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The Keeper nodded, still looking far away.

“It’s possible the settlement has heard something,” Iryana pointed out.

Pyetar immediately nodded, adding, “The brigade may have as well.”

Why did all this have to happen now, right before the winter snows made it hard to venture out?

“We need to get back,” Iryana said. There was now this ominous presence sitting on them, and it felt like if they lingered, the trap would spring.

“I’ll have everyone prepare to leave in the morning,” Pyetar said, looking to Iryana for her approval.

She nodded her agreement. It was time to go home.

Her eyes scanned over the soldiers and clan warriors, analyzing their body language. It still seemed like a vast improvement from the way out there. That moment of celebration after all the forgings were complete seemed to have lifted everyone’s moods, making them forget their distaste for each other. She was almost afraid to hope they wouldn’t remember it at all. The soldiers and guardians shared a lot more in common than they realized.

They were a couple of days into the hike back, and things were going smoothly. The groups were still divided as they set up camp at night and went about their duties collecting water, hunting, standing guard, but the constant bickering from before was gone.

Now they were just quiet. Perhaps a bit on edge.

Iryana watched Levek tense up ahead of her as Vaneshta came to walk beside him. She was holding some papers out to him, casually, as if it were something they did every day.

“You might have something like this, but your swordstaff forging made me think of the plays from this manual we have back at the fort. I tried sketching them out for you, in case that helps.”

Levek looked at the offered piece of parchment for a moment before carefully taking it. Iryana couldn’t see it from where she marched in the back, but Levek scanned over it closely.

“Thank you,” he said, sounding surprised and excited at the same time.

“If you find yourself at the fort, I can show you the manual,” Vaneshta offered before moving back ahead to her spot.

Thank you, Iryana mouthed when Vaneshta looked back at her. Vaneshta just nodded.

“My deck is missing.” She recognized Edvar’s voice from where he marched with the archers farther back.

Iryana sighed. Edvar would be hung up on that for weeks; he hated misplacing things.

“Did you take it?” he accused. “I saw you hanging around my bag this morning.”

Iryana looked over her shoulder at where Edvar stared at one of the soldiers, eyes narrowed.

“Why would I steal from you?” the soldier growled back. “We’re here to protect your people.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time a soldier took what they thought they were owed in return for that protection.”

Iryana sighed, trying to decide if she should cut in. It might make things worse if they didn’t solve it on their own.

“At least we do what we say we’re going to! We don’t abandon people!”

“My clan has never abandoned anyone!” Edvar’s voice was low and sharp.

Those around her kept glancing back too, but the front of the formation hadn’t seemed to have heard.

Come on, Edvar, she begged. Please make nice. Don’t make me scold you like a child.

“The duchess wouldn’t let us in. Neither would the other settlements. As if the queen’s last order had actually meant something.”

“Oh, boo-hoo,” Edvar growled. “Mommy wouldn’t let you in at night.”

“Edvar!” Iryana snapped.