Her grandmother had never discussed it with her, but Ava had the impression that it was something only shared with those she trusted.
But her father’s view had been that none were to be trusted. Friends fell out, lovers betrayed you, and when it came to power, all could be bought, for a price.
Her father had said more than once she must never talk about her magic when they were in Kassia, as she would be taken by the Queen and never seen again if her family’s abilities were known.
That was the Kassian way, perhaps. To fear those whose power you didn’t understand.
It had certainly been the case with the Cervantes.
They were such fierce, amazing warriors, the Kassian had taken their children and tried to raise them as a dedicated army for the Kassian cause.
And coming toward her, his body moving in a way she still believed had its own power and magic, was the reason that plan had failed for the Kassian.
Her heart’s choice, a Cervantes warrior from a Chosen camp who had snuck over to the Venyatux army on the eve of battle for the Kassian, made a deal, and then, the following day on the battle field, had turned on his masters, safe in the knowledge the Venyatux would not attack.
The Turncoat King.
“There you are.” Luc smiled at her.
She let his smile warm her, and slid her arm around his waist. “You and the general all finished?”
He shook his head, but he steered her back toward his tent anyway. “The lieutenants are doing some work in there, but we can reclaim it for ourselves.”
“Would you like to come to my side?” she asked. She would just have to sleep lightly, and listen out for someone calling for him, if he was needed.
“I’m expecting reports through the night. The Kassian scouts are venturing closer and closer, and it will be better if I’m in the main tent. Do you mind?”
She did, a little, but she shook her head.
She steeled herself for unfriendly looks from Massi as they returned to the tent, but she was simply ignored, which suited her fine.
Dak made an effort to be pleasant, and Revek was nowhere in sight.
It was a better end to the situation than she’d feared earlier.
The Venyatux lieutenants were much more interested in her, though. She mainly dealt with their colleagues, Raun-Tu and Heival, who gave her her orders each day, and she was sure she would be the topic of conversation the next time all four lieutenants got together.
She left Luc talking to them and disappeared behind the curtain to find a big bed of straw with thick covers, a wooden trunk and nothing else.
Her lover traveled light for the commander of a rebel army.
She wondered whether they had been allowed any possessions in the camps, and thought probably not.
She took off her cloak and boots, settled onto the bed and began casting on her yarn.
She already knew Luc’s dimensions from the shirt she’d made him, and she was happily a few rows in, thinking about the pattern she would weave with the cable tool, when the talk ended in goodbyes and plans to meet the following morning.
She would have to make sure to be out and doing something else.
She looked up when Luc stepped behind the curtain. He raised a brow at her, curled up against the pillows, knitting in hand.
She grinned, put the knitting down, and crooked her finger.
He walked closer slowly, and she watched him through lowered lashes.
“Alone at last?” she asked.
“Alone at last.” His voice was slightly rough. “You’re finally where you were meant to be two months ago.” He crouched beside her.
“I can’t regret going home. And I put plans in place . . .” She hesitated, unsure how much to admit about her plans of vengeance.
“Plans against the Queen’s Herald?”
She nodded. “Plans that will likely get him killed by the Queen’s own hand, rather than my own.” She worried her lip. “Is that cowardly of me? I probably won’t be there when it happens.”
“And how will you get the Queen to kill her own nephew?” He sat back on his heels.
“By making him admit he has plotted against her.” There were so many variables. She may not have gotten it right, but even at its least effective, her plan would do some damage.
“And how will you do that?” He had hold of her arms, his gaze on the place where her neck met her shoulder, and she couldn’t resist tilting her head to give him access.
He brought his lips down as she whispered: “I plan to use his own vanity and insecurities to get him to confess.” She swallowed as she felt the edge of his teeth.
“Perhaps you can tell me how another time.”
“Another time,” she agreed, and arched back against the pillows. And decided she needed to stitch a working into the curtain between the bed and the main tent that muted all sound.
Chapter 13
“You probably don’t have to do scout duty anymore.” Deni glanced back at her as they rode toward the head of the column.
The rising sun was in her eyes, and Ava had to shield them to return his gaze. “What should I do instead?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Wander around making friends with the Rising Wave.”
She laughed. “You heard that part of the bargain, did you?”
“I asked the general for the details of your agreement. I don’t think she told me everything, but she did say you were to be a liaison.” He slowed to let her catch up, and they broke free of the front wagons and sped up as the plain opened in front of them.
“I can only be a good liaison if I’m respected, and wandering around chatting to people all day would not accomplish that.”
“True.” Deni lifted up on his saddle and hailed the small group of riders coming toward them. “What news?”
The leader of the scout party they were relieving pulled up her horse and it danced beneath her, knowing full well a meal and water lay up ahead. “Same as yesterday. We saw four parties, and usually we’re lucky to see one. And they were much closer. We could hear them shouting something one time, but when we moved toward them they rode away.”
“So it’s likely they’re trying to collect information. They aren’t looking to attack.” Deni had to move his horse out of the way of the scout’s twitchy mount.
The woman nodded her head. “They didn’t even point an arrow in our direction.” She finally gave her horse its head, and the group of three galloped away, one of them whooping as they went.
“Are we coordinating with the Rising Wave?” Ava asked as they began to trot forward.
“They’re taking the west side of the combined army, we’re checking the east side.” He looked over at her, as if he wanted to ask something, but then shook his head, and they rode in companionable silence, heading toward the low scrub and trees.
“Why do we get the bushes, and the Rising Wave gets the open plain?” Ava asked. The section they were covering was a strip of tangled brambles, bushes and low trees. She couldn’t tell how deep the vegetation went, but it looked almost impassable.
“Do you see that?” Deni pointed, and she caught a glimpse of a horse before it disappeared among the gold and orange leaves.
They slowed, and then came to a stop just before the vegetation became more dense.