Page 23

They marched a little farther through the trees, the sounds of the river growing ahead of them.

Then she could see them—the soldiers—in flashes through the pine trees. It was harder to see the mismatched armor she was so used to, given the thick coats over it, but their belts were wrapped around the coats to display their rank. Her eyes immediately found the red belt of a general.

Pyetar.

A childish burst of excitement squeezed her heart.

In truth, she could have picked him out without the belt. He was huge, corded with muscle beneath all those layers. Strength and the ability to fight had been his lifeline for so long, and his body showed it.

The soldiers stiffened as her group got closer, just as the steps behind her slowed, falling the slightest bit behind. She ignored them and pressed forward.

“General.” She pushed through the last pine branches that stretched between them.

When those pale blue eyes landed on hers, she watched the corners of his mouth soften slightly and surprise light his eyes.

“Third.” The deep and slightly rough voice sent a thrill through her.

Her grin grew as she turned to those Pyetar had brought along and greeted them. “Soldiers.”

One of the teams was mostly unfamiliar to her. Younger soldiers whose faces she recognized, but she didn’t know any of their names. The other was part of her old team: Vaneshta, Pepha, Mezhimar, and Lidishta. Shahn and Vabihn were the only two missing. Excitement furled through her. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed them.

She wanted to run up to them, but she didn’t want to leave her cousins or make their charges feel uncomfortable, so she just nodded and hoped they could see in her expression how happy she was to see them. And then she turned back to Pyetar.

Pyetar was ridiculously young to be a general. He was only a couple of years older than she was. But not only was he a Horvol, but he had earned the brigade soldiers’ respect and fear over the years. That was why he had been the only one their allies would accept as general.

She couldn’t stop herself from inspecting every inch of him. Not just to see how he fared, but because it comforted her to do so. She noted every detail.

Small tufts of his short, sandy brown hair stuck out from under his cap in a few places. His lightly tanned skin that would pale throughout the winter. A strong brow that hooded his eyes, which seemed alert and well-rested. The powerful lines of his jaw and cheekbones that contrasted with the softness of his full lips. He was every bit as handsome as ever.

He seemed to look her over just as closely.

Yes, she missed him. And the last time they’d been alone, Pyetar had persuaded her to try to make this thing between them work. Even though their people weren’t open to it yet. Iryana hadn’t needed much convincing. She’d so easily fallen apart in his hands, in the fantasy of that future. But she had more important things to focus on at the moment.

“This is Pyetar Horvol, General of the 18th,” Iryana said as she introduced him to her party. Edvar had met him before when they’d marched on the fort together, but Levek and those from the settlement hadn’t.

Edvar and Levek at least greeted him formally, with only the slightest hint of hesitation and suspicion in their gazes, but Iryana saw it. The soldiers Pyetar had brought seemed just as suspicious as she introduced her party. She let Pyetar introduce the soldiers. The team she didn’t know was led by a sergeant named Soshya.

Seeing most of her old team was a relief. She hoped it would help the mission because they liked her, so her family would grow on them more easily. In theory.

Vaneshta certainly seemed ready to take on the challenge. She stood at the ready, full attention on their party. She was somehow even more tough and serious looking than back when she’d been Iryana’s sergeant and roommate. She was all hard muscle and exacting expectations. On duty, Vaneshta was a complete hard-ass, though she took enjoying her off-duty hours seriously. She was a bit of a prodigy within the brigade, an incredible fighter who didn’t take shit from anyone.

Iryana noted that Vaneshta was now wearing the belt of a captain.

At her side, Lidishta was all charming smiles. She shared more in common with a fox than just her looks. Lidishta tended to look sweet and friendly, but she could be a vicious bitch when she wanted. Iryana had thought Lidishta hated her at first, until she’d turned on her own brother to help them take down Karvek, and now she was with Vaneshta. Anyone who loved her friend was okay with Iryana—or at least got a second chance.

The others seemed less enthusiastic. Mezhimar was as withdrawn and apprehensive as he’d been at her post’s gate, fiddling with his bowstring and waiting patiently to get moving. The willowy, dark-haired Pepha seemed the most nervous, but that wasn’t unusual for her around new people. She was extremely talented as a scout, but her constant hypervigilance helped in that regard. Regardless, Iryana looked forward to getting some time to catch up with them.

After all the necessary introductions, Iryana pulled Pyetar aside.

“Hey,” he breathed, standing so his back was to the rest of their party.

The side of her lips pitched up. “Hey.”

They stared at each other for a while, the words and urges they had to keep inside bloating the silence.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” he said finally.

“Disappointed? Were you looking forward to some time with my uncle?” she teased.