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It was a punch in the chest, a slip of his feet on wet shale.

“How?” Eavus scrambled for purchase. “How would they even know?”

“Part of their offer is a place and a time to meet. You must tell Aleteria so that they appear.”

“You presume my superiors want a treaty.”

“I do not care what they want or not. I only want to find my people. This way, we both get what we want—you get a willing travel companion.” She almost smiled at his phrase. “I get a guarantee I am taken to someone in charge.”

She’d trapped him. By just how much, she clearly didn’t know—Berae clearly didn’t know, because she was smiling regally as if Revni was still serving her role—but it made everything that much harder. He’d never demanded an audience in his life. The very thought made him feel like he’d swallowed slugs. Oh yes, sir, in addition to all these other fantastical exceptions I’m asking you to make regarding my absence and possession of a stolen weapon, I’d also like to negotiate diplomacy was not a conversation that would go well. It wasn’t even a sentence he could be sure he could say.

The door slammed open—just lashed branches, but Eavus now understood why these huts looked so slapdash. They weren’t intended to last more than a few seasons—and the now-familiar earthen smell hit Eavus before the woman’s words. Now this was what he expected from a Dinaeii: covered in mud, that sloppy primitive clothing. She jabbered something to Berae. In Dinaeii, Eavus realized. Which was not the language Revni had been speaking. He narrowed his eyes.

Berae gave instructions; the woman protested. Revni jumped into the argument, rose to her feet. There were multiple languages flying—Berae now translating for Revni; yet again, Revni had lied—and Eavus bounced between the three women, trying to grab onto anything he recognized.

He knew that word. Caerdeneii.

“What’s going on?”

“The Caerdeneii have been spotted in the forest. The Dinaeii led them away yesterday, but today they are back. Normally, the Dinaeii would have left—moved on to another camp. But they stayed because of you. Now, we are all in danger.”

“Why would they stay because of me?”

“You were injured. They are trying to prove they are allies. And they needed you awake to tell their message.” Her eyes flicked to his. “I don’t think they completely trust me.”

Eavus was surprised at the curve of her lip, even more surprised at the twitch of his own when their eyes locked. But she went on.

“I think it was stupid, but I also think that if they abandon us now, you and I are alone in these woods with Caerdeneii after us, so it is good that they have stayed.”

Eavus couldn’t think straight. It was too much, all at once.

“Why didn’t you run when you had the chance?” It probably wasn’t the most important question right now, but he couldn’t get it out of his head.

“Because of what Berae said when I brought you here.”

“What did she say?” An unexpected, curious warmth flowed through him.

“That she did not know where Colcium was. But that you might.”

Eavus felt instantly deflated. What had he been hoping?

“So? Do you know the city?”

“I’ve heard of it.” Eavus flexed his jaw. “I haven’t been, but there was a road they were building—the Rapon Road.”

He turned to the two Dinaeii women.

“Do you know The Braided River?” He’d given the name in Aleterian. How did you say “braid” in Northern? He pointed to Revni’s intricate hairstyle. “Like these. Line over line, then together, then apart.” He stacked his hands, separated. “Do you know it?”

Revni knew the word he meant. Berae didn’t know the river, but the other woman’s face brightened, and between several Dinaeii interjections and lots of rough translation, a map slowly took shape in Eavus’ brain. The trickiest bit would be when they left the river and crossed southeast—if he was wrong about where the road was, they’d be lost yet again. Frankly, the trickiest bit was also finding the Braided River after these patchwork conversations. And also trying not to get killed by Caerdeneii—or anyone else—along the way. And also—food, shelter, all those other things that were essential to survival.

Survival. Another thought swam to the surface, a gasp of fresh air in all this turmoil.

If Colcium had a regiment, Colcium would have a paymaster. They could send for records. Eavus didn’t just need his last cara propita, he needed money. But if he was right, if he delivered Revni and was rewarded for it⁠—

Could this be it? The only thing standing between him and buying his freedom a few days of travel and keeping one lone girl in the dark? They might not even need to go all the way there. He’d likely find soldiers on any stretch of the Rapon Road, if he didn’t find them building bridges on the Braided River first.

Revni might have thought she had the upper hand, but put a centurion in front of her face, and Eavus had bets on how quickly she’d cave.