“Woman who very badly needs a haircut?” Vel piped up.

“Sergeant Major,” Brella grumbled through gritted teeth.

Leverett nodded hesitant assent. “Sure. All right. You’re not a traitor. But that doesn’t mean our Sergeant Major Keyes won’t disagree.” He steepled his fingers, then brought his mouth down to meet them. “I have a proposal.”

Mrs. Callin acknowledged him with a wave of her hand. “Speak, Lev.”

“Seduce her?”

There was a second of silence. Then, the room exploded into laughter, claiming everyone but the stoic Mrs. Callin, the sour-faced Judah, and a stunned, openmouthed Brella.

“No,” Judah growled.

“Judah, I can speak for myself.” Brella stiffened her shoulders. “No.”

“It’s not a bad idea.” Dale stroked his chin with the remaining spools. “She’s gotta have a little incentive, and I know she drinks from the same pot as you do.”

Maisie shuddered. “Yuck.”

He shrugged. “All the same.”

“I’m sorry, is this some kind of joke?” Brella’s voice was dangerously high. “Do you think I want anything to do with that runt?” She cast a desperate glance around the circle. “Anyone want to chime in here, please?”

“It’s actually not the worst idea.”

Her shoulders drooped. She looked, if only for a moment, betrayed. “I expected better from you, Hill.”

“I just—Velly, yes, I can see the thread is tangled, hang on—I just think you need some guarantee that she’ll believe you. You know, about the Between and Koravia. I mean, it does seem rather far-fetched, and I’ve been through.”

Brella had the hounded look of an animal backed into a corner. “Why are you bringing all this up now? We’ve been planning this for months. If you were concerned about my ability to get Keyes to Koravia, why didn’t you mention something earlier?”

“To be honest, Brelly, you’ve gotten rather . . .” Dale drew back preemptively. “Angrier?”

Brella’s nostrils flared. Apparently remembering herself, she closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. “I am not angry.”

Maisie reached out a hand towards Brella’s shoulder, which Brella promptly flicked away. “You rather are, Brella. For the past month, you’ve been particularly zealous, waving that little book around.”

“Zealous?” Brella flushed, mouth pursing. “I’ve been doing the necessary work on the ground. I’ve been reaching people.”

“So what’s one more?” Dale winked. “Reach her.”

Maisie groaned. “Again, yuck.”

“Do you know why I’ve been angry?” Brella demanded.

Dale shrugged. “The cheese merchant is out of Stuffed Walder?”

“It’s because she took the Wilds in a day. Because the king was going to knight her. That’s why.” She took a long, slow breath. “She was able to take Kraal nearly singlehandedly when she was just a Sergeant Major. Imagine what she’d be able to do in charge.”

“She’s just a person, Brella.” Hill favored her with a gentle smile. “Flesh and blood.”