Page 99 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

She entered her yurt. “Did it surprise you?”

“Yes. My whole focus was on protecting my people. It didn’t occur to me there might be a better way.” He studied her. “I’m glad there is.”

“Me too.” She strapped her sabre to her belt and then retrieved her quiver of arrows and her bow. “Do you want to find Mengu?”

“I’d like to watch you teach.”

His presence would be a distraction, but she could deal with it. “This way.”

Across the camp, the group of women Shuree had taught last time had grown. Amar and Gan wandered over with a couple of their friends.

“Are you trying to get all the women to take on men’s roles now, Shuree?” Gan ran a hand over his bald head and then adjusted the sabre at his waist.

Engaging him would only rile him further, so she ignored him.

“We’ll continue with shooting today,” she said. “The bow maker is making you all your own bows, but these are built for men, so they may be a little tricky to draw back initially.” She demonstrated how to hold the bow and notch the arrow. “Sight the target and pull back.” She released her arrow and hit the bullseye.

They had three targets to work with, so the women lined up and took turns. Shuree monitored their grip and aim, correcting their position, offering suggestions for improvements. Some couldn’t pull the arrow back far enough so it had enough speed to hit the target, and some of the women’s aim was off.

Gan laughed and plucked some grass off his dark tunic. “They’re terrifying. I’m shaking in my boots.” His sarcasm was clear and Badma flinched.

“Ignore him,” Shuree said as she corrected her friend’s elbow. “You will improve.”

Dagar stepped forward. “May I help teach? You can’t correct everyone at once.”

She smiled. “That would be great. Thank you.” She stepped back so he could help Badma and went to the next woman.

“What’s he doing?” Gan exclaimed.

“Helping,” Shuree replied. “Which is what you could do rather than stand there being insulting.”

“You’ve turned into one of them, haven’t you?” Gan demanded. “A couple of nights in the Erseg tribe and now you think they’re better. Did you hump all of them or just him?”

Amar leapt to his feet, fury on his face and Dagar spun around, his fists clenched.

Shuree held up a hand to stop them from responding and stalked over to Gan. “I’ve had enough of your attitude. Give me your sabre.”

The man glared at her.

“I am your khan and you will obey me.”

He glanced around as if looking for support and found none. Slowly he undid his sabre belt and handed it to her.

“Now you can help the children gather horse dung for the fires.” At the look of absolute outrage on his face, she continued, “When you stop acting like a child, I’ll stop treating you like one. Now go. I want to see what you have gathered when I finish here.”

She waited, heart racing, until he shifted and then strode away, muttering curses under his breath. She exhaled quietly and then turned back to the woman she’d been helping. “Shall we continue?”

* * *

Later that afternoonShuree left Dagar talking with their horse master. She wasn’t sure how much Dagar could tell him about why the Erseg horses were so much stronger and faster, but she liked that he tried.

She needed to find Amar and speak to him about Gan. Vachir intercepted her, concern covering his face.

“Gan has been trying to convince the warriors that Amar would make a better khan.”

She sighed. “Are many listening?”

“Mostly his friends. Some tell him to be patient because they don’t believe you’ll return from the khan gathering alive.”

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