Page 5 of Because the Gods Left

Then Aunt Emadya launched into a full report of the kitchen’s supplies and scheduling, rambling as she tended to. Iryana fought the urge to cut her off, knowing it would aggravate her. But Iryana was impatient to share her own plans, for the meeting to be over.

Finally, it was Uncle Dinhal’s turn.

“I’ve been having Byorsh handle more of the training now that he is up and about, allowing me to take more watches,” Dinhal began, quickly and succinctly. Uncle Byorsh, Emadya’s husband, had been injured last spring by the dakii and still wasn’t fully recovered. Iryana was worried he would never be back to his full strength. “Between that and the extra volunteers from the settlement, the rotations are fuller these weeks.”

He passed over a paper detailing that schedule, and Iryana took it awkwardly and set it aside so she could review it with her grandmother later. Soon, the rotation schedule she’d been working on would be able to help. “Thank you.”

“It accounts for sending Edvar with your party to the metal well.” Everyone in the room smiled at that. Gaining access to that well had been the whole reason Iryana had left her clan to infiltrate the 18th last spring. The reason they had convinced the duchess to let their clan keep their post.

The Kleesold clan and the others along the border of the duchess’s settlement hadn’t had access to a metal well for a long time. Metal magic was the best weapon against the dakii that ravaged Istri, and without it, her clan was weaker. No one had been metal-forged in her clan since Uncle Dinhal, at least not until Iryana was belted as a soldier of the 18th and General Karvek had sent her to the well.

One of her cousins was now nineteen, ready to take his pilgrimage to the metal well. It filled Iryana with hope for their future. With the temple being so far and winter looming just around the corner, they wanted to finish the trip before traveling became too difficult.

“Will we be good to leave right after the conclave visit?” she asked, trying not to show how much she was dreading that meeting.

“Last I heard, the conclave will be here in a couple of days, so the timing should be good for you to leave once they’re gone.”

Iryana nodded, calming her nerves. The meeting was important. She just wasn’t ready to hear what the Elementi Conclave had to say about what she’d done to herself to defeat Karvek. To share the strangeness she’d seen when she’d peeled the clothes away from Karvek’s dead body and revealed his forging tattoos.

Double forged, but different from her.

Chapter Two

“Thank you, Uncle,” Iryana bit out quickly. “Is that all? Hadima?”

Hadima’s gracefully arched brows rose a bit, as if she could tell exactly what was going on in Iryana’s mind.

Iryana was reaching her limit. Her panic grew as countless worries engulfed her. Her throat tightened as if some unseen force had wrapped its hands around her neck and squeezed. The bruises there had barely healed from when Karvek had almost strangled her to death right before she’d killed him.

Iryana shook her head slightly, trying to focus on Hadima, who was already talking. Iryana had blue eyes but Hadima’s bright hazel eyes… they were just like their little sister Misha’s. Her little sister, who still seemed unable to forgive her. Things had been okay at first; it had felt like her sister was warming up to her. And then one day Misha just seemed to change her mind about wanting Iryana there.

Iryana looked at her hands, where she dug her nails into her palms to push those worries away. She could faintly hear Hadima discuss the state of her patients, of Uncle Byorsh’s recovery, of her supplies.

“And Third? Iryana?” Hadima’s voice forced her to look up and meet those eyes again. “The supplies you brought last week have been an enormous help. Thank you.”

The panic receded a bit. She had done something right. “Of course.”

Then they all stared at her expectantly. For her to either dismiss them or give her own report. Iryana swallowed, forcing her fears and worries somewhere they couldn’t distract her. She had been waiting for this chance.

“I received an update from the 18th,” she began, having to pause to clear her throat and reach for the letter on the desk. It was written in Pyetar’s simple and unadorned scrawl. “They’ve killed almost two dozen beasts this last week and burned three poppy fields.”

She looked between the other guardians. There was a mix of appreciation and unwanted relief—her family hated feeling grateful toward the 18th. Suddenly she was second-guessing her proposal. But she had to try—they had to try.

“I had proposed we look into organizing some joint missions. We have different strengths and weaknesses, and it would be good to start sharing some of that. There’s a lot our guardians could learn about fighting the dakii in the forests.” And to help them learn to get along. “General Pyetar already agreed to it.”

The others were quiet, faces scrunched up with distaste as they looked among themselves, as if to see who was going to talk first. Only Hadima seemed to truly consider it, her expression soft.

“Third…” Dinhal started hesitantly in that low voice of his. “I don’t know if the Kleesolds are ready for that. Interactions so far have… not been positive.”

Hadima spoke up, giving Iryana another moment to gather her thoughts. “It could be a good idea.”

“It’s a big risk,” Darsha objected, eyes haunted. “Things are bad out there and we don’t need to lose more clan. Besides, the brigade is supposed to defend the border. Why should we step in when we have enough on our plate? We’re already trying to patrol the Yuresh Valley.”

Aunt Emadya was already nodding. “I agree. I don’t think it’s the best idea.”

Iryana’s shoulders slumped. She’d at least hoped she could get half of them to agree, enough to push for an attempt. But the First hadn’t been convinced either and refused to force the issue without some support from the family.

“Fine,” she cut out, defeated.