Page 12

“The Jatan have invaded the north west.” Luc’s words were quiet.

They should have anticipated that, she supposed. With the Kassians no longer there to hold them back, the Jatan would have no reason to stay on their side of the border.

“Should I send a missive to their leaders, demanding they retreat?”

Luc look up in surprise at that. “Do you think that will work?”

She lifted her shoulders. “I’ve met a few Jatan when I traveled with my parents on their trade missions. They’re not unreasonable. I’ve even been to Jatan once before and while I assume a strongly worded letter won’t stop them, it will set out our position, and let them know we intend to defend our borders. It may slow them down.”

“They may have assumed a Cervantes, Funabi and Venyatux alliance would have no interest in the land on the Kassian side of the Jatan border. Writing to let them know we do object may well give them pause.” General Ru gave a slow nod. “It’s better to do it than not.”

“Write it, then.” Luc’s mouth formed a grim line. “And I’ll take it with me when I ride north.”

“You’re going up to the border?” Her stomach sank, and she found herself suddenly short of breath. “Is it that bad?”

When Luc’s gaze met hers, she saw that yes, it was that bad.

“My scout saw some of them turn, headed for Cervantes,” he said. “And there is no one in my homeland to stop them. Every soldier is here in Fernwell.”

A spike of fury rose in her.

How dare the Jatan? How dare they use the sacrifices of the Cervantes to advance themselves?

She pushed back her shoulders. “I will come with you, and I will make them regret it.”

Before Luc could respond to her, Raun-Tu tapped on the door and leaned in.

“Grimwaldians.” His voice seemed to come from far away.

The general turned, giving a nod to her lieutenant and stepping out of the circle. “Where are they?”

“I’ve put them in the waiting room to the side of the throne room.” He withdrew.

Ava stepped out of the circle herself and bent to pick up the braided rope. It bothered her that Raun-Tu had poked his head into the room while they were using it.

The big lieutenant was used to constant access to the general, and also to the more informal set-up of the Rising Wave camp, where tents were the only structures.

Still . . .

“What does Raun-Tu know about the rope of silence?” she asked as she slid it back into the drawer. Then felt stupid calling her thin, woven length of thread something as portentous as the rope of silence.

General Ru gave Ava her full attention. “Good name,” she said. “He knows nothing. But if he does notice it, or if I need to use it in his presence, I’ll say it was left behind by the Grimwaldians who tried to capture you. He already knows about the binding ropes that weaken a body that I kept from that incident, and that there was a strange silence for some of the time during which they tried to drag you away.”

Luc touched her shoulder, and she realised how stiff she was.

She forced herself to relax. “I suppose that’s the best we can do.”

“He’s my lieutenant, Ava.” General Ru lifted her shoulders.

What she meant was, she needed to use it, and Raun-Tu would eventually see it. It was what it was.

The leader of the Venyatux army was a pragmatist, Ava knew. And she used everything she had around her to maximum advantage.

Ava had made the rope only two days ago. The general had started using it immediately.

She had only herself to blame.

She sighed.