Kost nodded once. “If that happens, do not resist him openly. Win the war, not the battle. Keep everyone safe until we return.”
A visible shiver raced through Emelia, and she dropped her chin to her chest. “I’ll do my best.”
“I’m not in the business of making false promises.” Noc shifted, and his mount pranced in place. “I’m in the business of being prepared. I don’t think he will come. He’s after me, not you. But if he does, do as Kost says.”
False promises?I bit my tongue. He’d certainly been good at those as of late. I could only hope last night’s promise, that we’d finallytalkonce we were outside the walls of Cruor, wouldn’t turn up false.
Astrid placed a firm hand on Emelia’s back, wide smile steady. “We’ll be fine. Emelia and Iov are strong. I’m new, and I’d still follow them anywhere.”
He let out a soft chuckle. “Good.” Tilting his chin in my direction, he nodded to my mare. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.” I hiked my leg over my mare’s back and settled into my saddle. Yazmin’s directions burned in the inner pocket of my overcoat, sending heat straight through to my heart. “Let’s go.”
Noc and Kost led the charge, kicking their mounts into a steady canter and heading north parallel with the Kitska Forest. On our left, swirling purple vines thick with thorns wrapped around dying brush. Trees with flaky dark bark and gnarled branches stretched in unruly patterns. Shimmering pinesco pods, with their eye-like patterns, winked in the stirring winter breeze. Such a stark contrast to the wide, open plains of dormant grass rolling toward Wilheim. A faint glimmer twinkled in the distance, just barely visible through the morning fog. Those diamond and ivory walls were a beacon in any season.
An errant screech rattled from somewhere deep in the wood. Pulling my coat tighter, I dipped my chin to my chest as we rode. Oz’s mare shifted closer to mine, and he hunkered down against the chill. For the most part, the pace set by Noc and Kost kept us silent. Between the cold and the jostling from our Zeelahs, our tongues were liable to be caught by chattering teeth. It wasn’t until after the late-afternoon sun dipped below the tree line, leaving behind a smearing of burnt orange across the sky, that Noc and Kost stopped. They dismounted, surveying a particularly flat portion of the wide, open plains across from Kitska Forest. The monsters deep within the festering wood likely wouldn’t come this close to the edge of their territory, but I had no doubt Kost would have us sleeping in shifts. Just in case.
Oz and I joined them, and immediately set to work pitching our tents. As soon as we finished, Oz busied himself with the fire while Kost rummaged through our bags, searching for our provisions. Noc stood slightly apart from it all, arms folded across his chest and jaw tight. Flames from the fire reflected in his faraway stare.
“Everything okay?” I asked, sidling up next to him. We were finally out in the open, away from Cruor, and it was high time he told me what was going on.
“Yes.” His answer was low, barely audible. My gaze flickered to Kost and Oz. Did he not want them to know? No, that couldn’t be it. Kost knewsomething.
“Now that we’re on the road…” I let my voice trail off, hoping he’d pick up where we left off last night.
He didn’t.
“How was Gaige while you were in Hireath?”
“What?” I blinked.
Noc remained unreadable. “Did Gaige say anything that struck you as odd?”
My mind rewound to the previous day’s events. “He was a little taken aback by the ingredients needed to tame an Azad, but other than that, he seemed fine. I only spoke to him after my acceptance into the Council.”
“I see.”
“Noc, what’s going on?” I edged closer, placing a gentle hand on his forearm. “Why are you asking about Gaige? Did he do something?”
“No.” Noc shook his head. “We just don’t know who to trust.”
“Including me?”
He frowned and finally met my gaze. “What are you talking about?”
It was so hard not to scream out of frustration. I let loose a long breath. “We’re not in Cruor anymore. You said you’d tell me what’s going on once we were on the road. Well”—I gestured wide to include the path near our camp—“we’re officially on the road.”
He tensed, then looked away. “It’s not that simple.”
“Isn’t it? Noc, I need you totalkto me.”
“I will. It’s just…” He ran a rigid hand through his hair, then spied Kost near one of our tents. “I need to check the perimeter. The last thing we need is another surprise attack from Darrien or a monster from the woods.”
“Wait, I’ll—”
“Kost.” He cut me off, calling to his brother. “Let’s go.”
And then he walked away. Again. Shadows swallowed them whole in a matter of seconds, and he was gone. My hands curled to fists by my side, and I stormed toward the tent meant for him and me.
