“More than a little. She’s just a baby.” Liv smirked, flashing big square teeth. Her light brown hair resembled a fine fuzz and had been clipped so short the hair couldn’t lie flat.
Liv noticed the direction of my gaze. She ran a hand over her head. “Lice. If you manage to get sent out on missions, you’ll be shaving your head, too. Long hair’s a bitch to take care of when you’re a real soldier.”
“You haven’t been promoted from a grunt.” Wynn pointed to my face. “Too pale.”
Resigned to the interrogation, I pushed up on one elbow. “You don’t have any people from the northern realms here?”
“We do. But we’ve been training outside for months.” She pulled her collar down and showed an impressive tan line, visible even in the soft lantern light. “So what’s your story, Baby Face?”
“Just what Lieutenant Thea said, I’ve been assigned to train—”
“Yeah, yeah.” Liv waved a hand. “Who cares about that? Not us. You show up from nowhere with this uncanny skill. There has to be a reason.”
I considered my options. These two seemed to have adopted the whole hardened-soldier persona. But was it all swagger or a true indication of their characters?
“I came down here to see a bit of action,” I said.
They snorted in amusement.
“She’s cute when she’s trying to be tough,” Wynn said.
“You’re going to see more than a bit, Baby Face,” Liv said. “There’s more to being a sergeant than sneaking around the woods. Think you can handle it?”
“Yes.” No sense selling myself short.
Wynn’s demeanor turned speculative. “That’s rather bold.”
“Yes.”
Liv and Wynn exchanged a glance.
“She’s training the jacks tomorrow,” Liv said to her friend. “If that doesn’t send her away, nothing will.”
“Oh, yeah.” Suddenly in a good mood, Wynn slapped my shoulder. “Good luck with that.” She strode from the tent.
Liv followed her but glanced back when she reached the flap. “Come on, Baby Face. It’s time for the sergeant’s fire.”
We first headed to the mess tent for supper. It was noisy and hot under the canvas. Many of the soldiers sat at long wooden tables, but a few had settled on the ground. While waiting in line, I searched for an empty spot and found none.
After filling our trays, Liv and Wynn led me back outside.
“Those guys are pigs,” Wynn said. “They’ve lost their table manners during the plague years.”
“And they stink, too,” Liv added. “After sweating all day in the hot sun, they’re not going to waste time bathing when they have to do it all again tomorrow.”
“They’ll only clean up when ordered,” Wynn said in disgust.
Before we reached one of the many campfires scattered over the fields, Liv turned to me. “That’s the sergeant’s fire. We eat, talk, gossip, discuss strategy and discipline. But no matter what the topic is, what we discuss at the fire stays at the fire. Understand?”
“Yes.”
The three other sergeants—Ursan, Saul and Odd—had already settled down with their meals. When we approached, conversation ceased. They kept their impassive expressions as I sat next to Liv and Wynn to eat my supper.
Conversation eventually resumed. The bland food was of the standard meat-and-potatoes variety. At least it was warm. I listened to the comfortable banter. It sounded as though the five of them had been working together for a while. A pang of longing touched me.
I missed my guys. Missed the monkeys arguing. Missed Belen’s teasing. Missed Flea’s lopsided grins most of all. He shouldn’t have died. Sudden fury welled, and I realized that it might be near impossible for me not to strangle Jael when I saw her again. She had tried to kill all of us, but only succeeded in taking Flea’s life.
When the topic turned to the patrols disappearing in Vyg, I paid closer attention.
“Tohon’s protecting something in sector five. We need to send more scouts,” Odd said.
“We will, once Belen returns from sweeping Vyg’s southern border,” Liv said.
“But that’ll take weeks!” Odd tossed another log onto the blaze. Bright orange sparks leapt into the air.
Ursan gave me a contemplative look after Odd’s comment. “It’s vital we keep Tohon out of the southern realms,” Liv said.
“Why?” Odd asked.
“So we’re not battling him on two fronts, you idiot!”
“What’s Tohon waiting for?” Wynn asked. “He’s amassed an army in western Vyg and has control of Kaisma, but so far has only sent patrols farther north and east.”
A good question. And no one offered an answer. Why would he wait? The weather was favorable. If he hurried, he could strike before Ryne arrived. Unless he wanted Ryne and Estrid to team up. Tohon never lacked for confidence. He might be planning to eliminate them both in one massive sweep.
Or, he might be creating more dead soldiers. They probably needed time to train. Perhaps that mystery drug was grown in Vyg.
“What’s in sector five?” I asked the group.
“We don’t know,” Liv said. “Haven’t you—”
“I meant, what part of Vyg is in that sector? Are there towns? Forests? Any natural resources like a quarry?”
“Oh.” Liv glanced around. “It’s north of the center of Vyg. Near the Nine Mountains.”
“The area is forested,” Ursan said. “But there are a number of abandoned mining towns up there.”
“There’s your answer,” I said. “He’s protecting one of those mining operations. Probably ore so he can manufacture more weapons.”
“The Nine Mountains are full of ore,” Ursan said. “It would be smarter and safer for him to mine behind his lines in Sogra.”
“Plus he has control of Lyady Realm,” Odd said. “And has captured the president’s daughter to ensure their cooperation. Lyady’s steel mills are still in operation as far as I know.”
He had a point. I considered. “What else is mined in that area besides ore?”
Odd said, “The arms merchant in town claims his weapons are crafted from the liquid metal found at the bottom of the Nine Mountains. He mentioned there’s a shaft in Vyg that goes deep under the mountains.”
His comment caused a riot of laughter.
“You were conned,” Saul said. It was the first time he’d spoken since I’d arrived. He appeared to be the type of person who was content to just listen.
I would have agreed with Saul, but Odd’s statement triggered a memory. Kerrick had purchased my stiletto and throwing knives from a merchant in Zabin. Probably the same one, since he’d claimed my weapons had been crafted from liquid metal, as well. And Kerrick had nodded as if it meant something to him. Perhaps I should pay the merchant a visit when I had some free time.
Tohon’s hand stroked my back, igniting a trail of fire along my skin. His other arm wrapped around my waist, trapping me against him.
“Do you really believe teaching your little trick can defeat my army, my dear?” His throaty chuckle vibrated in my chest.
I tried to squirm free, but his magic flooded my senses.