Page 11 of Winds of Destiny

Especially once I convince Turo to stay with me in Huridell.

Chapter Seven

Turo

A day ago, if anyone had told me I would spend this morning hosting a troop of Dellians for breakfast in the guards’ training courtyard, I’d have laughed and told them they’d eaten too many dreamfish. Now that I’m here, I’m not sure that dreaming all this isn’t the better alternative, at least for me.

I’m exhausted from yesterday, and from spending most of the night praying to the city god for Doric’s soul to find safety within his waters. I’m angry at the very thought of being separated from Cam, especially after losing the only other person in all Zephyth I’ve ever really cared for. I’m heartsick to know that these men are the ones who will take Cam from me, that I’ll have to watch himmarryone of them in their prince’s stead, and that there’s nothing I can do about it.

But I’m a professional, and I know my duty. Without Cam or his sister here, I’m the official representative of the king. I won’t shame him by doing anything less than my best, and that includes being polite when I would rather drive my fist into this oversize man’s smug, handsome face.

They want wine with breakfast.

Wine.

Withbreakfast.

I have it brought, but judging from the way they’re draining their goblets with little to show for it, it might as well be water.

“You seem pensive this morning, Lord Turo.” Kai, their commander, speaks up from his spot at the head of the table. He’s the most talkative of the group by far, probably an effect of his rank and training. The others clearly follow his lead.

I’m devoting most of my attention to him accordingly. He keeps his people in line, and I keep him in line. I have to make sure he’ll be able to do his job well enough. It’s one thing to protect his men on the dangerous roads between cities, but quite another to protectCam.

I can’t remember the everwinds—I can’t even imagine winds heavy and steady enough to carve waves into the earth, the enormous ruts that roll across the landscape. The older folks speak of them as hard to navigate, slowing commerce to a literal crawl on the backs of whelvers. But at least the everwinds kept bandits and thieves from plaguing the roads like they do now. Most importantly, it made the cities choose to cooperate and trade with each other, instead of looking toward conquest and power like they’ve been doing in recent times.

Kai seems well today. Not tired, not perturbed by yesterday’s violence, more curious about where he is and what’s to come. He and his men are without their heavy metal armor—made from solid sections of bronze shaped to their torsos and limbs—that either costs a stupid amount or is much easier to come by in Huridell.

Not wearing their armor doesn’t diminish their size by much. Dellians are strong, tall, and as wide as the mountains they live in. The shortest one is still a few inches taller than me, probably as tall as Cam. Kai is at least half a head taller than that, and his shoulders are wide enough that he has to turn a little going through most of the doors.

He’s wearing leather pants and a dark-blue shirt embroidered with ram horns in bronze thread. If Cam were here and feeling less threatened by the situation, he would almost certainly be licking his lips. From a certain angle, I can almost see the appeal.

Almost.

“A bit preoccupied is all,” I say to explain away my staring. “I apologize.”

“There’s no need. You did far more yesterday than any of us, after all. I’m ashamed that between us we only killed two of the attackers.” He takes a polite sip from the goblet, in contrast to how his men have been guzzling from theirs, then cuts into a sausage.

“Killing them wasn’t your job,” I point out.

“It wasn’t yours, either, from the sound of things.” He sets his goblet aside and spears me with a piercing gaze. “It’s the city’s guards that make me concerned. They were quickly overwhelmed.”

Ah, now we’re getting into it. He’s fishing for information about Zephyth’s readiness. That suits me fine; I’ll fish right back. “Surprises do that to people.”

“But it’s their job to be prepared, isn’t it? Not surprised when their own leading diplomat returns from a mission.”

“Lord Doric’s mission was of the utmost secrecy,” I say, not bothering to comment on his true role at court. Or mine. “It wasn’t uncommon for him to be gone for months at a time. No one other than the king had any reason to expect him back just then.”

“Still. It doesn’t speak particularly well of your men.”Or their commanders, I’m sure he’s thinking.

I shrug. “Zephyth has never had a strong warrior culture. Anyone marrying into it ought to know that much.”Does Eleas?“Personally, I’m surprised your prince didn’t send a larger honor guard. Is he so convinced of your superiority as fighters that he thought you’d be able to handle any attack all on your own?”

Don’t throw stones at our readiness when you’re the one who was stuck hiding behind a wagon while Cam and I saved your asses.

Kai inclines his head, acknowledging the point. “Our leadership underestimated the trouble on the plains, it seems. It won’t happen again.”

We won’t risk your precious prince.

“If you’re worried about our fighting ability, perhaps you’d agree to a spar,” he continues, pivoting smoothly. “I know you’re an excellent archer, but I’d love to test your swordsmanship.”

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