Anastacia took his hands in hers. Josiri stared away to the east, to the redoubts. No longer bastions of war, they served as prisons. The remaining Hadari had limped away behind the eastern hills, watched by a sentry line of wayfarers and the sleepless malice of Jesver Merrik’s band.

“Don’t wish away what you’ve achieved,” rumbled a new voice.

Josiri turned. Viktor Akadra stood a short distance away. One bandaged hand led a horse’s bridle. His other cast about the campfires, and the weary men and women who hunched near to the flames. At the closest, voices lifted in the strains of “Seca’s Lament”, the dour notes hastened along by a fiddle’s rasp. Bottles clinked. Wolf-cloaks and king’s blue around the same fire. Fancy that.

“They’re alive by your actions,” Akadra continued. “Don’t dishonour that.”

“Right now, all I care about is my sister,” Josiri replied. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Then you’re a fool.” Akadra’s bruised face twisted, as one who knew he’d overstepped. “I don’t blame you for feeling as a man, but you and I must be more than men. Especially now. We have to lead.”

Josiri felt his cheeks colour. “If that’s so, why are you sneaking off?”

“Because you’re not the only one who fears for your sister’s safety.”

For all his effort, Josiri found no glibness in the other’s tone, nor deception in his expression. Their lack irritated as much as their presence would have annoyed. “If you cared as much as you’d have me believe, you’d have been out there these past hours.”

Akadra’s eyes tightened. “As I said, I’ve had to lead. Lavirn is dead. So is Masnar. My list of subordinates runs thin. But you’ve returned, and so I’m free to be a man once more. In my absence, I’ve made it known that you are to be treated with the same respect owed to me. Rise to the challenge.”

Josiri winced at the rebuke. Shame coursed hot through his veins. So much had changed, and yet he’d fallen back into old patterns almost at once.

“Lord Akadra . . . Viktor . . .” The other halted in the act of clambering into his saddle. Josiri pressed on before the courage to do so failed completely. “Do you think that we could begin again, you and I?”

“The past is not for changing, not if we’re to learn from it.” The dark features broke into a broad smile. “But in the future, perhaps we could both think better of one another.”

He extended a hand. Josiri hesitated. Even now, Akadra sought equality. Only this time, it was of blame – a blame Josiri was certain was all his own. How had he misjudged this man so badly? Calenne had been right. Their mother’s legacy coloured everything.

Calenne . . .

He took Viktor’s hand. “We can surely try.”