we met?”

Glancing toward me, Oswin said, “Yes…?”

Oh, this was a bad idea. I opened my mouth anyway.

“I-”

From out of nowhere, Ren stepped in front of me.

“I agreed to take you to my home, not to lead you along at a leisurely pace while you yammer nonsense at each other,” she hissed. “The only reason I haven’t left you behind is because my brother would be pissed if I did.”

She distinctly ignored the blade that Oswin was holding a breath from her skin, although he lowered it when I glared at him. Gods, for a moment, I’d forgotten how frustrating this woman was.

“So… shut up and pick up the pace?” I said, lifting an eyebrow.

“No,” Ren said. “Shut up and don’t move while I prepare a few things.”

She stalked out of sight while I exchanged a glance with Oswin.

‘Where’d you find her?’ he mouthed, pointing after Ren.

Rolling my eyes, I turned aside.

Why did you want me to tell him about that weird sense of familiarity I keep having? I said before wincing. No, don’t answer that. I shouldn’t have asked it here. It can wait until I return to my nightmare realm, although… it’s not truly a nightmare anymore, is it? Not with you there.

What else could I call that strange place, though? As I shook my head, Nylion leaked affection to me, and I made a face, although it wasn’t directed at him.

As absolutely glorious as I found communicating with Nylion to be, it was quickly losing its charm in the face of its limitations. How I wished that I could hear his voice like I had when we were kids!

That wasn’t what we had now, though. No, we had weak swells of feeling, ones that could only convey vague meaning. It was better than nothing but…

Sighing, I rubbed my eyes.

Speaking of invisible companions, I should probably check on Dim while Ren was busy. When I called on them, however, they failed to appear, which had me frowning. Curious, I reached out for my source, found it, and pulled the tiniest sliver of Daevetch to me.

So, Dim was here, if hidden behind the physical plane. Were they avoiding me?

Our last conversation had ended on a weird note. By the time we’d finished speaking, they’d seemed… afraid of me, which was troubling, and I’d sent them away after that. I could see them acting petulant enough to ‘punish’ me by withdrawing.

Before I could again call on them to test this theory, Ren stepped into view with several strips of cloth in hand, and as she came closer, Oswin and I gave her our attention.

“My home’s not far from here, and because of that, I’ll need to blindfold you for the rest of the trip,” she said, raising a hand when Oswin started to speak. “You can keep your weapons. I’m not trying to defang you. It’s just that secrecy is paramount when it comes to keeping my home safe. We do the same thing when escorting survivors from Harvested villages into town.”

Even with the explanation, Oswin looked unhappy with the idea, but while I didn’t like it either, I extended a hand for the blindfolds.

“Whatever makes you comfortable,” I said.

Nodding, Ren handed a cloth strip over, and I wrapped it around my face before tying it off. She checked my work before taking my hand.

Which meant she was touching me.

As soon as that registered, I was rooted in place, fighting off a vivid sense of petrification from myself and Nylion. How easily this woman could hurt us, slap us, use any of her weapons to end our life. What had we been thinking? We should rip this blindfold off and run…

Ren pressed my hand into Oswin’s, taking the pressure off of me, and while I was still doused in a cold sweat, I had enough clarity to wonder why I’d had such a visceral reaction to her touch.

Unfortunately, when she tugged on my other hand, I still wasn’t completely free of it. Reflexively, all of me tightened, including my grip on Oswin, and he cleared his throat.

“If I may, you should use me as the middle link while leading us along,” he said. “My king would prefer to keep one hand free, the better to help if we’re attacked.”

Was that why anxiety was making my skin crawl?

“…Smart,” Ren said.

She released me, erasing the ants skittering over my skin.

“You don’t have the same preference?”

“I don’t need free hands to help,” Oswin said.

Even blindfolded as I was, I could see his damn smirk. Somehow, I kept my resulting laugh contained.

“I… see,” Ren said.

She had nothing more, and after two heartbeats, the pull of Oswin’s hand propelled me forward. For this part, Ren was kind enough to take it slowly, calling out when we encountered obstacles. Those warnings, along with the noises that Oswin and I were making, had me wincing, partially in reaction to the expressions of displeasure that I could only imagine were crossing Ren’s face.

The incline we’d been climbing steepened until I was using my free hand to traverse it, although this didn’t last for long. Before I could ask for a break, the ground leveled off, and for a time, Ren led us through a place with much crisper air. There was more ambient noise here—leaves rustling and water trickling—than we’d found at lower elevations as well.

Soon enough, though, she stopped.

“You can remove the blindfolds,” she said.

Oswin released my hand, and I joined him in pulling cloth off of my face, wincing when I rubbed it. I’d tied that too tightly.

When I lowered my hands, I sucked in a gasp. By an unknown magic, I’d been transported across the sea to the forest of my youth, even if this one was overshadowed by mountains.

Despite that, I couldn’t stop my vision from fuzzing while my throat worked. Gods, it felt like home.

I’d never have that again.

“Sir?” Oswin said. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” I said. “A piece of the past just caught up with me.”

“I see.”

Shaking myself, I glanced about the clearing with a critical eye. It seemed ordinary, outlined by trees that thickened into a true forest. A cliff face, hidden by the branches and leaves to either side of it, rose into a promontory before swooping into a larger mountain. Ivy clung to portions of this cliff, nearly concealing the crevasse in its center.

With glinting eyes and a pleased smirk, Ren fluttered her hands while bowing.

“Welcome to Tiro,” she said.

Glancing at Oswin, I raised an eyebrow. Was I missing something? I saw no signs of civilization here.

Before I could ponder the question, a crack split the air, and the cliff face… moved.

With Nylion’s upsurge of glee making my eyes pop wide, my mouth dropped open. What on…?

As the crevasse in the cliff face gaped wider, lanterns and buildings and people peeked out from between it, and one of those people lowered their hands from their hips before striding toward us. I didn’t pay them much mind, too occupied by everything else I could see.

A village! The cliff face had been hiding a fucking village.

Was this Ren’s home? Gods. I had more to learn about the Audish people than I’d thought.

“Did you pick up some strays again, Ren? That won’t make Dury happy.”

The person heading for us—a teenage boy, it turned out—stopped nearby while crossing his arms. As he cocked his head, his sandy hair tumbled to the side, and the mischievous grin that he showed us had Ren clicking her tongue.

“They’re guests, not refugees, Had-had,” she said. “Once they’ve spoken with Dury, they’ll keep to themselves until they can leave in the morning.”

Pouting, the kid said, “Aww… I was so looking forward to seeing you get chewed out! Although… you do have Dury wrapped around your little finger. You’d have to mess up much worse than this before he’d yell at you.”

“Brothers,” Ren said under her breath before gesturing to us. “Want to introduce yourself to our guests?”

The kid made a face before turning to us, but before he’d pivoted, I’d already had my hand ready to shake.

“Hello! My name’s Raimie,” I said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Giving my hand an odd look, the kid said, “Likewise. I’m Hadrion.”

I got the most brilliant smile before Hadrion turned his attention to Oswin.

“Who’re you?”

Did they not shake hands here? From how furrowed Ren’s brow had become, I’d say that they didn’t. How odd.

Lowering my arm, I flexed my fingers while watching Oswin ooze charm at the teenager.

With a courtly bow, he said, “I am Oswin, good sir. If I may ask, how do you know our fair guide?”

Pulling back a bit, Hadrion glanced at Ren, who shrugged.

“She’s my sister,” he said. “Ren, where did you find these two?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Ren said.

Catching Hadrion in a side hug, she rubbed his arm while he wrinkled his nose.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“For now, where’s Dury?” she said. “I’d like to finish this chore so I can return to something useful.”

Despite myself, I bristled while my tongue ran away with itself.

“You know… you didn’t have to bring us with you. Sure, I asked for this favor, but you could have easily said no.”

Freezing, Ren glared at me with her grip on Hadrion tightening, but he didn’t notice, glancing between us instead.

“I like you,” he soon said. “Not many people have the balls to talk to my sister, the great Terror of Da’kul, that way.”

While speaking the title, he’d wiggled his fingers, and dropping his hands, he grinned at me until Ren lightly smacked the back of his head. Then, he rubbed the injured spot with one eye closed.

“Where’s Dury, you ass?” she snapped.

“I could tell you,” Hadrion said, “or I could make you follow me to him. I choose option two.”

At his wide grin, Ren glowered.

“I hate you,” she said.

Clasping his hands together, Hadrion said, “Aw, I love you too, Ren.”

Turning on his heel, he started toward the cliff face… gate… or maybe doors?

He started for the village with a whistle, and growling, Ren strangled the air while following him.

Seemingly forgotten, I said, “Have I made an enormous mistake, Oswin?”

“I don’t know, sir,” Oswin said with a laugh in his voice. “Have you?”

Rolling my eyes, I hurried to catch up with the Audish natives, but as soon as we stepped through the widened crevasse, I stopped short.

A veritable city was spread before me. Not a village. A fucking city. From what I could see of it, the place was cramped and not especially clean, but it was bustling with life.

In front of me, waddle-and-daub houses lined a narrow street, illuminated by lanterns hanging from poles, but this street wasn’t the only one we faced. Many others branched into the city as well.

The city itself occupied a wide bowl, and every visible street converged on the sparse fields of grain growing in its center. High above, a rock shelf extended from the valley’s other side, and a carefully crafted lattice was spread from the doors behind me to that shelf. Ivy grew along the lattice, enough of it to provide cover while also allowing sunlight through.

“Are you two coming or not?” Ren called.

Jumping, I nearly fell into Oswin before frowning at Ren. She’d stopped to give us a moment? Why?

She did seem pleased by our gawking. Maybe she’d wanted to watch the foreigners marvel at her home. Not that it was unworthy of said marvel.

As I trotted to her with Oswin on my heel, I couldn’t keep my head from swiveling, taking in the new sights with a sense of wonder. How had humans contrived to create this?

“Not what you expected, is it?”

Ren’s voice kept me from running into her, and this close to her, I swallowed hard, wondering why my mouth had gone dry.

“I… no. It isn’t,” I said. “It’s wonderful.”

Smirking, Ren said, “Oh, good. You can have a proper reaction, given the right stimulus.”

As heat flashed through me, I drew myself up, but Hadrion cut off any reply that I might have made.

“You coming, Ren?”

“Right behind you,” Ren practically sang.

Tossing her head, she ambled toward the street Hadrion was standing in, and grumbling under my breath, I stalked after her, ignoring the frown that Oswin had fixed on me.

As we moved through Tiro, I noted with surprise how busy the city was. Granted, I hadn’t visited many cities, just Sev and Daira, and my time in Ada’ir’s capital had been spent entirely in the castle. Even still, this one seemed to be in an uproar.

With purpose, people ran down the street, and as we approached the city’s center, blank-eyed families and individuals began filling its empty space. Bawling children clutched at their parents’ hands while soot-streaked adults muttered to no one, stared into space, or rocked in place.

Hell. What had happened here?

Slumped on herself, Ren asked, “My intel about Lindow’s Harvest was good, then?”

Biting his lip, Hadrion clutched his elbows.

“Yes,” he said.

Nodding, Ren said, “Is Ky back yet?”

Like a spring, Hadrion bounced back from the mournful expression he’d assumed to an air of mischief once more.

“Why?” he asked. “You worried about lover boy?”

Lover boy? Someone in this world had been brave enough to romance her?

Huffing, Ren said, “He’s not-! We’re not lovers. Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“Because you are,” Hadrion said. “You just don’t know it yet.”

Sticking out his tongue, he ducked Ren’s swipe at him.

“Kylorian’s a brother to me, the same as you,” she said. “I’ll never see him as more.”

“Whateeeever you say, big sis.”

Gritting her teeth, Ren growled, “Is. he. back. yet?”

Hadrion shrugged.

“I don’t think so? You know better than to worry about him, though,” Hadrion said. “This is Ky we’re talking about. He’s one with the impossible.”

“That’s true.”

So… she didn’t have a lover?

“How did your thing go?” Hadrion asked.

“Better than expected.”

Ren flicked her eyes over me and Oswin, and for some reason, this had my cheeks burning. Why the hell had I been speculating about her love life?

As the buildings around us switched from waddle-and-daub to stone, we skirted the fields at the city’s center before plunging beneath lanterns once more. Soon enough, the roar of conversations ahead distinguished itself from the city’s noise, and stopping, Hadrion swept a hand that way.

“What you seek, big sis,” he said.

Clicking her tongue, Ren said, “You couldn’t have just told me he was home?”

“No. Where would the fun have been in that?” Hadrion said. “Anyway, here’s where I leave you. Oswin. Raimie. If you have time once you’re done with Dury, you should find me. I’d love to chat.”

The teenager started back the way we’d come, but before he could escape, Ren landed a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you avoiding dad again?’ she asked.

“What do you think?” Hadrion snapped.

But then, he hugged himself.

“He’ll put me in charge of the refugees again, and I… I can’t. Their blank faces remind me of-”

With a gasp, he fell silent, and wincing, Ren patted his back.

“Then, maybe you should practice your sword forms more,” she said. “Dad will never send you out with Kylorian until you’ve mastered them.”

Hadrion sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” he said before brightening. “Thanks, sis!”

Spinning, he hugged Ren before taking off. Ren shook her head while watching him go, and summoning my courage, I cleared my throat.

“He’s your brother?” I asked. “How does that work with Rhy…?”

Unsure how to finish that, I wildly flailed, and Ren chuckled.

“He’s my adoptive brother, same as the Kylorian we mentioned,” she said, “and you’re about to meet the man who’s become my father.”

I waited until Ren was out of earshot before muttering the only response I could have given to that.

“Oh. Goodie. Just great.”

As Oswin snorted, I resigned myself to meeting the man who’d guided Ren into the woman she was.

We found him in a square, one that was packed full of people. Rather than push through them, Ren climbed on top of a merchant’s booth, offering me a hand once she was there. We surveyed the crowd, although it quickly became obvious which of these people was her father.

Standing on a building’s stoop, a kindly-looking man was addressing the crowd.

“-understand your discontent! We already have too little room to share and too little food to go around, and here comes another group of refugees, looking to take a chunk of both from us. Of course you want them gone!” he said. “But please. Remember your compassion, and have patience in this trying time.

“Each of you has been where the people from Lindow are now, running from a Harvest or the Birthing Grounds. Some of you found us after losing everything, and some were brought here, but all of you know what it’s like to need aid. You were lucky enough to receive it. Now, I hope you can give Lindow’s survivors that same kindness.

“As for the concerns you’ve raised, I assure you. I’m working toward a solution for our food problem, but it will take time before it comes to fruition. In the meantime, please. Once more open your doors to people who need it. Let’s refuse Teron and his ilk total victory in Lindow!”

As the crowd’s murmuring got louder, I glanced down at Oswin, wondering if he’d know the question I wanted to ask. They had a food problem. Could we help with that?

With his arms crossed, Oswin looked just as skeptical as the people in the square, but when he noticed me watching him, he shrugged.

‘Maybe,’ he mouthed. ‘Need more details.’

Yeah… that was what I’d thought. Still. I was glad to know that helping these people wasn’t off the table yet.

Patting at the air, the man on the stoop paused as his eyes caught on Ren. She flicked two fingers in a wave, which made him smile.

“You know how this works,” he shouted over the crowd’s grumbling. “Come to my home so Eliade and Hadrion can help you draw lots. If we do it quickly enough, we should have these people in homes before sunset. Spread the news, please! All of Tiro should join together for this.”

He stepped off of the stoop before another thought occurred to him.

“Oh! And town meeting in two days. We can more fully discuss the problem at that time.”

Then, he was pushing through the crowd, and Ren jumped to the ground, greeting him with her arms spread wide.

Before she could speak, he boomed, “Ren! You’re back! I was getting worried.”

As I hopped off of the merchant’s booth, he hugged Ren, squeezing far too tightly, and I lifted an eyebrow when she just laughed, patting his back.

“I was only gone for a day,” she said. “I’ve stalked Cerrin Forest alone for far longer than that before.”

“Maybe. Doesn’t make me worry any less.”

The stocky man released Ren, brushing her cheek, before turning on me and Oswin.

“Who are the bedraggled misfits that you’ve brought with you this time? I could swear I recognize one of them.”

As I opened my mouth to answer the question, Ren overrode me.

“Not people you should worry about. They’re here to discuss business with you.”

With his eyebrows raised, the stocky man said, “Something we’ll need privacy for?”

Ren nodded.

“I thought we could use Ky’s home, since he’s not here to protest it.”

“A good idea,” the stocky man said, snorting a laugh.

He ambled toward a smaller house while I struggled to contain my irritation. I knew this was Ren’s home, but that made her speaking for me no less annoying.

As I silently growled, amusement bubbled up from Nylion, and almost, this tipped me into petulance’s grip, but with a calming breath, I let it soothe me instead, entering the house when we reached it.

The building’s interior was surprisingly bare. Its only furniture was a chair and table combination on one side of its room and a pile of blankets on the other. A waist-high partition blocked one corner from sight, but besides that, everything lay out in the open.

“Every time I come here, I remember how badly Kylorian needs more furniture,” the stout man said. “He should at least have another chair. Where are his guests supposed to sit?”

Chuckling, Ren said, “When does he ever have those?”

She plopped into the chair while the stout man shook his head.

“I swear. That boy…” he breathed.

Then, he turned on me, and the concern he’d been showing disappeared beneath a mask of formality.

“So?” he said. “Who are you, and what do you want from me?”

I waited for a heartbeat before answering, certain that Ren would override me again, but when she didn’t, I smiled at the stranger.

“I’m Raimie, and my companion’s called Oswin,” I said. “My business is with Tiro’s leader. Is that you?”

Crossing his arms, the stout man said, “Leader’s such a strong word. I like to think of myself as Tiro’s father… or perhaps its guiding influence. You can call me Tanwadur.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” I said, dipping into a bow.

Relaxing, Tanwadur waved at me.

“No need for that, young one,” he said. “Just tell me why you’re here.”

Oh… shit. Gods damnit, why hadn’t I considered this conversation while on the way here? Instead, I’d stayed shocked by the revelation of Oswin as a spy, which had been a mistake.

How much could I reveal about myself or my purpose in this initial meeting with Tiro’s… guiding influence?

But Tanwadur was tapping a finger on his thigh. I’d have to start talking and hope that something wise came out of my mouth. For once.

“Primarily, I’m here to introduce myself. Considering who we both are, we’ll likely work together soon,” I said. “In addition, I hoped to learn how my people might help yours, but with that, I may have already found a way. You’re having trouble with food, yes? Since many of our supplies went down with our ship, I’m not sure how much my people can spare, but if we have anything extra, it’s yours, provided you want it.”

Beside me, Oswin tensed with his hands drifting to his weapons, and I wondered what had made him so nervous until Tanwadur spoke.

“Your ship?” he asked, having gone still.

Well. That had been a slip of the tongue. Given how rarely merchants sailed to Auden, my mention of a boat had revealed that me and mine weren’t native to Auden.

Still, I tried to play it off.

“Indeed. We were attacked… but you shouldn’t care about that,” I said. “Like I said, we have supplies to share, which you need.”

After a moment of staring, Tanwadur said, “The two of you aren’t from Auden.”

So, my diversion hadn’t worked. As if chagrined, I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Technically? No,” I said. “However, as far as I know, we’re all of Audish descent. Why does it matter? Do you care where a form of help might come from?”

Apparently, he did. Ren leaned forward to say something, perhaps trying to help, but Tanwadur lifted a finger toward her.

“You keep saying ‘we’ and ‘us’,” he said. “May I ask who these others are? I’d like to know what sort of people have landed on our shores.”

Sure… that was the only reason he was asking.

Where was the harm in answering him, though?

“‘Us’ is my family and a bunch of crazy soldiers who followed us here,” I said.

Softly hissing, Oswin glanced away, which told me I’d made another mistake. What had it been?

Completely blank now, Tanwadur asked, “How many soldiers?”

I was much less comfortable with sharing this information, but since I’d already dug myself into this hole, I might as well dig deeper. I didn’t, however, know the specifics of what Tanwadur had requested, so I turned to the spy in our midst.

“Oswin?”

Stiffening, Oswin said, “Yes, sir?”

“Answer the man’s question,” I said. “I know you’ll have memorized those numbers.”

Oswin clicked his tongue, but he did as I’d asked.

“One hundred and thirty-two civilians and would-be soldiers joined us on the way,” he said through gritted teeth. “We also have five hundred and fifty-four Zrelnach, who if you didn’t know, are elite Esela fighters-”

“I’m familiar with the Zrelnach,” Tanwadur said. “We had them here before Doldimar wiped them out.”

Oswin paused, glancing at me. Apparently, that was news to him as well. Shaking himself, he continued.

“And then, there’s the rest of us: sailors, soldiers, and spies.”

Crossing his arms, Tanwadur grumbled, “How many?”

With a sigh, Oswin closed his eyes.

“Four thousand, five hundred and seventy-six.”

At that, my eyebrows soared into my hairline as high as Tanwadur’s had. Gods… so many people had come with me. What would I do when I eventually got them killed?

“Goodness, young one. You have a veritable army at your beck and call,” Tanwadur said. “Why is that?”

Frowning, I cocked my head at him. For a meeting between strangers, that question bordered on invasive. Given the caution that was welling from Nylion, I gathered it could be dangerous too, something that was only emphasized by the headshake that Ren gave me from behind her father’s back.

She was helping me? Why?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid answering this question, and if that wasn’t bad enough, I’d always been horrible at lying. I’d have to choose my words carefully.

“Honestly, good sir, I don’t know why,” I said. “I suspect they’ve followed me because they believe I can accomplish an impossible goal. I don’t know if I can realize that dream, and yet—”

Here, I slid my gaze to Oswin.

“—I intend to try.”

With a slight smile, the spy inclined his head to me, which warmed my heart.

When I’d only known him for a couple of months. Why?

“What do these people want from you?” Tanwadur asked.

Tensing, I jerked my head toward him, wiping incredulity off my face. If that last question had bordered on invasive, this one landed squarely in that territory. I’d offered to help him, and he seemed intent on prying into my life.

Clicking his tongue, Oswin stepped between me and Tanwadur, facing me.

“Your Majesty, he knows. He’s been fishing for it throughout this conversation, enough to become insulting,” he said. “Take my advice, and give him what he wants so we can return to camp. He has no intention of treating with you.”

What was he doing?

I must have stared at him for too long because he stepped aside—

“Oswin, no!”

—before gesturing toward me.

“May I present His Majesty, King Raimie, finder of Shadowsteal, destined destroyer of Doldimar, and rightful claimant to the Audish throne.”

Blinking at the back of Oswin’s head, I fought to keep my suddenly scattered thoughts in order, helped in part by Nylion’s emanated calm. I’d put this issue off for so long—too long—and now, Oswin had shoved it to the forefront. He’d proclaimed me as ruler to the first leader we’d met in this land, and so now, I must answer a personal question.

Did I refute Oswin’s claim, or did I make it my own?

As my fingers curled into my palms, I wasn’t sure what I’d say. I only knew that I had to fill this silence. So, I hissed my decision into it.

“I am not a damn king.”

When Oswin glanced at me, he radiated such pity and regret that it made me flinch.

“You’re the only one who believes that anymore, sir,” he said.

Sucking in a breath, I let my mouth fall open, wanting to deny what he’d said, but before I could do that, two words cracked through the house’s interior.

“Get out.”

From his face to the bit of ankle peeking out from beneath his trousers’ legs, Tanwadur had turned stark red.

“I knew you looked familiar, too similar to him, and that means you need to GET OUT!” he shouted, taking a step forward. “Get out of this house, out of this square, out of this city!”

With Oswin having pushed between me and Tanwadur, I laid a hand on his shoulder, moving him aside. All the while, I prayed that I’d been wrong about how the Audish people would respond to who I was.

“I’ve upset you,” I said. “Please, we can’t be hostile toward one another. Tell me how to fix my mistake, and I’ll remedy it as best I can.”

“You can’t fix who you are!” Tanwadur shouted.

I’d been right. Gods damnit.

With fire building inside, both my own and one from Nylion, I took a deep breath, stopping it from raging through me.

“You blame me for the crimes of my long-dead ancestor. So be it. If it makes your life easier, continue to hate me,” I said, “but don’t let my identity stop you from accepting the help that my people can give-”

Shoving past Oswin, Tanwadur slammed a finger into my chest, and something strange started burgeoning from Nylion. What-?

“We don’t need your help, Raimie from the line of kings,” Tanwadur said, poking me again.

And this aggression let something unpleasant slip another step free.

“You and your cursed family should have withered to nothing on the other side of the sea!”

As Tanwadur jabbed his finger into my chest again, rocking me, something burst, and I started moving, but I was hardly paying attention to that. All of my focus went to Nylion and what he was projecting.

Nyl, what-?

Suddenly, Ren was in front of me, resting her hand on Tanwadur’s chest while keeping a firm hold on my wrist.

“Enough! You two need to calm the fuck down so Oswin and I aren’t left with cleaning up your corpses,” she hissed. “Dury! You should leave. Go help mom with the refugees.”

“No.”

Tanwadur brushed Ren’s hand off of him.

“I want this… boy out of Tiro.”

“And I’ll make sure that happens. Tomorrow morning,” Ren said. “Don’t say a word. I’m not done.

“He and his friend are not from here. If we make them return to camp through a forest crawling with Kiraak at night and alone, they will die. Without question. What do you think his army of five thousand will do if they learn that he died because we refused him refuge for one night?

“No. He will sleep here, and when I can, I’ll take him to his people in the morning.”

Hissing, Tanwadur closed his eyes.

“Fine,” he said, “but you’re in charge of finding them a place to stay.”

He stormed out of the house, and I let tension leak from me. This was, of course, when Ren shoved me, sending me stumbling away.

Immediately, I found Oswin, waving for him to lower his weapons, but I also cocked my head on seeing Dim, flickering out of existence beside him. Why had the splinter come to the physical plane when they’d been so clearly avoiding me earlier?

“And you!” Ren snarled. “I bring you to my home in good faith, trusting you’ll behave yourself, and you nearly attack my father because he insulted you?”

I struggled to swallow inexplicable fear, fluttering at the back of my mouth.

“I don’t know what came over me,” I started.

“Then, maybe you should learn to control yourself!”

Wincing, I nodded. She was right. Even if Nylion had started a physical confrontation, I had to accept the blame for it. In many ways, he was me. What he did was also my responsibility.

“I’m sorry-”

“That’s not enough! Not for this mistake.”

With a frown, I said, “I’m confused. Why do you care so much about this, out of everything I’ve done to irritate you? I get that he’s your father, but… come on, Ren. I was offering him help, and in response, he practically spat in my face.”

Spinning away from me, Ren hugged herself, and while she thought, I caught Oswin’s eye, wondering if he knew what was running through this frustrating woman’s head. He just lifted a hand to hide his smile.

“He saved me,” Ren said. “After Rhy left me so many years ago, I thought I was dead. During a Harvest, Kiraak don’t bother to spare children. They do unspeakable things to them.

“So, imagine my surprise when the first Kiraak to find me died on someone else’s blade. Tanwadur’s resistance fighters had come to evacuate my hometown, but they’d arrived too late, for the village at least. They took me with them to this city.

“For weeks, I waited for my brother. He never found me, so Dury gave me the next best thing: a new family. I had parents again. I even had an older brother, a boy they’d adopted years before, to fill the hole that Rhylix had left behind.

“Dury saved me in every way. Forgive me if the fact that you almost attacked him angers me.”

Stalking to the door, Ren paused before opening it, finding Oswin.

“You should stay here,” she said. “I’ll return with food and blankets, but if I were you, I wouldn’t leave this house.”

She slammed the door behind her, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, rubbing my chest. Why did it feel like I’d been punched there, so hard that it had bruised my heart?

“Well, that was interesting.”

Wandering to the abandoned chair, Oswin threw himself into it.

“Was that your first fight with a woman, sir?” he asked.

Dumbly, I nodded. Gods, why couldn’t I move?

Humming, Oswin said, “Makes sense, given how you were acting. In the future, you’ll learn to avoid those because they only end one way.”

With effort, I faced the spy.

“How’s that?” I asked.

“The woman wins, of course,” Oswin said with a smirk. “Now, are we doing as we were told, sir?”

“No, we’re not. Of course we’re not,” I mumbled.

I wasn’t sure what else we could do here, though. Considering Tanwadur was dead set on opposing us, we couldn’t ally with Tiro.

Could we?

“Why are you sitting there?” I said, keeping my lips flat. “You were part of a Hand, Oswin. You should know what I want.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Oswin said, “As much useful information as I can gather?”

When I nodded, he performed an exaggerated salute before climbing out of the chair.

“And you, sir?” he asked.

I thought back on everything that had happened since arriving in Tiro, wondering what, if anything, I could do to help.

With a slow smile spreading across my face, I said, “I’ll think of something, I’m sure.”