THE MEETING OF THE SURVIVING KARAINAS WAS NOT GOING WELL. At all. At first, Scarlett thought everyone was in an even worse mood because they still hadn’t eaten anything. That, besides the fact that everyone had lost someone they loved the day before, would be reason enough for the women to be at each other’s throats.However, a few minutes into the meeting, Scarlett was beginning to understand that not everything had been running smoothly even before the attack.A group of about fifteen Karainas was saying that they had been unhappy with Grina’s decision to keep them away from the fighting going on in the nearby kingdoms. That their influence had waned over the years because the High Chieftess refused to let them intervene until it was inevitable. And that that had given the Hova the confidence to strike the way they did the night before.The other women defended the High Chieftess’ decision, saying that she made that decision in our best

MimbiOn the other side of the Paran River, the remnants of the Hova army who had attacked the Karainas moved steadily towards the wall. Towards the rear of the marching soldiers, twelve iron cages filled with women and girls of all ages rolled steadily forward. One of them had carried a few men and boys, but they were the first ones the Hova drank from.The girls and women learned early on that crying, wailing, or yelling was not a good idea. It was up to the older ones to try to keep the younger ones silent, but it was an impossibly hard task with so many of the girls being so young. They were hungry, tired, and dirty, and all none of them understood exactly what was going on.The older ones had no idea where they were going, but they understood what was going to happen to them unless they were somehow rescued by their fellow Karainas. Some had lost all hope and merely clung to the iron bars that held them as prisoners.In the last cage following the re

Scarlett’s plan led her to the barracks, where the wounded were being taken care of by the surviving healers and herbalists. As soon as she entered the brick building, she was overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol.There weren’t enough cots or beds to hold all the women, so some were resting on makeshift mattresses made of hay. Most of the patients were sleeping. Others talked softly to their friends and relatives who sat near them, still comforting each other for their mutual losses.With a clearer vision of what she was going to do, the weight of the previous two days was finally starting to catch up with Scarlett. It was as if she had been dreaming up until now, to be awakened by the crude reality of everyone’s suffering.Some women had open gashes that seemed to have been quickly and sloppily sewed. Others had linen cloths wrapped practically all around their limbs. Some had suffered concussions and burns when the roofs of ceilings had collap

Scarlett’s felt like her skull had been torn open. She felt the pain before she opened her eyes, and she didn’t know where she was or what had happened. Her back was on something scratchy, and she no longer felt the weight of her swords tied to her belt.That miserable, dishonorable rat, she thought. Luca had betrayed her. If she had just listened to the annoying Hova, and she wouldn’t have let her guard down.When she opened her eyes, she realized she was in the corner of a room in the barracks, along with the wounded. What the hell happened after Luca attacked her from behind?She got up, and the abrupt movement made her dizzy.“You fell and hit your head,” said a plump woman who was changing bandages on someone’s burned leg. “Lie down and wait until your concussion has passed, else you’ll pass out again and I will not carry you back to your haystack.”Scarlett ignored her and rushed outside.

When Scarlett returned to Luca’s tent, it was well into the night. The stars had moved in the dark sky, and she calculated that there were only one or two hours left until dawn.The guards who patrolled the camp were dozing off, leaning against each other. That suited her perfectly.Before entering the tent, she felt slightly embarrassed. She had never been in such a small space with a man, least of all with someone like Luca. But she gathered her courage and she stepped inside.She wasn’t ready for what she saw.Scarlett had thought that Luca would be up, tying any loose strings about their plans or getting ready in some way. But he was half-naked and snoring on his cot. Had they really been planning to do something at dawn? Or were men just always like this?First, she set her swords and pack on the floor. It wouldn’t do to wake him up looking like she was ready to attack him again.Then she coughed, trying to catch his a