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When the meeting started up again, Iryana sat back and let the others continue to argue. She waited for the right opening.

Tagahn, the Vyukovold First, frowned, looking around the table with an arrogant glint in his eyes. “I’m not interested. We don’t have enough to spare to waste on something we don’t really need.”

The brigade leaders, Pyetar especially, looked far past frustrated. Ready to walk out, perhaps.

This was the moment Iryana had been waiting for. She met Sorahn’s eyes, and he nodded at her.

“You lost your healer, didn’t you?” Iryana called to the First.

She saw it in his expression, the worry and surprise, before he smoothed it back out. “What’s your point?”

The Omisold Second was right. The Cavta Post couldn’t afford to take any risks, to weaken their clan even slightly. A guardian post without a healer was practically doomed. And they were clearly too proud to ask for help, to reveal that weakness. How Sorahn had discovered it, she had no idea.

“The Kleesold Clan has a forged healer, my sister Hadima. If she were to train one of your clan, assist with healing and providing remedies, how would you feel then?”

The Vyukovold First looked lost for words.

“Without the benefits of an agreement between us all, our clan wouldn’t have the supplies or time to spare our healer. But with it…” Iryana trailed off. She had him hooked; she could tell from the clear interest lighting his eyes. “Expanded trade between all the settlements, clans, and brigades here, concerted efforts to clear out the valleys… and my clan has ties to a local water well that with the 18th’s cooperation, we could bring a Vyukovold unforged to become a true forged healer.”

“We’d be more than happy to escort such a party,” Pyetar added. “For our allies.”

The First scowled. “I’m sure we’ll get by.”

“We’re all connected through the same string of valleys in these mountains,” she reminded him, touching on a point they had all avoided voicing. “If one of us falls, that would mean dakii coming up behind you. No great cliff to keep them away. How would you fare then?”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s the reality of the situation we’re in,” Iryana snapped.

Tagahn was quiet for a long moment, seeming to be doing battle with himself as he glared at the table. But eventually, he said, “Perhaps I can see the benefits of such an agreement after all.”

Relief poured over her.

“Then let us talk details.” Excitement warmed her voice.

Iryana met the eyes at the table around her and felt proud.

“We have to leave now if we want to be back in time,” Dinhal pointed out again as he finished strapping the sled dogs into their harnesses. “We need to take advantage of the light.”

There were only three days until the moonless night, three days until she would officially take her oaths as heir. While she felt more prepared for that than she had since she’d agreed to the position, there was one thing she needed to do first.

“Just a little longer won’t hurt.” Iryana looked back toward the castle’s main doors, begging them to open.

Their meetings had lasted late into the night, finalizing the agreements and plan of action, and they’d all stumbled into their beds exhausted. When Dinhal had woken her to head out before first light, she’d sent a message off to Pyetar’s rooms, hoping he would see her off.

Iryana couldn’t imagine leaving here without at least saying goodbye.

“Are you still with him?”

Iryana’s head snapped around. “What?”

He sighed, as if not happy he had to put it into words. “The general—Pyetar. I saw the way he looked at you after we took the fort. Heard what Karvek said. And with all the rumors… I doubt they came from nothing. I just wonder if it’s still a thing.”

Now her uncle chose to have a lot to say? Iryana swallowed.

“I get it,” he added. “But now that you’re Third… you can’t just let everyone keep whispering about it.”

“You fought beside Pyetar, I thought you respected him.” Of all her clan, she thought he would be the one to approve of him.