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Mezhimar was lying on his stomach on the bunk above them, his feet sticking over the edge. “They did not build these for tall people,” he grumbled.

“It’s better than sleeping on the ground,” Pepha pointed out, perched on the edge of the other bottom bunk, testing the mattress. “And we don’t have to keep watch.”

“We’ll take shifts to help the staff of the temple,” Vaneshta informed them, brow raised.

Lidishta groaned but laughed when Vaneshta poked her in the side.

“It’s certainly warmer,” Iryana added, finding herself relaxing around them.

“Not nearly as nice as staying at Redni Castle,” Pepha sighed. “But I far prefer this.”

Mezhimar grunted his agreement.

“Sorry I haven’t been able to catch up with everyone, my cousins are… not comfortable around the brigade yet,” she apologized. “But I have some time now. What have I missed?”

Her old team didn’t hesitate. Iryana didn’t care about half the people they discussed, but she listened happily, enjoying the normalcy of being around them.

They chatted for a bit, filling her in on the brigade gossip. They offered far more details than Pyetar had.

“How is the fallout from Karvek’s followers?” Iryana asked carefully. “Pyetar says it’s fine… but well, you all know him.”

Vaneshta gestured to Pepha’s bunk, and she scooted over so Iryana could join her. Vaneshta leaned over and pushed the door shut.

Iryana didn’t take that to be very encouraging if Vaneshta didn’t want to be overheard.

“He’s mostly managed to subdue Karvek’s supporters, although the soldiers who were really just looking for opportunity have been… difficult.” Vaneshta’s voice was lowered to not carry through the walls. “There have been rumors of some of them thinking about challenging him, but Pyetar has mostly kept them in line.”

She didn’t like the thought of someone challenging Pyetar.

“He’s also, uh…” Pepha trailed off, rubbing her thighs uncomfortably. “He has been going on a lot of outings and missions himself. It’s kept him close to what’s going on with the soldiers, and he’s been winning some over that way, but it makes a lot of the brigade nervous that he’s gone so often.”

“Like coming on this mission,” Iryana mused. It was a long time for a general to be gone, just like it was a long time for her to be absent from her clan too. If she were First, she’d never be able to leave like that.

“Myura River, like Midmarket and the others, is only one regiment of the 18th though,” Mezhimar reminded them. “As long as the major is there handling things, Pyetar really isn’t needed for day-to-day operations.”

Iryana nodded; that was good at least. Hopefully, it would be enough until things settled. It was also setting up Major Tenar well to take over when Pyetar eventually convinced the leaders of the River Brigades to let him step down.

Unless Pyetar decided he enjoyed being a general after all.

Pepha frowned. “I guess, but I don’t like Tenar.”

“Why not? He’s been doing well,” Vaneshta pointed out. “Perhaps a bit light handed, but that’s why I think Pyetar’s presence helps.”

Iryana hadn’t met Pyetar’s new major before, but she trusted Vaneshta’s opinion.

Pepha just shrugged.

“You’ll get to know him,” Mezhimar offered.

She talked with them a while longer before checking in with Pyetar and Keeper Tomislar, making sure there was nothing important she should be doing. Everyone had mostly settled in and things were quiet. Some had headed to sleep. She should probably do the same, but there was a restless energy in her limbs.

With nothing else to do, she found herself sitting in the small watchtower on one end of the temple, a thick cloak around her and the darkening night sky above her. Ribbons of green and purple danced faintly beneath the stars, hard to see if one didn’t know where to look.

She felt those lights, faint and tentative. As if she wasn’t ready to take over the sky yet. Would she brighten and take her place as the night deepened? Or would clouds roll in to block her out?

There was so much coming between her Kleesolds and the 18th, and she was sure the other clans and brigades had the same issues. They had to work together, but putting aside their history wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Iryana clutched her cloak, fingers digging into the coarse wool as she leaned against the stone battlements.