“Well, you know how it goes,” I say noncommittally.“Difficult labor.” He nods. “Of course. I should have realized.”The fading sunlight catches his eyes, making something I can’t quite name shine within. His smile twists slightly.“Father’s over-concern,” I say, trying to dim whatever that shine is
Xander“Flank left, flank left!”“They’re coming in from all sides!”“Goddess above, where are they coming from!”“Flank right, you ridiculous—”I wince and try to drown out the noise of mind-links flying back and forth. It’s hard to say how long ago the alarm went up now, but I know I’ve been stand
Vito preens like a cat presenting a caught mouse. “My sister married a Hajni foot soldier. Infuriated my father, but she writes to me sometimes of what is actually occurring on our borders.”“Third-hand information, then.”“But information all the same,” Vito insists. “She says the fighting came fro
FinnA couple of days, Kieran said when we left. We’ll be in Tansy Beach for a couple of days, maybe a week. Enough to get the soldiers settled, to make sure they actually tried peace like they promised, to be certain they have the military capabilities to not simply get our people killed. When I wa
Four days after that night, Father and I eat lunch on his balcony. He eats lunch, that is. I prod at a plate of reeking fish that I would have loved a week ago.“The other day, Corwyn said—” He straightens, gaze going hazy with a mind-link.Fighting in Drumtemple, a voice I don’t recognize pants. Th
XanderMy door slams shut behind me, and it’s far from enough. I want to lock it, bar it, drag furniture in front of it, but before I can do any of that, my stomach lunges up my throat.The washroom. Feet pound, heart pounds, mark screams. I land on my knees in front of the toilet and lose the kafi,