Every night they camped, Zezili lay awake in her tent, listening to the squeal and cry and crackle of the camp all around her. She waited for a letter.

Finally, as they camped outside Janifa, the letter came.

Zezili broke the royal seal on the purple envelope and read:

Dearest Zezili,

I am well aware of our friends’ intentions. You will do all they ask and more.

With all sincerity,

Empress Casanlyn Aurnaisa of Dorinah, Eye of Rhea, Rhea’s Regent, Lord of the Seven Isles.

Zezili burned the letter.

The next day, she slaughtered six hundred little dajians so sick and starved, they could barely raise their hands. The Empress had stopped sending out rations to the camp. If Zezili did not kill them, they would starve anyway.

Zezili spent that night getting drunk at a mardana two miles away. She stumbled back into the bar area after vomiting for the second time to see Jasoi waiting for her at her card table, looking nervous among so many half-clothed young men.

“What you want?” Zezili slurred.

“Syre Zezili,” Jasoi said, bowing her head stiffly. “I have news from your house.”

“My house?” Zezili said, and moved away from the table. She took Jasoi to a darker corner of the room where the tables were empty. “What’s happened?”

Jasoi pulled a leather wrap from her coat, unfolded it, and produced a wax-sealed letter. Syre Zezili was written in Daolyn’s neat hand, and it was sealed with Zezili’s house seal.

“Why you rush this?” Zezili slurred as she opened the letter.

“Monshara said to give it to you right away,” Jasoi said. “Any news from your house must be urgent, she said.”

Zezili read the letter. Muttered an oath.

“I must go,” Zezili said. “Jasoi, you’ll have to take First. Tell Monshara… I had to go. Emergency at my house.”

“Your house is a week away,” Jasoi said. “You aren’t leaving the legion to–”

Zezili said, “Can make it in four days on my own. Have to go.” Zezili hurried outside into the cool air, trying to will herself to sober up.

As she mounted her dog, she glanced once more at Daolyn’s letter before bunching it up in her fist and stuffing it into her coat:

Tanasai Laosina is dead. Your husband is missing. You must come home immediately.

Chapter 28

28

The yellow eye of the filthy, feathered black raptor blotted out Lilia’s vision. Lilia huffed out a sound of distress. Pain rocked her anew. She’d only closed her eyes a moment, just a moment… The feathered raptor hopped back and flexed the claws at the ends of its winged arms. It opened its hooked beak and hissed at her. The wormy red tongue lashed out. Smacked her cheek.