Page 301 of Salt Between the Wolves

"Now I'm no longer certain what happens next."

The admission hit harder than anything else he had said, because Vargan did not speak those words lightly, not ever.

For several moments Vargan said nothing while the wind moved through the pass and snow drifted across the ground between the two armies.

Eira knew that look because she had seen it her entire life, and it was not uncertainty but the opposite, a conclusion that had settled into place inside his mind, which frightened her far more than anger would have.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, the question leaving her before she could stop it.

Vargan's gaze remained fixed on her as he replied, "I'm thinking that perhaps neither of us has been asking the right question."

A familiar unease settled low in her stomach, and although nothing had changed across the valley, everything suddenly felt different.

"What question?" she pressed.

Vargan ignored that and instead looked toward the Frostvein side of the pass, not at the warriors but beyond them, toward several figures standing near the edge of the gathering in white robes, still and composed, the elders and ritual keepers.

Eira felt her pulse slow and then quicken as dread crept in, because she understood what he was thinking and did not want it to happen here and now.

When Vargan spoke again, his voice carried easily across the cold air as he called, "Elder Sael."

The old woman stepped forward immediately as though she had been waiting, and the realization landed heavily on Eira because this had not occurred to Vargan a moment ago, which meant he had come prepared.

Eira's jaw tightened as she demanded, "What are you doing?"

The elder stopped several paces away while Vargan did not look at her but only at Eira as he said, "I need certainty."

Something cold moved through her chest because those were the exact same words he had used before, again and always.

"I already answered your question," she said.

"No," he replied, and for the first time impatience entered his voice, not much but enough to be unmistakable, as he added, "You answered what you believe."

Eira stared at him and asked, "And that's not enough?"

The silence that followed told her everything, and around them warriors were beginning to notice that something had changed as conversations faded and attention shifted, so that even those too far away to hear the words could sense the tension.

Vargan finally looked toward Elder Sael and ordered, "Examine the mark."

The world seemed to stop, and for a heartbeat nobody moved before Eira laughed, the sound sharp and disbelieving as she said, "You can't be serious."

His expression never changed, which frightened her more than anything else.

"You think the bond influenced your choice," he said.

"I said it called me here," she answered.

"And you answered," Vargan replied as he took a step forward, adding, "The question is how much."

Something inside her snapped tight, not fear but anger that was cold and immediate, the kind she had spent years learning to hide.

"I am standing in front of two armies, telling you that I made my own decision," she said, her voice carrying farther now as several nearby warriors turned completely toward them, "and your response is to have someone inspect me like a horse at market?"

The words landed hard, and for the first time a flicker crossed Vargan's face, not quite shame but something close that vanished almost immediately.

"Eira—" he began.

"No," she cut him off as she took a step back, the distance suddenly mattering.