Winter Queen(42)

“What of the steward?” Ilyenna asked.

Ressa blew out. “He’s in Deliaholm, so it will take him a few days to arrive.”

Her hand in Varris’s, Ilyenna left Cardenholm. With every step, she was aware of the growing distance between herself and those she loved. But she couldn’t bring herself to cry. Tears were for the living, not for one marked by the dead.

The group paused at midday to rest and water the oxen. A woman brought Ilyenna and Varris some dried fish and biscuits. They ate beside the river before moving on with the others. Just before dusk, the group stopped for the night. After the woman gave Ilyenna and Varris some food, she showed them to a wagon they could sleep under.

To Ilyenna’s surprise, Darrien seemed to be keeping his promise. She didn’t see him that night and only caught a few glimpses of him the next day. Just before going to bed on the third night, she saw him laughing with a Tyran girl. He glanced at Ilyenna before quickly turning back to the girl. Ilyenna thought she’d caught a glimpse of what her marriage would be like, women constantly shifting in and out of Darrien’s arms. That was fine with Ilyenna. As long as he was with them, he wouldn’t be with her.

It took nearly a week to reach Tyranholm. Ilyenna was footsore and tired, but in better shape than she’d dared hope for. Breaking into a run as they entered the village, she searched for Narium. But the older clan mistress saw her first.

With a shout, she abandoned her work in the fields and ran toward Ilyenna. “Rone? Where’s my son?”

“He’s recovering,” Ilyenna shouted back.

Narium gripped her in a fierce hug. “Recovering from what?”

Ilyenna looked away. “The Council sided against the Tyrans.” Other Argon and Shyle women were arriving. Ilyenna noted how much better they looked since Darrien hadn’t been around to beat them. If she wasn’t mistaken, most had even put on some weight. Ilyenna didn’t doubt Metha had something to do with that.

But something was wrong. She counted again. Three women were missing. “Where are Jossa, Wenly, and Kanni?”

None of the women would meet her gaze. Ilyenna turned to Narium.

The woman shook her head. “Kanni died from a fever from her whipping. Wenly replaced you in the clan house. Her skirts caught fire, and she died the next day.”

“And Jossa?” Ilyenna’s voice felt far away.

Narium folded her hands across her middle. “She made a run for it. She never came back.”

Jossa had been the one to bring Ilyenna the washing at the river the day she ran away. She felt a tremor of pain inside her, but it couldn’t gain purchase within her shattered soul. “She might have made it.”

Larina shook her head. “I overhead the Tryans talking about it. They caught her.”

Ilyenna didn’t need to ask why they didn’t bring her back. She waited for the pain to assault her, but felt only a hollow emptiness. Three women had died. Ilyenna had saved three others. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Three were slated for death, so when Ilyenna saved them, the Balance had simply taken three others.

She closed her eyes. She should have known something like this would happen. After all, it had happened before, when she’d gone to the dead asking for her father and brother to be spared.

“You’re all free.” She meant to shout it, but it came out as a whisper.

The women sagged in relief. Some of them hugged each other. A few Argon women lifted their skirts and ran to tell the men.

Narium didn’t seem relieved in the least. “What’s Rone recovering from?”

Forcing herself to meet Narium’s gaze, Ilyenna took a deep breath. “Father and Rone demanded a fight to the death. Father killed Undon. Darrien bested Rone but spared his life. He was recovering when last I saw him.”

“Why would Darrien spare my son? He’s been plotting his death for months.”

Ilyenna winced. “I . . . traded.”

“Traded what?”

“My life for his.”

Narium’s eyes went wide. “You came back to this, for Rone?”

Ilyenna didn’t answer.

Narium stared at her for the longest time. “Such devotion can’t go unrewarded. The Argons will be ever in your debt. I will ever be in your debt. It is a debt we will repay with your freedom.”

Ilyenna could see where Rone got his fierce determination. “No,” she said softly. “I’m afraid Undon and Darrien’s treachery went deeper than simply against the Shyle and Argon clans. He’s in league with the Raiders. Raiders who will be coming over the Shyle Pass.”

Narium pursed her lips. “The Council—”

“Didn’t believe me.” Ilyenna’s cheeks burned in shame. “Because Darrien claimed I was seeking revenge after he violated me. That the Raiders staged the attack on the Tyrans, that it was their doing all along.”

“After all he’s done, they believed him over you?”

Ilyenna shrugged. “He was very convincing.”

“Narium!”

Ilyenna started at the sound of Darrien’s voice. He galloped his horse toward them. He jerked the animal to a halt, then jumped down and faced Narium. “Clan Mistress Narium, Burdin has ordered you home as fast as possible to raise what’s left of your clanmen. You’re to send them to Shyle Pass.” Darrien bent low and said mockingly, “You have my apologies at the death of your husband. It was all such a tragic misunderstanding.”

Narium balled her hands into fists. “This isn’t over.”

Excitement flashed in Darrien’s eyes. “Give my regards to your son. If he’s still alive, that is.”

Narium took a threatening step forward. “You would have done well to remember the difference between an enemy and an ally. Now it’s too late.”

He rested his hand on his axe hilt. “There is no difference.”

Narium’s gaze shifted to Ilyenna. She could see promises in the Argon clan mistresses’s eyes—promises Ilyenna knew she was in no position to keep.

Without another word, Narium turned and walked away. Varris stepped closer and squeezed Ilyenna’s hand reassuringly.

“Where are we to stay?” Ilyenna asked.

“In the women’s house,” Darrien said. He grabbed Ilyenna around the waist and kissed her hard.

Trying to imagine herself somewhere far away, Ilyenna let him.

He pulled away with a look of triumph. “Tradition,” he scoffed with a glare at Varris, “dictates we have a wedding. I’ll come for you tonight.”

Ilyenna watched him go. Wagons full of goods were being unpacked and repacked as preparations were made for war. Several recently freed tiams from the Shyle and Argon clans were gathering their things to leave.

Ilyenna stood motionless in the center of it all—certain that she was drowning all over again.

Tonight, she would marry her enemy.





24. Summer’s Gift



Ilyenna lay on the only bed in the women’s house, staring at the tiny beams of light coming through the holes in the roof. She held one beam in her hand. It left a tiny pocket of warmth on her palm.

“We just can’t leave her! You know what he’ll do,” Larina argued with the other women.

Ilyenna grunted softly. “As if you can stop him.”

“She’s your clan mistress,” Varris said hesitantly. “If she wants you to go, you should obey.”

“She won’t be my clan mistress much longer!” Larina blurted before clapping her hand over her mouth. “Oh, Ilyenna, I’m sorry.”

Ilyenna held back a smile. While she’d been away, Larina had taken it upon herself to become the Shyle clanwomen’s leader. It was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. But if Larina wanted to be a leader, it was time she learned some of the harder lessons. “Larina, you know the saying ‘Sometimes you have to lose a sheep in order to save the flock.’”

Throwing her hands in the air, Larina started pacing again. “You’re not a sheep!”

The other Shyle women watched her nervously. Ilyenna knew how desperately they wanted to run, how much they feared Darrien would change his mind and stop them. But they stayed. Partly, she guessed, out of loyalty, and partly out of guilt over leaving her behind.

With a sigh, Ilyenna released the little ray of light. She stood and gripped Larina’s shoulders, halting her pacing. “Don’t you understand? Raiders are coming over Shyle Pass. You have to warn our clan. You have to make sure your families are safe. Larina, if you’re going to be a leader, you must learn to put the clan ahead of the clanwoman.”

Wasn’t that what High Chief Burdin did? a little voice inside her nagged. What they’d all done? By the Balance, it was hard to be the one thrown to the wolves.

Ilyenna looked at each of the women in turn before her gaze settled back on Larina. “You have to help Bratton. He’ll be alone.” Larina had loved Ilyenna’s brother for years. Ilyenna had never approved, but if it got Larina out, all the better.

With a wistful look on her face, Larina gazed out the door, toward home. “But how can we leave you here with him?”

Remembering something her brother had said, Ilyenna released her. “Let the dead take care of themselves. You must concentrate on the living.”

Larina gaped at her. “You’re not dead!”