Terindi remained at camp with them late into the afternoon. By the end of it Talea could tell that Terindi would settle nicely into the group, and make a pleasant addition. Everyone liked her and she had become more relaxed with them as time went on.
Unfortunately, Jasib was not similarly softened over the course of the day. When Talea, Yhkon, and Ahjul brought Terindi home, they were given a curt nod and a closed door. Yhkon had glared at the door irritably enough to wither a forest.
~♦~
Yhkon’s fists were clenched at his sides. “There isn’t time for this useless bickering. Kaydor is actively seeking out San Quawr, even in villages, to capture them and probably kill them. You’re not safe here.”
Talea wondered if Jasib Vegn was that hard headed and stubborn, or if he genuinely didn’t believe them, or if he just didn’t want to let Terindi go. Because here he was, still frowning, still shaking his head. “How do I know we’ll be any safer with you?”
Yhkon looked to be somewhere between utter astonishment and an explosion. By the way his usually golden, Sanonyan complexion was turning to crimson, he was teetering dangerously close to the explosion. Talea touched his arm soothingly before it could take place, and faced Terindi. “Terindi?”
Terindi’s small, pale eyes widened. Clearly she understood Talea’s silent question: what did she think and want? Would she choose to join them? Did she trust them?
She could imagine—as well as see in his expression—Jasib’s indignation at her for bypassing him to ask his daughter instead.
But Terindi didn’t defer back to him, like Talea worried she might. She straightened her slouched shoulders and answered quietly. “I think you’re telling the truth. I think…” at this, she sent a nervous glance her father’s way, “I think I’d like to join you.”
Talea could have sworn Yhkon gave Jasib a smug look, nigh on a sneer.
It was Jasib’s turn to redden with anger. After seeming unable to speak, he just went to the door and gestured them out.
They obeyed the gesture, Ahjul with a meek smile at the rest of the Vegn family, Yhkon with a glower. Outside and back at their celiths, he released his breath in a snarl. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone as hard headed as Jasib Vegn.”
If Tarol were around, Talea was pretty sure he would have smirked and said something along the lines of, “Except for yourself, of course.” Since Tarol wasn’t there, it wasn’t said. Ahjul probably didn’t think of Yhkon as hard headed, and Talea knew better than to point it out and risk irritating him further.
The ride back to camp was a quiet one. What now? What more could they possibly say to win Jasib over? Or…would they resort to force, if he refused to be persuaded? They couldn’t just give up and leave without Terindi. Talea knew that. But she didn’t feel as though they could tear her from her family and whisk her off, either.
In any case, they couldn’t remain camped outside of Luriville forever, waiting for Jasib to give in. A San Quawr scout had arrived the day before with news that the Eradication really was sweeping the region, and that there appeared to be a force of Kaydorians approaching Luriville. Yhkon had relayed the information to Jasib, expecting him to be more easily persuaded under the looming threat of the Eradication...while Terindi and her mother Adashi were swayed, Jasib was not.
Back at camp, Yhkon took care of Eclipse before seeking out Grrake. Talea could hear their lowered voices. Not the words, but the tones—Yhkon impatient and hostile, Grrake trying to calm him.
“What now, do you think?” She shadowed Ahjul as he fetched a bristle brush from his pack to groom his celith.
“I’m not sure,” he was wearing one of his infrequent frowns, “but we have to convince them, we can’t leave without her, nor can we stay much longer. Narone will provide a way. I guess we just have to wait for that.”
The only times Ahjul ever annoyed her was when he made references to Narone, in his innocent, trusting way. Yet this time, it didn’t bother her. It was admirable, really; his sincere and unwavering faith. Like Grrake’s. Sure, they didn’t have the logic, reasoning, or the discernment that Yhkon did, which was also admirable. But she was beginning to think that perhaps what Grrake and Ahjul had was preferable between the two.
Yhkon joined the group somewhat mollified by whatever Grrake had said, if only to a grumpy demeanor instead of an angry one.
The rest of the day passed as usual: training, lounging about with nothing to do, a few chores. The discussion arose at supper of what to do next, in regard to the Vegns. The only conclusion the Wardens came to was to sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
Tomorrow came, and made the decision for them.
“Mr. Yhkon! Mr. Yhkon!”
The high-pitched voice of a young boy startled all of them in the middle of their morning workouts. A boy with the distinguishing Canadise features came running into their campsite, face red with exertion and eyes bulging. It was one of Terindi’s siblings, nine-year-old Avten.
Yhkon was on his knee in front of the boy in an instant. “What is it?”
“Kaydorian knights,” he panted out, wiping his perspiring forehead. “I saw them while I was on a walk and I ran home and Mother said to get to you and—”
Yhkon briefly put a hand on Avten’s shoulder. “You did fine.” Standing up, he raised his voice. “Grrake, Ahjul, Gustor, you’re with me. Talea and Wylan too. Tarol, Larak, Resh, you and the twins pack up the camp and catch up to us in Luriville. Haeric, you ride to the station and tell them we’ll be needing Elikwai. Let’s go!”
In a blur of activity, the designated group mounted up, Avten riding with Ahjul. Talea had barely settled into the saddle when Yhkon kicked Eclipse into a canter. “Talea, Wylan,” he shouted above the rumble of their celiths’ hooves, “no lightning unless I say otherwise! We’ll take care of the knights, your job is to protect Terindi’s family.”
Um, right. She took a deep breath, wishing it would slow her rapidly increasing heart rate. How are we supposed to do that without lightning?
They reached the Vegns’ home just as ten knights did.
Yhkon practically shoved her out of the saddle, already charging Eclipse toward the soldiers, with his sword brandished. Grabbing Avten’s hand, Talea darted with him into the haliop, nearly running into Terindi and Adashi as they came to the door. Wylan was on her heels, locking the door behind them.
Adashi pulled Avten into her arms and held him, crying. She was whispering something, over and over. Instinctively Talea moved forward to hear. “Not again, not again, not again…”
Had she experienced the Eradication before?
There was a pounding on the door, and the knob rattled. Adashi gasped and cowered away from it, bringing her younger children with her. Terindi remained with Wylan and Talea, as they faced the door, waiting…the rattling stopped, there was a grunt, a thud, a gargled yell. Through the window, Talea could see the Wardens with only three more opponents to go. No, now only two. “It’s alright.” She turned to Adashi, after seeing Yhkon cut down the final knight. “The Wardens won.”
On cue, the door rattled again. “It’s me,” came Yhkon’s voice.
Talea unlocked it, letting him in. His bloodied sword was still in his hand, but otherwise, he appeared unharmed, not even winded. After glancing at the Vegns that were present as if to satisfy himself that they were fine, he stepped back out. Talea followed, as did Wylan, and shortly Terindi. “Ahjul, you stay here with them.”