Page 9 of A Sky of Emerald Stars

“Fine.” She groaned and pulled out of the hug, practically skipping down the hall with a gleeful wave. “But you said nothing about nose-breaking.”

Sadie

I awoke to a boot toeing my shoulder and a familiar voice saying, “Come on, Sads, let’s go.”

I squinted up into the face of Maez. The pounding in my head made me already regret the decision to have one last hurrah—spending all night out at a little hole-in-the-wall frequented by farriers and smiths. Maez towered above me, backlit by the peach-tinted morning light. I blinked in confusion, staring up at her attire. She wore her black and golden fighting leathers, knee-high riding boots, a dagger on one hip, and a sword on the other.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I asked as she adjusted the giant fawn skin pack on her shoulders.

She shrugged. “I’m coming with you.”

“What?”

“I’m coming with you,” she said again slower as if I were a small child... or very drunk, which I was still balancing on the edge of. “It was agreed upon last night while you were off—” She waved a hand over my body as she wrinkled her nose. “How did you even end up in this park? Calla would’ve told you directly, but you made it very hard tofindyou.”

“Great,” I muttered, sending out a silent word of thanks into the morning air that at least Calla didn’t send Hector to tell meoff again. Having my judgmental older brother hovering over me this entire trip would’ve done me in.

“Oh, come on,” Maez tutted, stretching her arms to the sky and taking a deep breath. Her leathers groaned as her broad muscles stretched her uniform. “It’ll be fun. I’m a way better travel companion than Hector, right?”

I sat up, rubbing my pounding temples. “You read my mind.”

“It’ll be just like when we were pups in military training,” she said, offering down her hand and easily hoisting me up to my feet. “...Except we’ll be traveling in a wagon and there’ll probably be less brawling.”

“So nothing like our training.” It took more effort to stand without toppling over than I would’ve liked, but I managed to stay upright.

“Whatever we’re doing,” she said with a wink. “It’s always more fun with me around, though, isn’t it?”

I chuckled, sizing her up. I was tall but Maez stood a whole head taller than me. When we were little, we were the same height, and I never forgave her for when she shot up past me.

I understood, too, why Calla would want to send Maez for such an important task besides her connection to Briar. She had a stocky, muscular build that no matter how much I trained I couldn’t rival. She was incredible in close combat and grappling, but I was the blade master of our group. I could hit someone straight in the heart from across a crowded room, and a bandolier of knives was much easier to hide than Maez’s hulking sword.

Maez was also much more adept at political charming than I was. She was similar to her mate in that regard. Though Briar approached in a more regal, poised way, Maez easily became one of the lads wherever she went. It didn’t hurt that she was Nero’s niece and raised high in the Silver Wolf pack ranking. She was born with enough swagger to convince King Luo to support our cause, too, unlike myself who was generally far too abrasive to win anyone’s allegiance. I always believed whether people liked meor not was their problem... which was probably why Calla sent Maez along, too.

I swept my braid over my shoulder and glanced downriver through the blossoming orange gardens to where a lone figure stood, and I understood I was mistaken about one thing: Maez wasn’t coming because she could communicate with Briar over long distances. No, because that would only make sense if Briar wasn’t waiting with a pack leaning against her shins, her mouth tight and nose crinkled at my sorry state.

“Briar should stay behind,” I said in protest. “She doesn’t know how to fight, and despite her diplomatic prowess, this trip could be dangerous. She’s more protected if she stays with Calla.”

“Navin doesn’t know how to fight, either,” Maez countered. “But he’s going.”

“He isn’t important.” I frowned down at my mud-stained boots, remembering that wet, stormy night when he and I were captured by the Silver Wolves. “Briar is one of the only Gold Wolves still alive. If a single person identifies her on this trip, they will be climbing all over each other to abduct her. She is leverage to whoever has her. She—”

“Briar isn’t coming.” Maez cut me off with a wave of her hands. “I was just making a point.”

“But she...” I gestured to her. “She has her pack with her.”

“That isyourpack,” Maez said dryly.

I narrowed my eyes at the pack leaning against Briar’s shins, recognizing the scuff and hastily sewn patches pockmarking the exterior.

“Oh. Right.” I dusted off my clothes and ruffled my bangs so the hair sat evenly across my forehead again. I hooked my thumb at Maez. “You’re okay leaving your mate behind for this trip?”

“Okay? No, I’m not okay.” Maez’s hackles raised at that comment. “I’m furious, and part of that fury is aimed at you, so maybe be a little nicer to me, all right?” She took a deep breath. “But I agree with you that she is safer here. It is too dangerous for her to come. And it would be good to have a way to communicate between our two parties,” she said, confirming my original thought—it felt good to know I hadn’t completely pickled my brain. “As much as it will hurt to be away from her, having something happen to her would hurt me far more.”

I pretended to dry heave at the sentiment... which then caused actual bile to rise up my throat, and I was reminded of the many,manypints I had drank the night before.

“Dear Moonlight, you’re a mess,” Maez muttered; she grabbed me by the shoulder and steered me downhill. “Let’s go, grumpy little Wolf. Time to be a soldier.”

Galen den’ Mora sat in a meadow at the edge of the city, blanketed in the fading shades of summer. Burnt orange- and caramel-colored flowers dotted the tall grasses, their tiny seedbeds bursting and scattering to the wind. Two giant oxen grazed, their copper-red hair swishing in the gentle breeze. It was a beautiful, idyllic sight... until I threw up into the nearest shrub, which happened to be covered in stinging nettles. The stale sourdough bread I nibbled on did nothing to calm my curdling stomach.

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