Page 127

BARTERING

WREN

Y esterday had ended on an odd note. After my conversation with Teo, I’d approached Kylabet cautiously and asked her to take me for an audience with her brother. Her mouth had twisted into a knowing smirk, and she’d sighed.

“ Finally. Are you giving up?”

“Giving up?”

“Yes. This whole–” She waves her hand around at me vaguely. “I don’t know. The fighting him thing. It would make the trip back so much easier.”

“Ah. No. I wanted to ask him a favor.”

“A… favor ?” Her face was incredulous. “You have a death wish.” Raising a single brow, she studied me, finally shrugging carelessly. “Well, it’s your life I suppose. I’ll take you tomorrow.”

“We…is he unavailable now?”

“SoulBinder, despite what you may think, I don’t purposefully like getting people killed if I can help it.

So I can take you now if you push the issue, and you can learn how to breathe without a head attached to your body, or you can simply thank me for my unenthusiastic help, and walk away until tomorrow. ”

Her tone was bitingly dry, but for some reason, I had to fight to keep from grinning at her, and to keep my tone level when I answered her.

“As I value the rise and fall of my chest, I thank you for your unenthusiastic help, and I’ll be ready when you call tomorrow.

” I’d caught her just as she was sipping from her flask, and she’d coughed for a good minute at my reply

“I get such little entertainment here, Binder. This should be good,” she snorted, and waved me away.

Today all traces of amusement are absent though, her face stone.

Since the moment she arrived at my tent she has been a taut bowstring; even now, walking across camp, she keeps looking back at me like she wants to speak, but says nothing, so I silently trail her until we are standing in front of a massive tent, bone masked guards on either side.

I can’t help but notice how quickly they straighten as Kylabet approaches the entrance, though they weren’t lax before, now they are nocked arrows.

“He’s inside?” She doesn’t ask; somehow it is a command more than a question. The sentry on the right nods sharply without speaking.

“And?”

The guard on the opposite side glances at her before jerking his face forward again. “I’d risk little today, if I had the option.”

She nods, sighing. “Ever forward, I suppose, though the fields be wet with blood.”

The one who had spoken warns softly, “Careful with your footing, Commander.”

“ Flank Commander. Eyes front as always. No entry after me.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Kylabet snorts, rolling her eyes, then calls to me. “SoulBinder? Come now.”

I step forward, and only a moment later, quickly enough that I feel the rush of air from the movement, the two guards have crossed their long spears across the entrance to the tent, barring anyone else from following. Kylabet is already halfway across the dim tent, and I hurry to follow .

“Brother?”

His face is storm dark as he studies the maps in front of him, and he snaps at her in reply, clearly not wanting to be disturbed.

“ What ?” he bites out without looking up.

She motions to me mockingly, whispering, “Well?”

“I…I have a request,” I begin hesitantly, almost stepping back as his head jerks up in response to my voice.

“Binder.” The word is a purr and a poison all at once.

“What could you possibly have to ask of me. Sincerely. I don’t do kindnesses for demons.

” His jaw clenches, a rippling of muscle, and he glances over my shoulder, dark eyes glinting.

“Sister.” The word is a censure, dripping with disdain and disappointment.

Steady, Little Keeper, Lorcan whispers against my spine. His words belie his actions. He has unbound you, given you a tent, let you have a mount, a full measure of food. He assigned you a servant. The man is torn. Be careful, be cautious. But be brave. His bark is not his bite, I think.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, BloodLetter,” I begin respectfully. His eyes narrow in suspicion at my tone, but I’m not sure how else to approach him. “I…I wanted to thank you for the offer of a–” The word servant sticks in my mouth. “An attendant.”

I wouldn’t say he’s surprised, not exactly, but it’s obviously not what he’s expecting to hear. “Oh. Your gratitude wastes my time. However. You’re welcome.” He nods, waving his hand to dismiss me, already looking back down at his maps.

“But.”

Again his head snaps up. “ But ? BUT? What more do you need, Binder?” Kylabet groans under her breath and shifts on her feet, her hand drifting to the weapon at her waist.

“There is rain coming again tonight.” I can’t hide the slight tremble in my voice; he cocks his head instantly, curiosity riding him like a hunter seeing unexpected weakness in his prey.

“Yes?”

“Rain where I am from is not…I am not used to it yet.” Pullingl one of my braids over my shoulder, I play with the ties on it.

Brave, Wren. You are not a child. Lorcan chides gently .

Straightening, I drop the hair and take a deep breath. “I would like Ellie to be allowed to be in my tent with me. I’m…uncomfortable…allowing someone I feel responsible for to stay outside in harsh weather.”

Kylabet shifts again behind me, clearly surprised.

“Ellie?” Axton asks, and Kylabet murmurs a response.

“Her servant. The Fifth Tier.”

“I’m sorry, you’re…what…requesting permission to have a…a servant stay in your lodgings? With you?”

I nod firmly. “Yes. I won’t be able to sleep if I think she’s out in the rains.”

“To be clear. You want a Fifth Tier to share your shelter.”

“Yes.” There’s a long pause, long enough that I wondered what lines I’d actually crossed by asking.

“Granted.” His tone is odd; it’s clear he’s trying to make it harsh, impatient, but it comes out more perplexed than angry. “Kylabet. See to it.”

“Please,” she replies sarcastically but so quietly if I hadn’t been a toe’s length from her I’d never have heard it. “And thank you so much, sister.”

But Axton’s attention is back on the table, and she says nothing else to me as she turns to leave the room.

I don’t move to follow, however, wondering how far I can push things before they fall off a cliff’s edge.

I can see in his body the moment he realizes I haven’t moved away, the sinew forearms flexing, long fingers pressing white against the table, and he breathes deeply before slowly raising his dark gaze back up to meet my own.

“Yes?” The single word holds so much caution and bite I have to force myself to respond without shaking.

“Um.”

Um, Wren? Little Keeper. For the love of Sky and Earth.

If Lorcan could bury his face in his hands, it is obvious that he would.

“ Yes? ” He asks again, and it is very, very clear that I am treading on thin ground, but I don’t anticipate getting to have an audience again anytime soon.

“There are two more requests,” I manage to say, somehow keeping my voice placid despite the chaos churning in my stomach, and his eyes widen in surprise.

“ Two more requests, Binder? Do you think yourself a welcome guest here? Poisoned blood. You are a breath away from being bound and gagged, and you’re asking for favors!

” His astonishment would be amusing if it weren’t also laced with such violence.

“I can’t wait to hear, Demon. Please. Enlighten me. ”

“Ah. First, I’d like to know if I can purchase extra rations.”

“Are yours not satisfactory? You came to us looking like a skeleton. I’m sure they’re more than enough. Has your brief time with us made you greedy?”

“I would feel…it’s not right that—” My voice wavers slightly, just the shimmer of heat on a long road, but the bones on my spine nip into my skin.

Calmly Lorcan warns, and I clear my throat before trying again. “Having the…generous amount allotted to me, when there is another who does not share my abundance, would be—” I trail off, unable to figure out the correct words.

Axton looks perplexed.

“I’m– are you speaking of buying rations for the Fifth Tier , Binder?” Kylabet's words are slow, as though the thought is so foreign to her that even voicing it seems impossible.

“Yes.”

Axton stares at me, unblinking, not bothering to look at his sister. “You want to buy extra rations for your Fifth Tier. That you’ve just met.” The flatness in his tone should be an omen, but it’s a prod instead, electric along my skin like lightning from the Storms.

“Yes,” I say again, this time with teeth in my answer.

“With what?” It’s dismissive, and direct. It’s clear what he means — I have nothing of value, I am nothing of value. But I ignore the barb and pour a few little stones from my pouch into my hand, holding them out in front of him.

“I’ll trade. One for extra rations for the whole of the trip.

And…an d…” His eyes are fixed on the little, shining pile in my hand, so he does not see Kylabet step close behind me, voice so low that were she not almost at my ear I would not have heard her.

“And a second set of traveling clothes,” I finish firmly at her near silent prompt.

“And the second request?” he asks, still staring at the stones.

“I don’t know how to act correctly here, with your people, and it’s frustrating.

I constantly misstep without intent, wound without knowledge.

” Finally, he looks back at my face. I meet his eyes directly, clearly making him uncomfortable.

“If I cut with a blade, BloodLetter, I like it to be a purposeful strike. I wonder if I might have a tutor of sorts, to teach me whatever you would approve for me to know. Nothing more — I am not looking for secrets or stories. Just enough to navigate so my only offenses are intentional.”

His lips curl up before he can stop them, and then press into a thin line, as though he’s angry at himself for the small display of emotion.

“I’ll think on it. Surprisingly, it’s not an entirely stupid request. Perhaps Kyla?—”