Lilla finally pulled away enough that Tayan could look at him properly. He was thinner, a little, and there were fine lines around his eyes and lips, where they’d been too tight for too long. But the same smoky intensity burnt in him, the same deep love of land and gods and home. No new scars that he could see … No, that wasn’t right. A long, ugly slash in his forearm that Tayan spotted as Lilla gently brushed his hair behind his ear. He seized the hand and examined the wound. It was fresh but clean. Tayan met his gaze. ‘What are you doing so far south?’ he asked, reluctant to lose the moment but determined to understand.

Lilla sensed the shift and lost a little of the light in him. Immediately, Tayan wanted it back and cursed himself for speaking.

‘Our war party’s destroyed three pyramids so far and freed, sort of, five hundred slaves. That’s a bit complicated, though. We’re—’

‘War party?’ Tayan shrugged out of Lilla’s grip, his skin prickling warning and their reunion firmly behind them. ‘We’re at war now? In the Wet? What were you thinking?’ He grabbed his husband’s hand and dragged him towards the cluster of gathering warriors further down the trail. ‘Tell me.’

‘We offered Malel a sacrifice,’ Lilla said. Tayan blinked. Of all the reasons, he hadn’t expected that one. ‘We offered and Malel accepted and told us to push forward, to reclaim Yalotlan and free the slaves and smash the pyramids. I wanted to wait until we thought the peace-weaving would have concluded, to keep you safe, but …’ Lilla spread his hands helplessly. ‘The goddess spoke. And it’s not open war; we’re not engaging with the Melody. We’re freeing slaves. Breaking the pyramids means the land can’t be claimed by song. We needed to retake as much as possible in case the peace-weaving stipulated the Empire could keep what it had captured. The Yaloh would accept nothing less.’

Lilla’s tone was flat with the last words, but Tayan saw the way Kux glared.

They were all staring at him expectantly. ‘The peace-weaving?’ the Yalotl demanded, her fingers tight around her spear.

It was like trying to swallow past a stone in his throat. ‘Betsu isn’t back, is she?’ he asked quietly.

Kux frowned. ‘No. Why, did you get split up?’

‘Then you don’t know.’ Tayan took a deep breath. ‘There is no negotiating with the Empire of Songs. They were immovable. In the end, with Betsu’s agreement, I told the Great Octave that the Yaloh and Tokob would surrender after the Wet.’

He was cut off as everyone within earshot began to protest, their voices shrill with fear and fury.

‘Enough!’ Lilla bellowed, though disbelief had twisted his voice high and young.