“Some are unhappy with this, but really, we just didn’t want fanfare. This is a personal journey for Mave and Alchan. They didn’t want it,” Luykas explained. “Have you said goodbye to those you wanted to say goodbye to?”
“Emerian was the last,” Trevan whispered.
“Good.” Luykas stepped forward. “Good luck on your travels,” he said loudly to the warriors ready to leave. “Come back to us in one piece and help us win this war. We’ll be waiting for you.”
Alchan was driving one cart and clicked his tongue for the horses to move, with Bryn following behind him. With Luykas beside him, Trevan watched the warriors leave into the night. After they disappeared from sight, Luykas turned to him.
“Thank you. You could have stood with everyone else, though.” He pointed across the dark, and Trevan had to narrow his eyes. There, on the other side of the clearing, was a larger group of witnesses—Nevyn and Varon stood out, Senri with her two husbands, Dave, who lifted an arm and was still waving, now at no one, and Seanev, who was very still as if he was afraid to move.
Trevan laughed. “I didn’t even realize they were over there.”
“Figured. It’s pretty fucking dark tonight,” Luykas said with a laugh. He sobered quickly. “You know, they might not come back.”
“I know,” Trevan said softly. “Is there a reason you came to stand with me?”
“Yeah, we have a meeting.” Luykas led him to the group. “Right now. We have to pin this spy down.”
As days went by, then a couple of weeks and winter hit in force. Trevan curled up in a thick cloak as he waited for Dave. He looked over his shoulders to make sure no one was nearby. He was paranoid.
Since most of the group left, everything went to hell. Two more supply shipments were missing before making it to them. Now, they were hoping they could switch the supply route. It would be harder for the Elvasi to catch supplies coming in from Leria, and she could take them from Kerit.
“You’ll follow fucking orders, Kenav!” Luykas roared from inside the war room. “This is not a fucking game or a chance for you to prove yourself! This is a time when you fall in line and do as I ask. I need everyone on the same Skies damn page!”
Trevan winced. The village was out of control. Luykas was a good leader and intelligent, but that didn’t stop everyone from testing him while Alchan was gone.
“Maybe if you told us what you were planning, we’d be more inclined to listen!” Kenav yelled back.
“We?” Luykas snarled. Trevan leaned on the wall outside and closed his eyes. He could hear all of them clearly. “Who is ‘we,’ Kenav? Have you been talking to others? Does anyone else here have a problem with the plans I’ve set in place for each of you? Any questions?”
There was silence.
“Good. Get out,” Luykas snapped.
Trevan made sure he wasn’t by the door as they all came outside, keeping his head down.
“Oh, it’s you,” one of them sneered. “They wonder who the spy is, yet they keep a fucking Elvasi for a pet.”
“I’m not the spy, sir,” Trevan said simply, looking up.
“Sure,” the male warrior snapped, rolling his eyes.
“Move. Along.” Luykas stepped out, glaring. “Trevan, come in here.”
He followed the mutt quickly, ducking his head again.
“Are they getting worse?” Nevyn asked, looking between them.
“Yeah,” Trevan confirmed. “But it’s fine. It’s expected. I’m the enemy to them, and they think you’re blind to it. We knew this was beginning to happen.”
“Doesn’t make it right,” Nevyn muttered, shaking his head. “Dave, what about you?”
“I hear it, but they don’t confront me or get in my face,” Dave answered, looking up from what he was working on. The human barely slept now. He was constantly tracking supplies down to the last loaf of bread, recalculating rations, and trying to keep everyone happy. Eventually, happy was going to be a secondary worry. If they kept losing supplies to the Elvasi attacks, the goal would be to keep people from starving.
“Probably because you’re not a warrior,” Luykas said, sighing. “Though, that’s a danger in and of itself. You two stay together, all right?” Luykas pointed between them. “And Kenav…”
“Yeah, he’s posturing,” Nevyn grumbled. He leaned on his husband, a tender moment Trevan was used to seeing. They were always together, Avatar and General. Trevan was still trying to overcome that new hurdle—addressing an Avatar.