Page 48 of Frost Like Night
“Only after we defeat Angra,” Ceridwen cut in, finding her voice again. “And we will need your help for that. We will need soldiers to sneak into Juli, but we will also need some to stay behind and guard the camp.”
Her levelheadedness made the soldier cock a surprised look at her. Finally he lifted his queen’s seal and pointed it at her. “I command my soldiers, but . . .” He gulped in a breath and blew it out with a quick shake of his head. “I will follow your lead.”
“I—” Ceridwen stammered, blinked. “Thank you. My leaders and I will be meeting shortly, to discuss our strategy. In the Summerian section of camp.” She hesitated, notable to believe she was actually saying this. “Join us.”
The soldier touched his fist to his forehead in a show of acknowledgment before turning back to his men, who gathered around him with whispered questions.
This was not at all how she had expected this meeting to go—she’d thought it would take days to convince them. Notminutes.
But they had the Yakimians’ support. They would finalize their attack, and then they’d go to Juli.
Home,a small place inside Ceridwen whispered.
She stepped closer to Jesse.
He instantly stiffened. “I know I promised I wouldn’t speak—”
“Thank you,” she said.
Jesse smiled, puncturing dimples into his cheeks. “I told you”—he put his hand on her arm—“I owe you this. You deserve someone who will fight for you.” He hung there, his thumb rubbing circles on her bare shoulder. “I . . . ,” he started again, seemed to think better of it, and straightened. “I should check on my children now.”
He bowed his head but kept his eyes heavily, intently on hers.
She managed a feeble nod in return before he eased away, down one of the many roads that snaked through the camp.
“Well, damn.” Lekan bumped her with his shoulder. “Was he always that sexy?”
Ceridwen smiled but knew he’d catch the rise of scarlet creeping up her cheeks. “Come on. We have soldiers to assemble.”
Lekan smirked. “There’s time. You know. If you need some time.”
“Lekan.”
“I’m just saying,I’dcertainly want some time if Kaleo had just swept in and prevented a coup on my behalf.”
“Lekan.”
“All right.” His smirk wilted as Ceridwen headed into camp and he kept pace alongside her. “But we do have time now, Cerie. And we might not always have time.”
She had told herself that already, but fear had kept her from acting. Fear always kept her from acting. Jesse’s performance, though, had somehow thoroughly dissolved her fear, in ways that made her feel like a silly little girl. One act of bravery, and she was ready to throw herself at him?
But she could only afford to live in a world of wants, not needs.
For the first time in she couldn’t remember how long, she hooked her arm through Lekan’s as they walked through camp and smiled. Really smiled.
Until Kaleo came racing up the road, his face red with exertion.
Ceridwen’s chest pulsed with a mix of panic and readiness. An attack? Angra?
Lekan intercepted him. “What happened?”
“There’s something you need to see,” Kaleo panted, hands on his knees. He peeked up at Ceridwen, mouth agape. “Or, well, people.”
Ceridwen’s panic receded into hope. “Meira?”
“Almost.” Kaleo straightened. “Winterians.Lotsof Winterians.”
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