Phillip took his attention from the mist, watching the two of them with suspicion. "What are you talking about?"
Eva didn't answer as she walked toward the mist.
Alarmed, Phillip tried to catch her arm. "What are you doing? Answer me."
"Those people made a bargain with the Whisperer. He's now trying to come here. I have to stop him in a place he can't easily leave."
Phillip frowned in confusion. "Why you?"
Eva didn't answer as she looked over her shoulder at Orion's expectant gaze. "Because I'm the Caller, and this is one of my responsibilities."
Phillip watched her silently for a long moment before he scrubbed a hand down his face in frustration. "Why do I always get stuck with the strange ones?"
Eva paused on the mist's border. "But we're the ones who make things interesting."
Before he could answer, a person tried to push out of the mist.
Eva was ready, laying one hand on the creature's arm. The mist swallowed them in the next second.
When it receded, their surroundings had changed to a vast plain, mountains far in the distance. The tall grass reached to her waist under a violet-tinged sky. Butterflies took to the air, dancing on the wind currents.
It was a place Eva had only ever visited in her dreams. The ancestral lands.
Eva let go of the Neil-shaped monster, allowing him to stumble away as she took in this place. Peace settled in her soul as a Kyren joined her.
"Orion?"
The Neil puppet raised his arms to the sky. "Finally. I found my way back."
It's been a long time.
The Neil puppet went still, his face twisting with ugliness as he spat at Orion. "Kyren."
What do you call yourself these days? Orion asked.
"The Whisperer," Eva said, answering for him.
Rather appropriate, I suppose. Our stories suggest you always were good at luring your victims with promises of greatness. They never realized agreeing would give you a permanent hold over them.
The Whisperer snorted. "Do you think I care what you think? I stand in the seat of your power. When I leave, nothing will stand in my way."
Time has faded your memory. This place will not allow any piece of you to leave. When you die here, you die forever, Orion said.
The Whisperer lifted a shoulder, unaffected. "No matter. My copies can carry out my work in my place."
Eva's heart thumped as he voiced the thing she was worried about. How do you kill something that can separate itself and replicate as needed?
Maybe you could if you hadn't had to recall all those pieces to breach the Caller’s mist so you could follow her to our herd lands. Orion seemed very certain as Eva's gaze darted to him.
The Whisper's jaw tightened. "I suppose you're right, and if you could actually step foot in these lands without her permission, I'd be worried."
The Whisperer leaned down, picking up a rock as Orion held motionless. He straightened and chucked it at the Kyren, smiling as the rock passed through Orion's image and landed on the ground behind him.
The Whisperer smiled. "But you're not really here, because no Kyren can step foot in this place without human intervention. Only those the Caller deems worthy. It's penance for your greed when your kind killed your Caller all those years ago."
The Whisperer's gaze moved to Eva as a dark light filled his eyes.
"I'm going to enjoy hurting you—and there's nothing he can do to help you."
He started for her as Eva crouched, sliding her hand toward the dagger in her boot.
"Another wave is coming from the ridge," a Trateri yelled from Caden's left as riders massed on the high ground.
"I guess they got tired of their ambushes," Van said, riding up beside Caden.
Impatience thrummed in Caden at another delay as he wheeled his horse to face the oncoming threat. "Archers—to the ready."
Van helped Chirron slide to the ground. "Stay to the rear where it's safe."
Chirron gave him a look. "I can take care of myself."
Van's eyebrow lifted slightly. "I remember."
The response drew a small smile from the healer. "Take care of yourself."
"Always." Van straightened, his attention turning to those on the ridge as he pulled his blade from the scabbard on his saddle. His horse danced in place as he sent a look toward Caden. "It's been a while since we fought together."
Caden pulled his sword free with a graceful motion. "See if you can keep up."
All those who could still ride assembled in a line next to them. Spearmen to the front. Archers behind.
They awaited Caden's order as they eyed the opposing army as it began its descent. The riders plunged down the ridge toward them in a huge wave, their lines scattered and disorganized.
Those Trateri next to Caden gripped their weapons, their gazes steely and determined. They were better trained but far outnumbered.
"Lion—we feast," Van roared and pointed at the oncoming riders.
A thunderous cry answered him as a line of his warriors shot forward. Van threw his head back with a howl, a mad laugh leaving him.
"See you on the other side," he shouted at Caden as he and his horse charged the enemy.
Caden controlled Nell's instinct to follow. "Archers—nock arrows."
The spearmen lowered their spears toward the enemy as the archers behind them set arrows to strings.
"Archers—draw."
The sound of bows being drawn came and the air seemed to tremble under the Trateri's anticipation.
"Loose!"
A volley of arrows flew over the heads of Van and his men, the sound of their passage quiet yet oddly loud despite the clamor of the battle.
Bodies fell as arrows found their mark.
"Again," Caden shouted as the men and women around him followed their training, resetting. "Loose."
Another volley followed the first. Then there was no more time as Van's charge got too close to the enemy's ranks.
The two forces collided with an audible crunch.
"Second wave of riders," Caden called, the Trateri already preparing for his command. "Follow me."
Nell surged forward, taking the lead as the spear men broke into a sprint, the rest following in their wake.
The moments passed in a chaotic blur as Caden cut his way through enemy ranks.
Blood flew, his arm eventually growing tired. At one point he found himself on the ground, fighting his way forward.
Finally, he spotted Van in the pandemonium, the Lion Clan leader's face a mask of gore.
"They just keep coming," Van told him.
"Then we'll keep cutting them down."
Caden refused to call a retreat. There was no place to go. If they withdrew now, the enemy would hunt them through these hills, killing them off slowly.
They held here. To the last Trateri if need be.
Van nodded, the knowledge that they might not make it out of here on his face as he shifted his grip on his sword. "What a way to go."
Caden's smile was savage as he killed another.
"Look! Up there!"
The cry was repeated, and the tide of the battle shifted as those around them took note of the sky. Caden looked up, finding several shapes growing rapidly as they arrowed toward the ground.