“Or kill us,” Gadiel smirked. “I don’t doubt they are capable of it.”
“Do you have any idea what would happen if they killed us?” Callum’s brow rose inquisitively. He showed no concern at the possibility. The confidence he exuded helped to ease Edric’s discomfort, though only slightly. “The Ovatai warriors have taken a hard hit. Their numbers are depleted. This weakens them, to an extent. To kill us would immediately destroy the alliance between them and our people. My father would have the rest of our troops here within a matter of days along with every other ally we could call upon. Soldiers from Mialan, Tunir, possibly even Palinon if we felt it required the Feh Noq’s assistance. It would be a force equal to the Avaern, if not more so. They wouldn’t dare risk turning half of Myatheira against them by killing us for a simple charge of disobedience.”
“What if you’re not around?”
“Then it’s up to the discretion of whoever is in charge at the time,” Callum added. “Given the ranks of those present here, it is most likely going to be one of us leading a unit under the guidance of the Ovatai. If I am separated, you will follow Edric’s direction. If we are all forced to lead individual units, then I leave the decision in your hands for what is best for the men, Gadiel. When we return to Nahedu I will inform Commander Tamas of the same.”
Edric rubbed the back of his neck, thinking over what Callum was telling them to do. He was giving them permission to disobey the Ovatai. While it was comforting to know that they were allowed to maintain their freedom of choice in the battle, it also brought with it a sense of unease, recognizing the number of things that could go wrong. What if an Ovatai order was disregarded and it led their men to their deaths? It was an honest concern. The Ovatai could be overbearing but they knew the land. They were more familiar with the creatures which lurked in the frozen landscape. Their advice would be the most knowledgeable under majority of the things which might arise.
He didn’t want to think about it. What good would it do him to worry about ignoring an Ovatai command when the situation had yet to be an issue? There were too many possibilities to dwell on it now.
The lack of sleep from the night before finally began to creep up on him, tugging at his eyelids as he tried to focus on the conversation. He could hear the voices of his friends discussing further questions about their predicament but they were nothing more than incoherent noises to the haze of his mind. He needed to lie down. They would be starting their research and investigation of Isavo first thing in the morning. If his head wasn’t clear, he wouldn’t be any use to anyone.
“Are you alright, Edric?” Callum’s voice cut through the fog of Edric’s thoughts, drawing him back to a vague wakefulness. Blinking his eyes he tried to bring Callum’s face into focus, squinting from the burn he felt at the strain.
“I think I should excuse myself,” he replied quietly, clutching at the hood of his cloak to lift it over his head. “We should all get some sleep soon. Tomorrow is going to be a test of our patience.”
“The women can order us around as much as they want tomorrow. They know the layout of the village better than we do,” Callum eyed him curiously. “Are you sure you’re feeling well? I don’t want to send you away if there is any chance you are still suffering from the after effects of your energy loss. Maybe you should stay with myself or Gadiel for the night.”
“I will be fine.” The last thing Edric wanted was company right now. All he wanted to do was lie down and fall asleep without having to worry about anyone looking over him. It made him feel helpless. Vulnerable. His confidence had been shaken enough lately without intentionally doing something which would add to the problem.
He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room following him as he made his way toward the door, lengthening his strides to give an appearance of strength. He didn’t question the honesty in his assurances. His health was fine. The exhaustion he felt now was from nothing more than sleep deprivation and overexertion of his body from the long journey they had undertaken. Mingled with the severity of the temperature, it was beginning to take a toll on him. He wasn’t used to this kind of work. In a way he wished he had put himself through the training Callum endured. Even though he wasn’t an enlisted soldier, the exercise would have done him some good. Mere walks around the palace grounds did little to prepare him for this.
The building he chose for shelter wasn’t far from Callum’s, positioned at the southernmost point of the village ruins. It was the furthest from the homes being utilized by Neomi and the other Ovatai warriors. He couldn’t help thinking it was best to separate himself. Distance would make it more difficult for Neomi to sneak around at night.
Pausing outside the door of the small ice-hut he cast a wistful glance to the north. Through his fatigue he couldn’t fight the curiosity which nagged at the back of his mind, wondering what Neomi was doing at that very moment. Was she thinking about him? Plotting another secret escape to find him the way she had the night before? She wouldn’t do that again, he thought, lowering his gaze to the ground in disappointment. It was she who insisted their meeting was wrong. That it was dangerous for her to have attempted it, even that once.
But what if I had a reason to go to her? The thought floated into his head, filling his chest with a slight flutter at the possibility. It was madness to consider. Moinie would be watching. The Ovatai warriors would not have gone to sleep so early. They were probably settled inside Neomi’s refuge similar to the way Edric and the others had been in Callum’s. Discussing the numerous reasons why the Vor’shai were only getting in the way. No. He couldn’t go to her. He promised Callum that he wouldn’t pursue her for the sake of maintaining cordial relations with their people. It would be too great a risk for him to chance being caught with her.
“There you are, Your Highness.”
Edric’s heart leapt in his chest, almost painfully, a brief moment of excitement washing over him before realizing it wasn’t Neomi’s voice that spoke. Dejected, his shoulders bowed, a quiet breath escaping him in dismay. “Sahra. I thought you were staying closer to the Commander.”
“I am,” she replied softly, stepping around to Edric’s side, her golden eyes glowing brightly in the darkness. “You looked troubled when you left the Captain’s quarters. I was concerned it might have something to do with me.”
This was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. She had terrible timing for a woman who was said to be so good at reading men. “It’s nothing. I just want to lie down.”
“You are angry with me.”
“I’m not angry with anyone.”
“Then why won’t you tell me what is bothering you? If it is something I have said or done, please let me know so that I can make amends.”
He took a step backward to place more distance between them, uneasy with the prospect of being alone with her. She’d tricked him once before into letting her near him. He was determined not to make the same mistake again. “Just watch what you say around those women,” he replied simply, shifting his gaze toward the door, wishing he could go inside. Etiquette prevented him from walking away. Why did he have to be so nice? Any of the other men would have left her standing there. Or invited her in. He was stuck somewhere in the middle, not wanting to let her inside while civility wouldn’t let him leave her alone. “Please,” he added. “Go back to your bed and forget about it. I harbor no ill feelings toward you. There is no reason to be concerned.”
“I beg you to accept my apologies for any wrong I have done you.” Slowly she moved forward, her steps so slow and calculated that Edric didn’t notice her approach until she was directly in front of him, reaching her hand out with an endearing gaze. “Whatever you heard, I promise it’s not true. Those women twist things. They take the simplest of words and warp it into what they want so they can use it to their advantage. I’m worried about you, Edric. I think Neomi may be trying to use you somehow. To manipulate you as a tool against the Captain in getting us to do what she wants.”
&nb
sp; “And what makes you think that?” Edric stared at her. He wanted to push her away but curiosity wouldn’t let him.
“There are many reasons which I could not begin to list…”
“Try.”
She lifted her lashes, gazing at him, demure in her mannerisms. For a brief moment Edric thought her almost pretty before realizing it was her intent to catch his attention in that fashion. He needed to stay on guard. “You have said it yourself that the woman doesn’t like you. She despises you. Considers you a simpleton. But that also makes you the perfect target for her to make into a pawn. As the Prince, she knows you have the Captain’s confidence. Her interest in you is too peculiar given the obvious deprecation she’s exhibited. She was asking questions about you. Inquiring about your relationship with me and the other women back home. When I told her the reason I had the vial of lavender perfume, she refused to return it to me. Quite literally, she snatched it out of my reach when I tried to take it back. I fear she intends to seduce you.”
He wanted to laugh at the thought. Neomi didn’t seem capable of seduction. Not in the same sense as Sahra claimed. The Ovatai had no need for cajolery when their mates were chosen for them by their families. It was unlikely Neomi even knew how to use her body the way Sahra was attempting to use hers against him now. “Go to bed, Sahra,” he replied quietly, shaking his head in disapproval. “The Captain and I are keeping a close watch on Neomi. You waste your time with such concerns.”
“How can you be so sure? We know nothing about these people.”
“And they know nothing about us, so why would they have reason to believe that seducing me would do them any good? A vial of perfume isn’t enough to base an accusation like that.”
“Why do you men not believe me?” she asked suddenly, the tone of her voice shifting to reveal an underlying anger Edric hadn’t heard before. Pursing her lips she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I went against my better judgment in saying any of this to you and you are dismissing me the same way the Captain dismissed my suspicions that Neomi somehow left me unconscious so she could do… whatever it is she wanted to do which required me to be unaware. Or maybe it’s because she has already succeeded in seducing you.” Sahra’s eyes narrowed. “Are you men blinded by her? Can you not see the danger she poses to us? To you?”
“Stop this,” Edric hissed, glancing uneasily around the camp. She was talking too loudly. They were going to draw attention from the others. If Neomi became aware of the accusations being laid against her, all hope of building a friendship between her and Sahra would be destroyed. “This is a war, Sahra. Some of us have more important things on our minds than whose bed we are going to share.”
“Think about what you are saying, Edric. You tell me I have nothing to worry about yet the Captain has given me orders to mislead the Ovatai women into being my friends. To use deception to gain their trust for the sake of the mission. Is that not the same thing?”
“No, it isn’t. Unless the Captain informed you to sleep with one of the women, it’s something completely different,” Edric leaned his head back in frustration. “There is no harm in gaining the trust of our allies. It doesn’t have to be misleading. Have you considered the possibility that you might actually be able to be friends with them? What is it about Neomi that makes you so convinced of her depravity?”
Sahra brought her hands to her head, rubbing gently at her temples. “I just don’t like her,” she stated, making no attempt at subtlety in her opinion. “I don’t trust her. She is insidious. There has to be a reason for the way she is behaving and from what I have seen, it is not in our best interest to endear ourselves to her or her little friend.”
“Then this is a problem you need to take up with the Captain. His orders stand. I am not going to go against his rule.”
“But you are the Prince, Edric –”
“So is he. Or have you forgotten? Did it slip your mind that Callum is heir to the throne as King and therefore his word stands equal to my own? Perhaps you were too blinded by my crown to recall such details.”
This was getting out of hand. He was losing his temper with this woman. Never had anyone in Tanispa spoken to him this way. What was it about Sahra that made her think she was in a position to question him? Arrogance wasn’t something he was ever accused of possessing, but he felt justified in requiring respect for the station he held. He was of the honorable Levadis family. Nobody told them what to do. Especially not foolish girls with no grasp of the world outside her fantasy where she could bat her eyes and have anything she asked for.
She looked hurt by his words. Shocked into silence for a moment before she turned her doleful gaze on him once again. “Is that what you think?” she whispered. “Is this what that woman has told you? Would you truly believe her word over mine? Do I not deserve a chance to defend myself against her treachery?”
Edric’s mouth hung agape, taken aback by her pleas. He didn’t want to believe it. To even consider what she was saying would implicate her suspicions to be valid. Neomi had no reason to lie about Sahra’s interest in his crown. She told him Sahra admitted it. But did that mean it was true? Could she have been playing him against his own people the way Sahra feared? “We will discuss this later,” he stated quietly. “Now is not the time or the place to handle accusations of this vein. Get yourself to bed. I will not speak on the matter further.”
“But Edric…” Sahra moved forward, her hand reaching for him in a desperate attempt to keep him from leaving. Reflexively Edric pushed it away. He didn’t want her touching him. Every liberty he allowed her to take only made the situation worse. She needed to be reminded of her place.
“I may be here in the company of soldiers, but I am still your Prince. You are in no position to address me so informally and you certainly have not been given my permission to touch me in any manner. Do you understand?”
He felt like an ass. So many times he’d heard the men at court use their titles as if it gave them power over others and he’d told himself he would never be that person. Now, here he was, utilizing his heritage in the very way he swore never to do. What else could he do? If Neomi was telling the truth, Sahra needed to be reminded of her station in comparison to his. She was a soldier. A woman he’d only known for a few weeks. Their time together was not long enough to merit the behavior she displayed. Only his closest friends and family were allowed to address him in the manner she did now and she didn’t fall into either of those categories.
At his harsh tone she took a step back, clearly flustered by his rejection. Her pale cheeks burned a crimson hue, the color spreading throughout her face to the pointed tips of her elegant ears. “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” she breathed, averting her eyes out of respect. “I did not mean offense. Please, forgive me.”
Edric’s breath came in ragged spurts, uneven and labored from the combination of emotions flowing through him. At the sight of Sahra dropping to her knees in front of him he inhaled deeply, embarrassed by the display he’d brought on. Did she do this on purpose? He couldn’t discount it. While her request for his pardon sounded genuine, he couldn’t help holding onto the suspicion that she was trying to play him for a fool. Why he believed so fully in Neomi’s word he couldn’t be sure. Both women were playing games with his head. The best thing for him to do was to get away from them.
Letting his eyes scan the area he prayed no one was around to witness the scene Sahra caused. By now their voices would have drawn the attention of anyone who remained awake in the village. Despite his attempts at maintaining a low tone, Sahra had a way of sparking his ire.
When his searching gaze reached the northern path of the village he felt his heart sink at the sight of Neomi standing near one of the buildings, the brilliant ice-blue of her eyes meeting his in the darkness. How long had she been there? How much had she overheard? A brief wave of panic came over him to think of her having heard Sahra’s accusations. It was a nightmare. His worst fear was coming true and there was nothing he could do to stop i
t.
“Get up,” he hissed, stepping around Sahra toward the door of the hut. “You are making a fool of yourself. We will take this up with the Captain tomorrow.”
Etiquette couldn’t keep him there any longer. He wanted away from her. He needed to be alone so he could get his head straight. His hope in coming to Ethrysta was to escape the trouble women caused him back home. For some reason it had managed to complicate things worse. There might come a time where his life would be in the hands of these women. He couldn’t risk bitterness and jealousy clouding their judgment in battle when it was a matter of life and death. It was a mistake to have let either of them close to him. Pulling away now would only make things worse. But it had to be done. This couldn’t be allowed to continue.
He could hear Sahra saying something, the words lost to him in his frustration. It didn’t matter what she said. The issue between them would be better handled by Callum. She was one of his soldiers. There was no proper way to smooth things over between them without involving him or Gadiel. Sahra would try to twist things. Play to Edric’s weaknesses by taking advantage of his compassionate nature. No. He wouldn’t be taken advantage of. Not this time. He’d played the fool once with a woman. He refused to do it again.
Anxious to be away from Sahra and hidden from Neomi’s watchful eyes he slipped through the door of the building, closing the heavy curtain behind him to shut out Sahra’s dramatic pleas. If she wanted to continue making a fool of herself, she was more than welcome to do so. He just wouldn’t be there to witness it.
Lying down on a large fur blanket at the back of the room he tried to clear his mind of the confusion which lingered in his thoughts. It felt good to be alone. His muscles ached, relaxing into the soft fur as sleep started to take over. Everything would be better in the morning. They would find what they were looking for in Isavo and head back to Nahedu with the rest of the men. With any luck they would come up with a way to kill the Avaern in that time. He wanted out of this place. Even the tedium of life at the palace was better than the torment this god forsaken land brought with it.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 38