“She was going to try to use it against me. I had to make a decision. Everyone here has handled it really well.”
Alchan stared at his brother for a long time.
Of course they have, because they know Mave and I would kill them if they don’t.
“Alchan?”
“You’re right. They’ve done well. It’s nice not to have that secret to keep any longer,” he said quickly, shuffling through the papers to keep his hands busy. “It doesn’t change the fact it makes things complicated. Until we’ve defeated Shadra, you need to stick with military duties, where the nobility can’t question me. Leave them to me. Once this is all over, it won’t matter anymore, either way.”
“Win or lose,” Luykas agreed, nodding. “Because if we lose, we’ll all be dead. Well, what can I help with?”
“Why are you here?” Alchan didn’t miss how his brother never explained his presence.
“I wanted to give you the report from our spies,” Luykas said with a smile. “No Leshaun today. Just me.”
Alchan waved him to start, and Luykas pulled out a small leather book, where he must have written down his notes from last week. Once a week, Leshaun came to tell Alchan if there were any updates, but the male was getting old. Alchan was glad to see him retire, and Luykas was a fine fit for the job.
“Our contacts in the western half of the Empire are all reporting low Elvasi soldier presence. It’s made the trip easy for escaping slaves, especially if they run together. However, there are growing incidences of people taking shots at any Andinna they see, trying to kill them as they move.”
“What do you mean?” Alchan frowned.
“Shadra had a bounty quietly disseminated through the Empire. For every male head of an escaped Andinna slave, they get ten gold pieces. Fifty for females.”
Alchan growled. “We knew it would happen.”
“We didn’t know how the citizens of the Empire would respond. It’s mostly humans. They’re poor, desperate, and they don’t understand the scope. There’s not much we can do. They need money to buy food for their families because their crops are being hoarded by the Elvasi, who tax them to keep the noble houses and the armies fed.”
“Of course,” Alchan agreed. “She’s backed too many people into a corner.
“One Elvasi merchant and noble recently did a tour of the fields in the province where he lives. It’s only summer, and crops are rotting in the fields because there’re no slaves to tend the fields. Noble houses who own the land are hesitant to hire humans, and most humans don’t want to be subjected to ‘slave work.’” Luykas closed the book. “There’s nothing else important. There are probably a thousand Andinna across the Empire heading north. Hopefully, most of them make it.”
“Hopefully.” Alchan watched his brother, trying to gauge his mood. He had to ask a hard question. “Have you spoken to Nyria?”
“No, not recently,” Luykas admitted. “You know, she used our attack and capture of Lothen as a chance to assassinate her father.”
“Lord Fenoth deserved to die. We’ve had this discussion. I know Mave has said the same thing.”
“Yes, but it makes Nyria the richest person in the Empire, richer than even Shadra. She’s funneling money to our people, but she can’t drain her accounts too quickly without drawing suspicion. It’s not any of that, though. It’s been hard to talk to her since she used that death spell. Spells like that, they change people. I’m just hoping she makes it through this and stays an ally. I don’t want to see her go off the deep end.”
“Maybe she won’t go off the deep end if you talk to her more often. Remind her there’s someone who wants to be her family.” Alchan drew from personal experience with that advice. Luykas had once done it for him. Alchan had thought he lost everything, then suddenly there was this new half-brother, eyes innocent and fresh, waiting for him. A brother to keep him from falling further into the darkness at an age far too young to be dealing with the things he had gone through.
“You’re right,” Luykas said softly. “Thanks…Hey, do you want to have a sparring session? It’s been a while since we’ve had a bit of fun, and you need to get out of the firelight and see the sun.”
Alchan grinned. “Let’s go.” He got up and grabbed his swords, following his brother out. A bit of fun would be nice. They had the time.
4
Mave
Mave was enjoying a glass of wine with some of her favorite females on a hot summer afternoon. The tradition had started over the winter, and Mave was glad to get back to it. Only back from the campaign for four days, she had been ambushed by Senri, Allaina, and Yenni. Dragged out of her home while her males laughed, she was taken to a quiet spot where a table had been set up next to a stream.
“This is nice,” Mave commented, looking over their private spot. “When did you find it?”
“After the snow melted,” Senri answered, refilling Mave’s wine glass. “I was starting to lose my temper with everyone, so Alchan ordered me to find a place where females could get away from everyone.”
Mave chuckled. “Alchan had to step in?”
“She threatened to castrate Gentrin and Willem,” Allaina said with a small smile over her glass. “Which might have made her happy for a moment but wouldn’t make her happy once she has this baby.”
“It would have made me happy for at least a decade,” Senri countered. “When I had my first boy, I didn’t have sex for five years afterward. Childbirth is traumatic.”
Mave shivered at that. Yenni elbowed her, and when Mave looked at her, she nodded in agreement. Neither of them was looking for children any time soon.
“Well, if you need anything, you tell me. I have the entire community making sure everything goes perfectly for you.”
“I have until next spring to really worry,” Senri reminded their mativa, running a hand over her belly. “I wish we were like humans. Nine months. Can you believe that? We get two whole years of this pregnancy thing.”
“You wanted this. You’re the one who asked for your fertility cycle to be quickened, then you let…” Mave lifted her hands, deciding not to finish the sentence.
“You are a heartless child,” Senri accused. “Your mother is pregnant, and you have to remind me that it was my idea.”
Every female at the table laughed. Once it settled down, Senri leaned onto Mave’s shoulder.
“I’ve heard you haven’t picked up a sword since you got back. Anything wrong, Mave?”
“No, I just don’t see the need. I’ve been fighting and training all spring. Alchan wants me to take time off, and I don’t see the need to drag my swords around when I have no reason to use them. Who’s going to attack me that I can’t disarm and handle without drawing my own weapon?” Mave snorted. “Who’s stupid enough to try?”
“Ah, so the Champion grows confident with her position,” Yenni teased. “It’s good to see. You deserve to puff your chest and be lazy.”