weeks ago. I thought one Ashlord in town was plenty.”
Not hard to figure out what happened to them. A glance at Trask makes it clear that he’s thinking the same thing that I am. Someone like Martial Rava would be very useful to our cause.
“Come with us,” I offer. “Plenty of noses to bloody where we’re going.”
His features sharpen, like a creature that’s unsure if it’s being threatened. Maybe he thinks it’s my intention to force him into enlisting. But after sizing me up, he shakes his head.
“My people are here. I know enough about war to know what happens in towns like this one. Soldiers get bored. We heard about what happened in Vivinia….”
He lets that name hang in the air. We’ve all heard about Vivinia by now. At the start of the war, both sides agreed to several sanctuary locations. Soldiers aren’t supposed to touch them. Sanctuaries are places that the innocent can travel to and find refuge. Armies skip over those towns no matter what happens during the war. Except someone put Vivinia to the torch in the middle of the night. Most of the victims were completely helpless.
And most of them were Dividian.
“That wasn’t us.”
Martial squints. “You’re sure about that?”
I don’t reply, because no one is sure. Antonio Rowan commands the Longhand army on that side of the continent. His soldiers claimed a group of Ashlord outriders were responsible. A day later, the Ashlords spread footage of the town burning and blamed us instead. Both sides have spent the past few days trying to leverage Dividian support from the atrocity.
Martial’s reaction makes it clear that he doesn’t trust either side in this war.
“Look, I promised our mutual acquaintance I’d protect these people.”
That catches my attention. “Mutual acquaintance? And who would that be?”
“Imelda Beru.”
His answer surprises me. “The Dividian from the Races?”
Martial lifts an eyebrow. “Kind of thought that was why you came here. Didn’t you know? This is Imelda’s hometown. She trained with me at the ranch. That’s her house right over there.” He points down the road. “Not that she’s in it. I’m surprised you didn’t know….”
I shake my head. “We’re just securing towns as we march south. I had no idea.”
“Then…” Martial frowns now. “Honestly, I came here hoping for a trade. All my powders for information. I thought you’d have some news about where she is now.”
His words leave me feeling even more tangled. “Didn’t she jump the barrier during the middle of the Races? Rumor was she fled to the mountains.”
“And in the process, she baited an Ashlord army for your father’s right-hand man. Antonio Rowan followed her to Gig’s Wall. Imelda set the whole thing up without knowing it.”
“We heard those rumors,” I reply, nodding. “Didn’t see any mention of it in the official reports, though. Antonio just said they had help from mountain rebels. Nothing more.”
Martial looks worried. “Imelda was supposed to join her uncle in the mountains after the battle. He never wrote. I’ve been hoping for news ever since.”
I shrug. “If she’s smart enough to pull off a heist like that one, I’d put good money on her being alive and well. No need to worry.”
Martial nods. “If you get word—”
Before I can promise him anything, there’s a distant shout. I turn to see smoke pouring out of the front entrance of the town hall. Two of my soldiers stumble into the street, hacking and coughing before dropping to their knees. I have to squint through the smoke to make out the third figure. A shadowed form mounts an abandoned horse.
Gunfire echoes from the opposite end of the street. Most of the Dividian have scrambled back inside their homes. I start forward on instinct. The horse darts through the smoke in our direction. There’s a rider pressed low against its back. A familiar, proud face.
“Oxanos.”
He must have decided he was going to die if we handed him over to the town. It confirms my guess. He was a monster to these people. The phoenix works its way into a gallop at his urging. My walk shifts into a light run. There’s only one main street, which means he’s vaulting right at us. Martial sits his horse, but I left my own mount outside of town.
A clear disadvantage.
Oxanos grits his teeth, forcing the phoenix toward an inevitable collision. He’s about fifty paces away when I see his goal. Even mounted, he won’t risk meeting me head-to-head. It has my body pulsing into motion. My arms pump