Page 92 of A Tribute of Fire

“Are you a warrior? A soldier?” Did they have female warriors in Ilion?

Again, a no.

Understanding dawned on me as I realized that the scars were in a row. As if they’d been done methodically. Deliberately.

Suri had done this to herself and she hid it from everyone. That was why she wrapped her arms.

“Oh,” I breathed. “You’re a survivor.”

The unshed tears in her eyes were bright as she nodded. I wished she could tell me who had hurt her so that I could track him down. I decided that every man in Ilion should be shoved into a bonfire.

I took the cloth band and helped wrap it around her arm, tying it off at the end. I could see that it had probably been very difficult for her to do on her own every day, having to use her nondominant hand to tie it shut. “If you ever need help with this again, I would be happy to do it.”

Suri nodded and let her arm drop.

“Do the others know?” I asked.

No.

“I know it isn’t my place to say anything, given that I just got here, but I think you could trust them with this. They wouldn’t judge you. You don’t have to cover up if you don’t want to.”

She pressed her lips together and looked down at the floor. My heart went out to her. Then I heard Demaratus’s voice in my head telling me that they were trying to deceive me, to wear me down in order to get information, lure me in with a false sense of security by befriending me, but that was inane. Why would they? What information did I have that they would want? They had no reason to use me, because as far as they knew, I had nothing to offer them.

“They love you,” I added. That much was obvious—how the four girls had already bonded to each other long before we’d taken vows as a group. “And I can see how much you care about them. I know that you would do anything to protect them.”

Yes. Then she pointed a finger at me, as if questioning whether I would do the same.

My intent yesterday had been to use these girls if necessary to achieve my own ends. Betray them if I had to. But in a single day, everything had completely changed and I wasn’t exactly sure why.

“I already have,” I told her. I had defended Io when Artemisia verbally attacked her, and I would do it again. I would place myself in the line of danger for any member of my adelphia.

Satisfied, she nodded.

“Do you still do it?” I asked.

No.

That was good. I was glad she wasn’t hurting herself any longer.

“I won’t tell anyone unless you give me permission,” I said.

Her face was very expressive and easy to read. Although she didn’t say the words, it was obvious she was grateful.

“I’m here if you want to talk ...” I let my voice trail off as I realized how strange my offer sounded. “Well, I suppose you won’t want to talk things through.”

A slight smile.

“But if you ever want someone to sit with you in silence, I’m here. And if you want someone to jabber at you relentlessly, I can go get Io.”

She rewarded me with a real smile, the first I’d gotten from her since yesterday. It spread, lighting up all of her features.

I had gotten through to her. My plan would have worked. I could have worn them all down, convinced them to trust me, and then discarded them when I no longer needed them.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

Again that feeling that I could trust them crashed into me.

Io entered the room. “Good morning, Suri and Lia! Did you enjoy your tutorial with Maia?”

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