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“You want it badly enough that you’d take help from night elves?” Nero asked skeptically.

Basira looked like she was afraid to hope. She glanced up at Farhana, then back at Nero. “Are you offering to help?”

“Yes,” Nero said, to Zara’s surprise. She’d been preparing to have to convince him. “And we have space for you at our camp, as long as you don’t object to a few precautionary measures.”

* * *

When they arrived backat the camp, there was a familiar chorus of objections from the other Varai present. While Nero dealt with the others, Zara gathered food and water for the newcomers.

“I never pictured myself taking up with a group of night elves,” Basira said as Zara handed her a cup. “You’ve brought all kinds of excitement into our lives since you arrived, Zara.”

While Basira looked mostly bemused with the situation and was watching the elves with cautious optimism, Naika watched the Varai with intense suspicion.

“Glaring is not going to help them trust you,” Zara said to her. To her credit, Naika attempted to smooth the tense lines on her face. She took a steadying breath, then tapped her metal collar with one finger. Zara understood what she meant.

“Does it hurt?” Zara asked. She’d heard that for mages or elves—people with an innate connection to magic—wearing a magic-suppressing collar was deeply unpleasant.

Naika tilted her head a little, her mouth tightening.

“Not pain, but something similar?” Zara asked.

Naika nodded solemnly. She looked unhopeful, and Zara could understand why. Even a novice mage was extremely dangerous. It was unlikely that the Varai would trust her enough to free her.

“I will see what I can do,” Zara promised. As an afterthought, she made a sign with both hands pinched together. “Pain,” she said.

Naika slowly repeated the sign, and Zara nodded her approval.

“She understands hand sign?”Devana approached them. Naika stiffened as he stopped in front of them. Farhana inched behind Basira’s legs as she watched him. Devana appeared not to notice.

“She’s trying to learn,”Zara said.

Devana turned to Naika, curious.You understand?he signed. Naika stared at him, her expression hostile.

“She’s just started learning,”Zara clarified.

Devana looked fascinated by the idea of an Ardanian learning hand sign. Slowly and deliberately, he signed,Well met.

Naika hesitated. Then, she slowly signed back,Well met.

Vaara and Crow were the next to approach. “You’re the Witch-Paladin?” Vaara asked.

Naika shrugged. There was no denying it. Even if Nero hadn’t told them, her collar and cloak gave her away.

Vaara arched an eyebrow. “But you killed another Paladin?”

Naika held up two fingers.

“You killed two?” Zara asked. Naika nodded. She must have killed another during her escape from the village.

“So you’re both a Paladin and a traitor to your people,” Vaara said flatly. “Consider me impressed.”

Naika scowled.

“She was their prisoner,” Zara said, inexplicably compelled to defend her. Naika gave her an appreciative look. Crow impatiently elbowed Vaara aside.

“Pay him no mind,” Crow said, and she brushed her hair behind her ears. Zara was surprised to find that her ears were slightly pointed. She was a half-elf. “The Varai don’t trust you, obviously. But they’ve agreed to let you stay if you allow me to use my empathy to take a look inside your heads.”

Zara struggled to hide her shock. Crow was an Ashara elf. Zara had seen plenty of sun elves before, but never an Ashara. Their ability to read and control minds with skin-to-skin touch was well-known and feared. Naika and Basira exchanged a look, equally surprised.