Page 21 of Because the Gods Left

Iryana had pushed to come on this trip, but now it worried her. It would take weeks to escort Levek and their unforged charges to the temple and wait for their forging. So much could change in that time. Something could happen with the soldiers at the fort, and she wouldn’t be there to handle it, to keep the hatred from growing. She could miss word from the conclave. Her magic could get worse. The dakii could flood the area, putting her clan at risk.

Suddenly, going felt like too great a risk. But it was too late to change her mind. She was going.

Iryana steadied herself and looked around for her sisters. She tried not to be disappointed when she saw only one.

Hadima rushed up to her, a cloak thrown over her dress and apron. Her cheeks were rosy from the chilly morning, which gave her face a healthy glow.

Iryana opened her mouth to greet her older sister, but that air was squeezed out of her. Hadima embraced her tightly, her face pressed against Iryana’s shoulder, the light brown braid around her crown pressing against Iryana’s jaw. It took her a moment, but Iryana clutched her back just as hard.

She felt guilty leaving her sisters.

“Stay safe,” Hadima ordered. “Be careful. And return quickly.”

“I will do my best. But… can you do me a favor?” Iryana asked.

Hadima nodded. “You know I’ll do anything I can to help.”

A hint of guilt twisted within her. Hadima would always help, even to her own detriment. But she needed to ask for this favor.

“If you can, try to keep pushing the mindset about the brigade in a… more positive direction.”

Hadima hesitated but nodded her agreement. While Iryana’s oldest sister was great at pacifying the family and mediating arguments, she hadn’t seemed very willing to go against the grain. Iryana worried for a moment that she’d asked too much of Hadima, but she pushed that feeling aside. Someone had to do it. And she might not always be there to play peacemaker.

Iryana was soon pulled into more embraces and well wishes, first from Aunt Emadya, then Kladara, and then Teshya. After Teshya released her, Tonhald quickly wrapped his arms around her. She let herself take comfort for a moment; her cousin had always been steady. A protective and reliable guardian.

“I trust your judgment, Third,” Tonhald said softly as he pulled back slightly. “But for my sanity, please still be careful around their general.”

She sighed, but she could see the sincerity in his pale blue eyes. It felt nice to let him worry about her. So, in an uncharacteristic move, Iryana reached up and tousled his blond hair, a small grin on her face.

“I’m always careful.” Then Iryana stepped away to let them say their goodbyes to Levek.

She looked into the faces of the Kleesolds who’d had time to send them off. Their worry was unmistakable. It would take time for the brigade to win a new reputation. Time for Pyetar to redeem himself in their eyes.

Iryana turned to the First, who had finished checking the others. She was bundled up, probably not tolerating the cold as well as she had when she was younger, with a fur-trimmed cap over her headscarf.

“Don’t forget what we discussed,” the First breathed.

“I won’t,” she promised. They’d talked for a long time about what the conclave had told Iryana. There was little to do other than abide by their suggestion to use her forgings as little as possible until they had better news.

She’d used them a good number of times since that second forging, and while the magic had gotten worse, the effect each time was small. Once she had been more levelheaded, she’d realized it wasn’t killing her that quickly. There was surely time.

“Grand Keeper Kresik has a forging that reads the air, and he said winter wasn’t too close,” the First shared, mouth tight. “But regardless, we have almost two moons before the meeting with the other clans and the brigades. The longer this pilgrimage takes, the more likely you are to be caught in a deep snow. Don’t risk it.”

The Falling Moon was the tenth month of the yearly cycle, and they planned to meet with the clans and brigades at the start of the twelfth and final moon of the year: the Frozen Moon.

“We’ll be quick,” Iryana promised. It was a risk to go on such a big trip so close to winter, and they wouldn’t have risked it were it not for the fire-imbued clothing Teshya had made. Somehow, she had finished the lining of a jacket for Iryana, and a set of underlayers that were tucked into her bag for when temperatures dropped.

The First clamped her hand around Iryana’s shoulder. “Don’t let what we learned from the conclave affect your choices for now. We move forward.”

Iryana nodded. “Of course.” Though she wasn’t sure she’d manage it.

The First pulled Iryana into a quick hug, and she returned it awkwardly. Iryana looked over to see if the others were ready.

“Take care of our little brother,” Kladara was ordering Edvar as she straightened his gear. “And stay vigilant.”

“I’m aware, Kladi,” Edvar groaned as if put out by her nagging, rolling his eyes.

His sister lightly smacked him on the ear.