“Her eyes,” I hear someone whisper. “She’s…”
“Her?” Torain is the first to truly speak up. “A limited force, and you’re choosing—? Have you completely lost your mind?”
Maybe Torain is right. I don’t know what I’m doing, or what I’m capable of. I’m basing everything off of Roiven’s hope, and while I trust him, I don’t trust myself right now. I look down at the ground, at my swordarm in its sling and the unfamiliar boots on my feet.
“Caiteven is a witch,” Roiven says.
“That’s obvious, but…” Torain starts.
“She’s changed,” Avreen says. My throat catches as I look ather, but the warrior folds her arms and looks at Torain without even glancing my way. “She’s fighting on our side now.”
Since when did I have Avreen’s trust? The warrior lifts her chin high and waits for Torain to back down.
“Those of us with dragons should be the ones to go,” Torain says. “I don’t knowwhyeverybody’s suddenly decided to trust a knight just because she’s decided to stop killing us.”
“Savasaeirn and I have seen her bonded rise from the sea,” Roiven continues.
“You don’t mean…” Aria starts. Avreen is the only one who doesn’t look surprised.
“The kraken,” Roiven confirms. “We aren’t just down to dragons. Not anymore.”
Roiven folds his arms across his chest, chin high like he dares anybody to doubt him. Torain looks like he just swallowed a fly. The other witches sputter and stare.
“That’s why you wouldn’t kill her,” Aria breathes.
“She’s no queen,” I hear one of the other witches say. I can’t see her face; she’s on the opposite side of Roiven from me.
“She was chosen by the oldest and most powerful of our ancients,” Roiven says coolly. “She ismyqueen.”
My throat tightens.
“The pacts…” Torain manages to get out. “She has not… the coven…”
“The time for pacts will come later, if we survive. We’re wasting time. Does anybody else want to question the judgement of the ancients, or can we ride for battle?”
There’s silence.
And then Aria bows to me, bending at the waist. Torain follows, his face stiff.
“There’s no need,” I say quickly, my voice breaking. “I haven’t done anything…”
“You’d better earn your keep,” Avreen says, as she nods her head instead of bowing.
The rest of the witches bow, though some jerk down and up so fast with such scowls on their faces that it’s more an insult than a gesture of respect. I don’t mind. I’ll have to earn their trust. Roiven’s hand finds my lower back.
“We ride,” he announces to all of them, and then he guides me gently toward Sava’s front left leg, thirty feet away from our gathering.
I freeze at the bottom of Sava’s leg, because I’m still not used to my arm and I didn’t really think about how I’m going to get on.
“Roiven?” I whisper.
“Jump up,” he says, and turns his back to me.
“What? Are you joking?”
“No. Jump.”
With everyone watching, I leap and throw my arm over his shoulder, wrapping my legs around his waist. Roiven hitches me higher, and I hook my ankles tight.
