"Alright." Her voice is rough but steady. "We get our families. The ones who have them. Anyone with kids, anyone with parents who can travel, anyone with a person—you go back, you get them, you bring them out before Theron's column reaches Blomstradal. He'll get there by tomorrow night. We have until then."
A few of them nod. The patchy-beard kid is staring at his hands.
"Anyone without ties—you stay. Help with the wounded. Help with the dead. Make yourselves useful. Don't be in the way."
More nods.
"And then—" She pauses. The first crack in her voice. "And then we figure out where we go. Together. I don't know where yet. We'll find something. Old crofts, abandoned holdings, somewhere the coordination doesn't reach. We'll figure it out."
"Where will you go?"
I hadn't meant to ask.
She turns. Looks at me across the dirt.
"I don't know. But we couldn't do it. So here we are."
"There's nowhere. If the four settlements coordinated, that's—that's all of this region. There's nothing for days in any direction that wouldn't turn you in."
She shrugs.
"You'll be sleeping in the woods. With children."
"Yup."
"In winter."
"It won't be the worst thing I've done." She doesn't smile. "But we will figure something out."
I look at Keer.
He's right there. Hand at the small of my back. Steady. Solid.
Naked.
Oh god.
Naked in front of all of them. Naked in front of the woman who has just been having a calm conversation with my mate, thoroughly, repeatedly, without once acknowledging the fact that he is conducting it WITHOUT ANY PANTS ON. Naked in front of the soldiers behind her.
Oh GOD.
Also no one else gets to look at his giant di—
STOP IT, MEL.
I scan the dirt. There. Someone's cloak by the firepit. I don't know whose. I don't care.
I lunge, snatch it up, shove it at his chest without looking up.
"Put this on."
He takes it. Doesn't move.
"Keer."
"Mm."
"You are NAKED."
