her head in greeting to Preter, whose face was blazing again as he poured tea into her mug.
“You continue east today?” Lizzan asked.
With a shadow passing over her features, the Krimathean nodded.
“You leave us in good hands, my lady,” her captain said quietly. “All will be well.”
On a heavy sigh, Laina nodded again and sipped from her mug.
Then they would not likely see each other again. Mead-scented water roiled in Lizzan’s stomach as she said, “I must apologize to you. I have no liking for people who make decisions in my best interest instead of letting me choose for myself. Yet I did the same to you, when I did not say that Goranik might be alive. It was arrogant—and also selfish, because I prefer not to think or speak of that night on the Walk, so I grasped for any reason not to. And I am sorry for it.”
Laina and Riasa exchanged a glance before the captain said, “We knew he was still alive. We did not know where. But we guessed he must be.”
Lizzan’s brows rose. “How did you guess?”
“As you did. Our spies in Lith reported that he was dead. But they could not uncover a credible account of who had killed him or how he had died.” Riasa shook her head. “But we also expected that he would have an army with him—not a handful of bandits.”
That handful of bandits had done as much damage as an army. But Lizzan only said, “Still, I regret that I did not tell you when I should have.”
The gentle squeeze of the woman’s hand on hers felt like forgiveness that made Lizzan’s chest ache. Then Laina’s gaze narrowed on Lizzan’s cloak and she pinched the edge of the thin cloth between her fingers, frowning.
Most likely comparing the threadbare cloak to her own, which was thick and looked as plush as velvet. “I think the priestess did not expect someone to come asking for a quest,” Lizzan told her, which only deepened Laina’s frown.
Preter’s forehead creased. “Does not Vela herself bless the cloak of everyone who quests for her?”
“Against wind and rain, cold and sun.” Or so the legends said. And indeed, despite the heaviness of Laina’s cloak, she had not seemed affected by the jungle’s heat. “But my quest will end on the day of the first snowfall. So I do not need the protection.”
“Especially as Vela gave you the other,” Riasa said, and when Laina glanced at her askance, she explained, “The goddess gave her a charm that protects her from blades.”
Or from a wraith’s icy claws. Yet that did not seem enough for Laina. As when Lizzan had asked why the goddess didn’t simply help them defeat the Destroyer, anger flashed across the Krimathean’s face. Her fingers went to the ties at her throat.
As if she intended to exchange cloaks, and give to Lizzan the blessed one. Lizzan stopped her, shaking her head.
“This one suits me.” Threadbare and frayed, just as she was. “I only wish it were not so faded. But while on this quest, I intend to redden it with the blood of my enemies.”
Or the blood of Aerax’s enemies, as she protected him. But she supposed there was no difference. His enemies would always be hers.
“That seems a fine plan,” Riasa said with a laugh.
A smile curved Laina’s mouth, yet it seemed with reluctance that she tied the strings of her cloak again.
“Since you are traveling with the alliance, I hope you do not encounter too many enemies,” Preter said wryly. “But I will be glad to have with us a charmed warrior who is also one of Vela’s Chosen. After today, the number of Parsathean warriors in our party will be near half of what we began with.”
Lizzan frowned. “Have you lost so many?”
“Not killed. Sent home.” He looked to Laina. “This morning, two warriors begin the journey back, so that Queen Yvenne will know of our progress—and so that she can begin sending supplies for the Parsathean army north to Krimathe. Otherwise she would receive no word until we all returned from the far north, and a full year of preparations would be lost. Also there are two warriors still at the river with the old woman, and when they are done, they will catch up to the caravan and join the two other warriors we have tasked to protect them.”
“Mevida’s caravan?” Lizzan asked in surprise. “The caravan we traveled with?”
With a nod, Preter said, “The innkeeper mentioned how few travelers he’d