“How is Rothas going to take this?” Jace wouldn’t put it past the man to ride out here to reclaim his daughter and exact his revenge on Elian and anyone else he deemed responsible. “What if he comes for you?”
Elanor shrugged, her voice matter-of-fact. “I’m sure he’ll be furious, but Mother and Uncle Charles won’t let him come.”
Jace rubbed his forehead. “And what about Mother?” He hated the thought of her alone with only Rothas and James. She would have no allies and no one to turn to on hard days.
At this, Elanor’s eyes dropped, and she lost a little of her enthusiasm. “She insisted she’ll be all right, and Uncle Charles promised to look after her.”
Jace shared another look with Elian. Hard as it was, they would both have to trust them. It was clearly what Jace’s mother wanted. Finally satisfied, he nodded. As long as he had his sister here, he would try not to worry about the circumstances.
Anne took over then, introducing everyone Elanor and Elian had not met personally. When they came to Kyrin and Kaden, Elanor’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re the Altair twins.”
Kyrin smiled. “Yes.”
“I’m very pleased to meet you. Father receives a lot of news from Valcré, so I’ve heard about you. I’d love to talk and hear more.”
“I’d like that,” Kyrin replied.
It looked like Jace would get his wish after all.
They came last to Trask, who welcomed them kindly. Once greetings concluded, Anne said, “I have a bit of news for you. Goler stopped by yesterday.”
Trask’s nose wrinkled. “And?”
“He wanted to let me know that he and most of his men are leaving for Fort Rivor. He said it was for training but, considering our information, I’m more willing to believe he’s headed to Samara with the rest of the army.”
“Probably.” Trask quirked a brow. “Maybe he won’t come back.”
Anne gave him a scolding look until he didn’t appear so pleased with the thought.
“All right, maybe I shouldn’t be thinking such things. I’m not going to lie, though. It would make things a lot easier around here. At least he wouldn’t be showing up in Marlton all the time.”
Jace had to agree, especially with Elanor staying there now. Would the captain find it suspicious?
Anne smiled in amusement at Trask and wrapped her hand around his arm. “Don’t worry; I can handle it. Now, why don’t you show me the meeting hall? Looks like you’ve made a lot of progress.”
As the two of them walked off, the rest of the group exchanged a few kind words with Elanor and Elian before leaving Jace alone with them. He stood for a moment, not quite certain what to say. When had he ever entertained guests?
Before the silence could drag into awkwardness, Elanor noticed Tyra.
“Who is this?” she asked in genuine interest.
Jace reached down to rub the wolf’s head. “Tyra.”
“Hello, Tyra.”
At her name, the wolf wagged her tail and approached. Elanor bent down, rubbing her ears.
“She’s beautiful.” Obviously, she didn’t share most of society’s belief that black wolves were evil. She looked up at Jace. “Where did you get her?”
“I found her as a pup. She’d been shot.” He stepped closer, ruffling the fur around Tyra’s neck. He and his wolf had survived their share of perilous scrapes.
“Poor girl,” Elanor murmured. Then she straightened and looked around camp. “So this is your home?”
“I’ve been here for almost a year now.” But even after all those months, ‘home’ still didn’t fit it. “Do you want to look around?”
“We’d love to,” Elanor said, and Elian nodded his agreement.
Jace guided them through camp, explaining about the refugees and villagers they had rescued from Goler. Along the way, they met Marcus and Liam. Jace introduced them, and they talked for a bit before moving on.
A short while later they came to the dragons, and Jace introduced Gem. Elanor was especially delighted, never having seen a dragon before. As they admired her, chuckling at her chirps and warbles, Kyrin joined them. She and Elanor soon struck up a conversation and moved off toward the cabins, where Kyrin wanted to introduce her mother, Lenae, and Meredith.
Jace and Elian followed slowly behind.
“Lady Anne told us why you visited Ashwood,” Elian said. “I figured Rothas must be planning something with all the letters he received from the emperor. What will you do with the information?”
“Warn the king of Samara,” Jace replied. “Trask plans to leave as soon as one of our spies returns, probably in a day or two. We’re all going with him, and Marcus will lead the militia there to help fight.”
Elian nodded slowly. “If I hadn’t promised your mother I’d watch over Elanor, I’d go with you.”
Jace could see the desire in his eyes. “It’s good you’ll be here.” He hesitated, pausing to face him. “I’m not sure how many of us will make it back.”
Kyrin walked through the lengthening shadows in camp that evening, replaying the day in her mind. She had very much enjoyed her time with Elanor. She was kind, genuine, and lots of fun, not to mention the first young woman Kyrin’s age that she felt could be a close friend. Yet, beyond that, she especially enjoyed how Jace was with Elanor and Elian. It brought out his soft, more vulnerable side, and he had smiled more than she’d seen in days.
However, as good as it was to see, it was equally hard to witness his reaction to their leaving for the night. He became a shell again, containing pain and loss and little else.
“Oh, Elôm,” she whispered. “Please, guide him through this and give him peace, somehow. He may not know if You are there to help him, but I do.”
She sighed. It used to be that she could bring him out of his shell and make him smile, but it didn’t seem to work anymore. Instead, he seemed to pull away. Why, when they talked lately, was it as if he would suddenly close himself off to her, as if closing off all feeling? She had worked so hard to get him to open up to her and trust her with whatever deep emotions he experienced. Was she losing that?
She shook her head. Jace would figure this out, and she would always be right there to help. She had to believe things would be all right and not focus on painful possibilities. Instead, she set her mind on her task. Supper was about ready, and she needed to round up her brothers. Their mother wanted them to have a family meal together, since half of them would soon leave. Kyrin didn’t want to think of it as one of their last meals. She just wanted to enjoy being together, and that meant not thinking about Jace for now.
Easier said than done.
Out near the edge of camp, Kyrin spotted Kaden. He sat on a large rock, staring into the forest. Kyrin frowned. This wasn’t like her brother at all, especially not around suppertime. She changed course, all her concern for Jace momentarily shifting to her twin.
“Kaden?”
When he looked at her, his eyes glinted with excess moisture. He blinked quickly and cleared his throat. “Hey.”
Kyrin sat down beside him. “Are you all right?”
Kaden nodded, though his voice was a bit lower than usual. “I’m fine.” He stared at his hands. “I was just thinking about Father… I wish he were here.”
Mention of their father always made it difficult to breathe. Kyrin fought against the tightness that locked around her chest and murmured, “Me too.”
A sad little smile came to Kaden’s face. “I wonder what he’d think of all this. About me becoming captain of the riders.”
“Oh, he’d be very proud,” Kyrin said with absolute certainty. She had never known anyone to support them the way he did. To see how far they had all come would have delighted him.
“Probably not what he would have expected. It’s not what I expected. I was always the rebellious one.” Kaden let out a long sigh, and any hint of a smile faded into seriousness. “Honestly, I don’t know if I’m the right one to do this.”
Kyrin wasn’t surprised he felt this way. She would feel like that too, but she reminded him, “Talas and Trask think you are.”
He hung his head. “I’ve not always done the right thing in tough situations. I’ve let my temper and emotions get the best of me. Those don’t seem like very good qualities for a leader. I’m not coolheaded like Marcus, and this isn’t just training exercises. This is war. Men’s lives are at stake.” He looked at her, his eyes seeking. “You know me better than anyone. What do you think?”
Kyrin considered for a moment, but did not take long to answer. “I think knowing your weaknesses is a good first step in being a leader. You’re not perfect, but neither are the rest of us. Talas and Trask wouldn’t have chosen you if they didn’t see qualities they desired in leading the riders. As for me, I know you can do it. It may take some work, but a willingness to learn is another mark of a good leader.”
Kaden gave her a grateful smile, but some of the moisture had returned to his eyes. “That’s why I wish Father were here, so he could teach me all that.”
Kyrin swallowed hard. “I know… but there is still someone who can teach you.” She held his gaze. “Marcus would be glad to.”
Kaden didn’t respond for a long moment. Going to Marcus for help and advice would not be easy for him.
Finally, he cleared his throat and nodded slowly. “Maybe I can talk to him tomorrow.”
At dawn, camp bustled with the activity of a new day of preparation. The men didn’t linger over breakfast to chat. There was too much work to be done. Kaden swallowed down his eggs and coffee without much thought, which was unusual, but food wasn’t his priority this morning. Today he had to make sure his riders were ready for combat.
His riders.
He shook his head. He wouldn’t get used to that any time soon. After all, hadn’t he done almost everything possible back in Tarvin Hall to avoid promotion to this sort of position?
Still, he took it seriously—more seriously than he had taken anything else in his life besides looking out for Kyrin. And, all discomfort aside, he was determined to do it right and prove himself worthy of Talas and Trask’s confidence, if only to himself.
When Marcus finished his breakfast and walked off with Liam, Kaden gulped down his last swallow of coffee. He followed, but his feet dragged. Why did it have to be so hard to ask his brother for advice? It wasn’t that he disliked his brother, but there’d always been friction between them. Marcus always seemed to think he knew best, and most of the time he did. It was aggravating. If Kaden was honest, though, Marcus probably wasn’t responsible for most of the friction. Kaden was the argumentative one.
“Marcus.”
His older brother turned. “Yes?”
Kaden hesitated. Kyrin was right. Marcus would be happy to answer his questions and help him out, and he wouldn’t be smug about it either. He was a better man than that. Though he’d never admit it, Kaden envied him, deep down—envied the calm, levelheaded way his brother dealt with any situation thrown at him. He never let his emotions get the best of him, and if he had any of the Veshiron temper, Kaden had yet to see it. He was like their father that way. Maybe that’s why this was so hard. Kaden didn’t measure up to their father quite the way his brother did.
Trying to shrug off these uncomfortable thoughts, he cleared his throat. “Can we talk a minute?”
Marcus’s brows rose just a fraction. “Sure.” He looked over at Liam. “Get the men started on drills.”
Liam glanced between the two of them, as if debating whether he should stay and act as a buffer, but then walked on to where the militia had gathered. Kaden watched him. On the topic of envy, it would be nice to have his next older brother’s good nature right now. He got along well with all five of his siblings.
Kaden shifted his gaze back to Marcus, who waited patiently for him to speak. Though Kaden had three inches on him, his brother’s steady confidence could be intimidating.
He breathed out. “Listen, you probably don’t have time for this, but . . .” How did he put this without sounding entirely incompetent? “I could use a few tips on being a captain.”
Marcus’s brows rose higher, but as Kaden expected, there was no smugness or gloating, only genuine eagerness to help. “What do you want to know?”
How about everything? Kaden winced at his total lack of experience. Maybe he should have paid more attention in Tarvin Hall. “Well, I’m used to training them, but I’ve never really given them orders or had to lead them in any way.”
“You’ve got a good start, especially since you’ve trained them from the beginning and you all know each other well,” Marcus said. “The leading and the orders will probably come more naturally than you think, once you’ve had a little practice. The key is to lead by example. If they can see by your actions that you’re a man worthy of their honor and respect, they’ll be willing to follow you anywhere.”
Kaden let out a slow breath. It was a tall order. What if he did something stupid in the heat of the moment and got them all killed?
Marcus must have sensed his uncertainty, as hard as he tried to hide it.
“Kaden, I already know you’re that man. You just need the opportunity to prove it to them.”
Kaden stared at his brother. Such praise meant more than he could say. “Thanks.”
Marcus smiled. “Don’t worry. You can do it. I saw the way the men responded when Trask gave them the news. They believe in you.”
Marcus had worked with enough men over the years that Kaden couldn’t doubt his words.
“If you have time,” his brother said, “you can stick around for some of the practice drills and get a feel for giving commands. It won’t be quite the same as flying, but it might help.”
Kaden nodded, finally breaking into a smile himself. “I think I will.”
Kyrin rushed outside to the meeting hall. Word of Leetra’s return had spread quickly through camp, and she didn’t want to miss anything. She met Timothy and Aaron along the way and smiled at them, but turned serious when they joined the gathering inside. Leetra stood in the center of the group, her hands on her hips as she took note of each of them. As soon as the necessary members were present, she shared her news.
“I was able to get close enough on foot to get a good look at Fort Rivor. Daican is definitely gathering his forces. Several companies of men showed up from the south and east while I was watching. I’d say there were almost twice as many men as when I flew over the area last winter. Looks like an invasion army to me.”
Trask nodded gravely. “That confirms our information. It’s an invasion army.” After filling her in on the information they had gained in Ashwood, he asked, “Did it look as though they were preparing to leave?”
“Not immediately, but I can’t imagine they’d need more men to invade Samara. There were thousands of them.”
“The fact that they’re still gathering does work in our favor. It gives us time to reach Samara before they do, and help the king prepare.” Trask looked around at the group. “Whatever else you need to finish, do it today. We leave in the morning.”
The men nodded, and marched out of the hall with a mission. Kyrin followed more slowly and stopped just outside. She watched her brothers head off in various directions—Marcus and Liam toward the gathering militia, and Kaden with Talas on their way to the dragons. She then looked about camp. Ronny and Meredith played some sort of game nearby. Michael was hurrying after Marcus, always around to watch the men practice.
A sigh seeped past her lips as a sudden wave of heaviness descended. She started when someone touched her shoulder, and looked over to see Rayad.
“Is something troubling you?” he asked, his eyes full of compassion.
“I was just thinking that nothing will be the same after this, will it?” She shook her head. “War can’t leave things unchanged.”
“No,” Rayad murmured, “it can’t.”
Kyrin breathed hard. For days she had fought to avoid thoughts like this, but
she would have to face it eventually. “Whatever happens, I’ll probably make it back here, but will my brothers?” Her voice choked up. “Will Jace? Will you?”
Moisture flooded her eyes, building up on the rims, but she somehow kept the tears from falling. She tried to clear her voice. “I don’t know if I can take any more loss.”
She was afraid… no, terrified. That’s what it came down to. Her father’s death had so utterly crushed her heart that it wasn’t even close to fully healing yet. How could it withstand being crushed again?
Rayad put his arm around her shoulders. She gave him a shaky, watery-eyed smile for the gesture of comfort. He was about as close to a father as she had left.
“These are hard and uncertain times we’re living in,” he said. “You never know what will still be here tomorrow. That’s why we must take joy every day in what we do have, so it’s something we can carry in our memories when things change.”
Kyrin nodded. She knew all about carrying memories.
“I wish I could say everything will be all right,” he continued, “but there will be times it won’t seem like it. I just know, in the end, it will be. We just have to trust Elôm to get us from here to there.”
“And He will,” Kyrin said, her confidence returning.
Rayad smiled. “Yes, He will.”
That evening, Kyrin and her family gathered at the table for supper, where Marcus led them in prayer. Though still new and growing in his faith, he had slipped into the role as head of the family as easily as his other leadership roles. Kyrin was glad of it. They had all needed that strength in the last months.
Passing around the food, unusual silence settled. Everyone must have had thoughts of the morning’s departure, but didn’t want to bring it up. Kyrin held onto the things Rayad had told her, but it was hard to keep her emotions from escalating.
Michael finally broke the silence. “I want to go with you.”