Marcus gave me an odd look. Prest turned a bit, scanning ahead down into the valley. Epor andIsdra galloped up, both frowning. 'That was not well thought out, Warprize." Epor scolded.
"It was stupid," Isdra added.
"I need to talk to Keir. It's important."
"Do you see him?" Marcus asked.
"No," Prest replied.
Marcus tilted his head back, and warbled out a long, trilling cry.
A response rose from the mass before us, and Marcus responded again, making a slightlydifferent sound. He turned toward me. "Come."
He urged his horse into a gallop, and I followed right behind.
Keir sat on his horse in the midst of turmoil, as the war force prepared to move out. Yers andIften were near by. The village was not yet in sight, for which I was thankful.
"Keir!" I called out as Marcus led me to his side.
Keir turned in our direction, frowning. "Lara, this is not safe—"
Iften was close at hand. "If she were a warrior, she'd be whipped."
Keir snarled, and lashed out at Iften, hitting him full in the face. Iften crashed to the ground.
He jerked to his feet, hands curled into fists. Keir's hand was on his sword, his horse solidbeneath him. "You take a hand to the War-prize and you die."
There was a pause for a breath, as everyone seemed to freeze. Then Iften bowed his head, andthe moment was gone. The man remounted as Keir whipped his head back around to face me.
"You will—"
Marcus interrupted him. "She says she needs to talk to you."
"Keir, I need to talk to the scout. This may not be what it seems."
Keir shook his head, visibly reining in his temper. "Lara, I know you don't want this to be arebellion, but you must face the truth."
"Once more. Let me talk to him once more, then you can have Prest haul me off," I begged.
"Please."
Keir scowled, but he called to Yers. "Find Tant and bring him here."
It didn't take long. I was talking before he drew his horse to a stop. "Tant, tell me again whathappened at the village."
Tant looked at Keir, who glared at him, then turned back to me. "We rode up, Warprize, rodeup to announce our presence and the army's. Only to find the gates closed against us. I stayedahorse, but Rton dismounted and went to bang on the closed gates, and they threw rocks atus." Tant was clearly offended.
"Just rocks?" I asked.
"And arrows." He was affronted by my questioning him. "They fired arrows at us. They hit theground at our feet."
"But didn't hit you?" I pushed.
"What's the point, Lara?" Keir asked.
"At us," Tant insisted. "They shot at us, but they missed. What are you saying?" Tant's eyesnarrowed. "You doubt my word?"
"I think there was a different reason they drove them off." I looked at Keir. "A reason thathas nothing to do with rebellion."
