Page 53 of The Threadbare Queen

“If you control Kassia, how come my village was attacked?” The man spoke bitterly.

“Because we can only be in one place at a time, and we were at Fernwell, securing our victory. But we heard the Jatan were coming down from the border, now that the Kassian army is gone, and we came to investigate. We saw the smoke.”

The village leader considered his words. “It was the Jatan who attacked here,” he admitted. “We thought you were another group of them. You look the same.”

No uniforms, he meant. No insignia.

“Did your archer find our winter store?” He asked the question as if he wasn’t able to hold it back.

“She did.” Luc studied his face, then flicked his gaze to the group behind him. “We’re not here to take your food. We saw the fire, as I said, and we came to help.”

The man blinked up at him, as if unsure whether to believe him or not.

“Then that would be a change from the old guard, all right. The Queen’s Herald came through here a few times on his way to the border and stripped us bare.”

“The Queen’s Herald is dead,” Luc told him.

A sigh rose and fell at that.

“Now tell me, did you make a deal with the Jatan in return for them not burning the whole place down, or did you manage to move them on some other way.”

The man looked down at the woman at his feet. She was brushing the hair from the boy’s forehead, her fingers lingering on his cheek.

“I would have made a deal,” he said at last. “I would have done anything to get them gone, and keep us safe, because I didn’t think there was anyone coming to help us.”

Luc waited and he eventually looked up.

“My name is Marcus. I’m the council leader here. We have someone watching from the hills most days, because the Queen’s Herald comes through here sometimes, as I said. Just after dawn, the watcher gave the signal,” he pointed to where Luc had guessed some of his archers were located. “They could hear a group coming, and we moved the winter store out to the forest. We didn’t get everything, but we got most of it.” He glanced beyond Luc, to the building which was still burning. Some of Luc’s unit were attempting to douse the fire. “They swept in, looking thin and feral. Started bashing down doors and setting fires.” He rubbed at the side of his head, and Luc noticed the bruise along his jaw.

“I tried to stop them. Told them we’d cooperate, that there was no need to destroy anything. But the leader hit me, put me on the ground, and they kept hunting for food.”

“What stopped them?” Because either they were only playing at destruction, or someone had put an end to it.

“Another group came in.” Marcus pointed across the field, to the road Luc and the others had taken. “An older commander. Also Jatan. He made them put out the fires, except for the hall, because the fire there was already too big. It would have taken them too much time and effort to put it out.” His tone was bitter. “Then he let them take what food they could find and pulled them back. The young one, the one who hit me, didn’t like it, but he listened.” He hunched. “When you came, I thought it was him, coming back as soon as the older one’s back was turned.”

“They must have known you had food stored somewhere.”

Marcus nodded. “We told them the Kassian soldiers had taken it on their way to Fernwell. I don’t think they believed us, but they couldn’t find it, and then they were ordered back.”

“And you think the younger one will return?”

“I’m surprised he isn’t back already. I can only think the older one is still keeping an eye on him.”

Luc turned his mount and moved up next to Revek and Kikir.

“You think he’s right? They might come back?” Revek’s voice was low. He’d obviously been listening carefully to the exchange.

Luc lifted a shoulder. “If they’re hungry and desperate, yes.”

Rev turned and trotted back down the lane, to let the rest of the unit know to be wary.

Luc saw the word spread, but before he could make a decision on whether to move the unit on, to keep pressing north, or wait and protect the village, one of his archers on the hill gave a whistle.

They all went still.

Massi stepped out from between the trees again, and signalled to her archer on the hill, then disappeared.

Luc lifted his hand and twirled a finger.

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