For the first time since reaching the surface Edric let his gaze sweep out across the village, searching for somewhere they could go. Awe overcame him at what he saw there. The few structures which had been standing were now destroyed, the landscape left with nothing more than scattered debris and remnants of what once had been the proud village of Isavo. Their supplies were buried under it all. It would take hours to locate the materials they needed to help Gadiel. But they didn’t have hours. Too much longer in the arctic temperatures and they would all be subjected to the adverse effects of the cold on their bodies. “Sahra and I can set up a tent. It will at least block the wind until we can find blankets.”
“You will have to find the tents first. They will be buried along with the rest of our belongings.”
Muscles tensed to move in search of the supplies Edric found himself caught in a mental battle. Part of him wanted to tear the village apart to find the packs amongst the debris while another part told him to find Neomi. The longer he waited, the harder it would be to talk to her. If she was given a chance to find her way to the Ovatai men, there would be no opportunity for him to get her alone and discussing the matter in the presence of her people was out of the question. “Callum, I have to find Neomi…”
“Edric, focus!” Callum said through gritted teeth, a violent shiver causing his body to tremble noticeably from the cold. “I know you care about her but we are going to die if you don’t do this. We can worry about finding Neomi after Gadiel is safe.”
“But Callum –”
“I’m not trying to be a heartless bastard here, Edric, but I need you to listen. Neomi may be in danger if she finds the Avaern, but that could take days. You and I…we don’t have days. Prioritize. We won’t be much use to Neomi if we’re dead.”
Edric stared off into the distance, letting Callum’s words sink in. He hated that Callum was always right. Edric had a responsibility. An obligation to his friends. He jeopardized their lives by even considering leaving them to chase after a woman he’d only known for a few weeks. Callum had been his friend since he was a child. Even if what he felt for Neomi was love, Callum needed him more. He’d given his word to Aiva that he would do whatever was necessary to protect the others. It would be selfish to go back on it now. Callum deserved better than that after everything he’d done for Edric’s family over the years. “Stay with Gadiel,” he replied quietly, turning from Callum to make his way toward the center of the village. He didn’t need the buildings to be standing to remember where they had made their camp. The remains of Callum’s quarters would be the best place to start, and the sooner he could find the tent, the sooner he could get to Neomi.
Neomi’s hand pressed against her injured side as she walked, staring blankly into the distance, her mind an incoherent tumult of thoughts. An ache had begun in her chest the moment she stepped away from Isavo. From outside the Vor’shai tent constructed to provide shelter from the cold she’d listened to the agonized screams of the commander while his broken bones were set, cringing at the mere thought of what he suffered. Tending such wounds was uncommon among the Ovatai; though that was due in part to the fact that they rarely suffered them. She wondered how long it would take before the commander would be able to walk again. His condition was severe. Ewei’s suggestion to leave him behind came as no surprise to her. A warrior wounded to that degree was usually put out of their misery. It seemed like torture to let him live.
Questions danced about in her head, the details of the day’s events not quite making sense. She wasn’t sure exactly how Moinie and the Vor’shai men had come to be in the chasm in the first place. There wasn’t time to discuss the matter after finding themselves under attack but now she found her curiosity growing once again. Moinie had made no attempt to hide her dislike of the Vor’shai. So how did she end up in their company? Sympathetic to their wounds. At the discovery of the Captain’s worsening condition she had even displayed concern. Compassion. It wasn’t like her. Nor was the silence she maintained now while walking at Neomi’s side, leading the group of warriors into the night to chase after a creature that had long since passed them.
Turning her head she tried to decipher the expression on Moinie’s face. She looked distant. Thoughtful. A change from her usual hardened features. “Something troubles you,” Neomi stated calmly. There was no reason to direct it as a question. She knew it to be truth. All she required was an explanation as to what weighed so heavily on her friend’s mind.
Moinie made no attempt to argue, her gaze locked ahead. “Does it matter? There is nothing to be done about it.”
“Perhaps. I cannot agree, however, unless you tell me what it is.”
“I should think it was obvious.”
“On the contrary, your thoughts are more of a mystery than I recall them ever being in the past. Does this have something to do with the Vor’shai men? You seemed displeased about leaving them behind.”
A derisive laugh cut through the air, surprising Neomi with the harshness of Moinie’s response. “This has less to do with the Vor’shai men and more to do with a single man of our own people,” she scoffed. “Why did you let that man push you into this ridiculous task? The Captain informed me that your beloved Prince intended to talk you out of following the order. Did he not do so?”
“He attempted. I am bound by duty to do as Onuric commands. Did you honestly want me to do otherwise?”
“I hoped you would at least consider it. Or were you too focused on the message you sought to pass along to the Prince? He appeared amicable during our dilemma in the cave. Did he take the news well?”
Neomi fell silent, her shoulders drooping forward. Her message? How could she have forgotten? Amidst the uncertainty of her meeting with Edric, the words failed to come. Every time she thought to speak them she found herself caught up in his arms. Never in her life had she felt a connection to someone with the strength that she felt toward Edric. The mere thought of separating from him left her feeling empty inside. Alone. As if a part of her soul was detached and left behind in the ruins of Isavo. But that was crazy. Her soul was her own and no different than it had been before she met that man. Why would the intimacy of a single night change that?
Uncomfortable, she let her fingers weave through her long hair, pondering what she could tell Moinie without admitting the truth of her failure. She had promised Moinie she would end things. Instead, she’d managed to make things worse, showing Edric affection when she was supposed to tell him it was over. “Everything happened rather quickly,” she mumbled, hastening her steps to put distance between her and Moinie. The truth was better left unsaid. There was no reason to continue the conversation.
“Quickly?” Moinie questioned, her tone accusative as she matched Neomi’s accelerated pace. “Neomi, don’t tell me you didn’t tell him.”
“Fine. I will say nothing then.”
Moinie’s held tilted backward to gaze up at the night sky overhead. “So you mean to say that we are out here on a fool’s errand while the Prince is left with Ewei, believing you will come back for him?”
“Based on the way Edric spoke of our mission, I doubt he expects me to come back at all. Is that not enough heartache for the man’s delicate heart without telling him that his feelings are not reciprocated?”
“Do you not think it will hurt him worse if you fail to return and he has gone on believing you loved him?”
“What does it matter to you whether or not he suffers? You have been against him and his men since their arrival. I would think you to take some twisted pleasure in knowing he languishes over the pain I cause him.”
Drawing in a breath Moinie opened her mouth, her words caught in her throat, coming as nothing more than a short burst of noise which in no way resembled language. Lips pursed, she fell silent, staring into the distance, unwilling to speak. Neither one of them knew how to express their feelings in regards to the Vor’shai men. It was unusual to find themselves in a predicament which involved so much emotion. Questio
ns that neither of them knew how to answer. Neomi was reminded of something Edric had asked her the night she went to his quarters. A question she’d never been faced with before then. How did you feel? It seemed so simple. They experienced emotions every day of their lives but to put them into words… she couldn’t blame Moinie for being at a loss.
As if somehow victorious over her friend by leaving her speechless, Neomi pulled her shoulders back, proud and defiant. “It is a difficult concept, is it not?” she asked. “You do not know why you care. It is something you simply – know. A feeling that just… is. Now perhaps you understand the reasons why I cannot explain what my feelings are toward him.”
“I admit, the men are… growing on me,” Moinie frowned. “When they first arrived I thought them useless. Onuric had me convinced they would be worthless to us in battle. Their Captain in particular has shown this to be misleading. His combative abilities rival our best warriors and the Prince demonstrated equal skill with his blade when fighting the Ythes. The difference which makes the Vor’shai men stand out from our people is their selflessness. You were right. It is a trait which, although at first I believed it a flaw, I now accept as admirable.”
“Admirable?” Neomi thought to laugh at the remark. Moinie was not the type of woman to be easily swayed once she made up her mind. It didn’t make sense what had managed to change her view when she’d been so set in her opinion less than a full day before now. “You were the one who argued their compassion to be weakness. I am afraid to ask what occurred which changed your mind so suddenly. Does it have anything to do with how you ended up at the bottom of the chasm with those men? It does seem strange that they would suffer significant bodily harm while you stand beside me now, unscathed.”
“I did not intentionally injure them, if that is what you intend to implicate,” Moinie folded her arms across her chest. “I may have had my issues with them, but I would never be so cruel. Our people are dependent upon their assistance.”
“What were you doing with them in the first place? You were supposed to be distracting Ewei so I could find the Prince.”
“The Vor’shai Captain found me before I could seek Ewei. He approached with concerns about our compliance to the orders brought from Nahedu, which I am inclined to agree with. We should not have left the others.”
“It was a direct command from Onuric. We cannot simply ignore it.”
“Neomi, if my husband gave a command that foolish, I would challenge him to his face.”
“That may be so, but Ewei has no reason to lie. He is my brother’s top war leader. If Onuric discovered him to be passing false orders under his name, Ewei would immediately be discharged and branded a traitor. He would never risk dishonoring himself in that way.”
“You are very trusting. While it makes little sense why he would do something of this nature, the possibility cannot be overlooked. Credence was once assumed among our people but times have begun to change since the Ythes first took arms against us. They were considered our friends until they decided there was something of ours they wanted. Who is to say that Ewei has not also come to a similar point?”
Neomi heaved a sigh of frustration. It was possible, as much as she hated to admit. The only question was why. “What would he stand to gain by sending you and me out after the Avaern? If he returns to Nahedu without us, my father will make inquiries of our whereabouts. Onuric is sure to discover his treachery.”
“What if he does not intend a return to Nahedu?”
“He has to. The Vor’shai must be united with their men at the Nahedu base if they are going to be of any use to us in this battle.”
Moinie’s brow raised, inquisitive, glancing at Neomi, a morose expression crossing her sharp features. “Ewei is under no obligation to do anything. Our people opposed bringing the Vor’shai here. Do you really think anyone other than your father would be displeased if the Prince and the Captain never returned? Their soldiers would become nothing more than fodder on the frontlines of the next attack, which is all anyone thinks they are good for.”
Her heart raced at what Moinie suggested. It couldn’t be. Why would Ewei take it upon himself to do something like this, unless… “Oh, Moinie,” she breathed. “What if Onuric has something to do with this?”
“For his sake, let us hope that is not the case,” Moinie frowned, the lines on her forehead deepening in consternation. “Our direction from here is your call. If you give the word to retrace our steps to Isavo, the warriors will listen, though I must advise against anything too rash. We should not let our suspicions become known or they might consider us the traitors for questioning Ewei. With that in a mind, given the rumors whispered about you and the Prince, a sudden turnaround without an explanation would only make matters worse. This must be handled delicately.”
Delicate. Such a strange word to use at a time like this. She wasn’t accustomed to delicacy. Then again, subterfuge was a new concept entirely. For years their people existed, saying what they meant and doing what they said they were going to do, never giving reason to question trust. The Ythes had started a downward spiral among their people which frightened her. Their straightforward ways were unraveling and she was powerless to stop it without succumbing to deceit as well. “The answer is simple,” she stated, her eyes scanning the area to make sure no one else could hear what was being spoken. “We are no more than a single night of travel away from Isavo. The track on the Avaern is already faint. I suspect we will lose it completely within a few miles. As long as the others can sense the creature, we must stay on track. Once it ceases to guide us, I will lay claim to still smell it. At that time we can divert our path to take us back toward the village. Even if Ewei has already left, he will not be able to conceal the scent of the Vor’shai. From there, the track will be of him instead of the Avaern, and the men with us never need to know.”
“And if they question you?”
“How dare they question the daughter of the Chief,” Neomi smirked. “I refuse to let prejudice be the downfall of our people. Regardless of what anyone says, I know my father would support our decision. He will reverse any repercussions we might face if our motives are uncovered.”
“I hope you’re right,” Moinie nodded, clearly uneasy at the thought of what they were about to do. “We need to get the Vor’shai Captain to the Chief. He is more suited to help strategize an offensive against the Avaern than any of our men. His impartiality allows him to include everyone as an equal. Regrettably, I cannot say the same about my husband. We should be focused on killing the beast, not each other.”
Reminded of her earlier question, Neomi let her gaze shift to her friend once again, her curiosity piqued by the praise she gave Callum. “You never did answer me,” she mused. “Your view of the Vor’shai has changed too drastically for this to be a mere revelation. What happened in that chasm?”
Moinie avoided Neomi’s eyes. Her behavior said much without saying a word. Details from their time in the cave played at the corners of Neomi’s mind, the way Moinie had jumped to Callum’s aid when he no longer was able to conceal the severity of his injuries. She had been right there, insistent that she be the one to help. As if guilt plagued her for something she now tried desperately to keep inside. “It is nothing. We should focus on the track.”
“I am not letting this go. Did something happen between you and the Captain? Your sudden favor toward him has me rather concerned.”
“I dislike what you insinuate,” Moinie scowled irritably. “I am a married woman and he is a married man. My opinion of him does not go beyond the respect I would give any of our warriors who displayed bravery in the same fashion, though I have never witnessed one of our men exhibit anything remotely close.”
“Then why won’t you tell me what happened?”
“What do you want me to say, Neomi? The man endured greater injury on account of me. I have never been in a position like that before.”
“Because of you?”
“Yes. I was trying to
get us into the chasm to avoid the Avaern. When the beast reached the village my energy failed and I lost control. Their Captain was beside me. In the moment we started to fall, he grabbed onto me, taking the worst of the impact to cushion the blow I suffered. The other man was behind us, out of our reach. There was nothing to be done for him. But the Captain gave no hesitation in saving me. Without my weight on top of him, he might have been able to absorb more of the fall and walk away with nothing more than a few scratches. I cannot ignore an act like that.” Moinie shook her head, the bite to her tone dissipating with a long sigh. “I think I am starting to see why you find yourself drawn to their culture. Were I not satisfied with my marriage to your brother, it is possible I would find myself attracted to their qualities as well.”
Closing her eyes Neomi tried to push the image of Edric out of her mind. It hurt to think of him. To consider the possibility that he might be in danger because of her naivety. She should have listened to him. Had she known that Moinie suspected Ewei as well, she would have been more inclined to do what Edric asked. Duty otherwise required her to obey the orders she now wished she hadn’t. “Their qualities are admirable. I agree.”
“You know I would approve of the Prince as a match for you if he was Ovatai.”
“Well, he isn’t,” Neomi huffed. She didn’t want to talk about this. Her patience was long since worn on the topic of her relationship with Edric. She was tired of everyone telling her she couldn’t have him. It only made her heart yearn for him more and that was the last thing she needed right now. “Our decision to go after the Vor’shai and make sure they are safely returned to Nahedu is in the best interest of our people. You must be my witness, if it comes into question, that Edric is not my reason for going back. Can I trust you on this?”
“It was my idea as well. If they are going to condemn you, they will have to do the same to me.”
“Good,” Neomi gave a sharp nod, content with her friend’s promise. A flutter in the base of her stomach left her uncomfortable, excited at the prospect of seeing Edric again. She could argue her reasons to be for the good of her people, but she knew better. It was him she wanted to help. To be by his side when they went into battle against the Avaern. She hated the fact that she was obligated to continue onward, away from Isavo, placing more distance between them before she could convince the warriors to follow her back to him. “We should slow our pace. It will cut down on the ground we cover while also allowing the scent of the Avaern to fade sooner. I want to be headed toward Isavo before afternoon. Every minute the Vor’shai are left in the company of Ewei is another minute he could be plotting their demise. He will not be expecting our return. I don’t know about you… but it will bring me great pleasure to see his plans foiled.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 56