Page 59 of Of Scale and Blood

It, and the phrase, “Stop or I’ll kill,” were the only two I really knew, and the latter definitely wasn’t appropriate right now.

He reeled off another answer, his voice more guttural this time, almost echoing the tonality of many Mareritt.

“Most of his reply went straight over my head,” Kele said grimly, “but I did recognize the words ‘conquer’ and ‘resettle.’”

Most of us were familiar with those two words, mainly because many a captured Mareritt had uttered them over the years. Conquering Arleeon and resettling their people in our richer lands had been their goal for almost as long as our two people had settled on the continent.

“Where is your homeland?” I tried again, switching back to common tongue.

His reply remained all but unintelligible, though the wordGrie-i-tonfeatured once more. Ithadto be his homeland. There was no other reason for him to be repeating the word every time I asked the question. Unless, of course, itwashis version of “fuck off.”

“Where is Grie-i-ton located?”

I didn’t understand his response. I swore and wearily rubbed my head. The pain wasn’t getting worse, but it wasn’t easing, either. I needed sleep, I needed food, and more than anything, I needed to go home so I could talk to my husband.... Andthatwas an alarming development, given the murky wall of secrets that might yet destroy us.

I returned my attention to our captive. “Point to where Grie-i-ton is located.”

He cast a hand to the northeast. The bastardwasunderstanding me.

“At least they’re not coming from Mareritten,” Kele said. “That has to be something, right?”

“Just because Grie-i-ton lies northeast doesn’t mean their main invading force is also there.” I studied him for a second, then added, “Where are your boats, soldier? Where do your birds roost?”

Another unintelligible reply, this time far fainter. The bloomweed’s adrenaline effect was fading fast.

“Point in their direction,” I said.

He growled something but nevertheless obeyed, pointing first to the east, and then to the north. Mareritten lay to the latter.

“Do the boats lie that way?” I asked, pointing to the north. “Or the birds?”

He said something that sounded likebarques, which I knew from a couple of meetings my father had had with ambassadors from both Kaligorn and the Green Islands was their term for three-masted galleons. And if he was using the term, it suggested his people might be from the same area. They might also be the reason those two islands had not replied.

“How many barques that way?” I said, pointing north. “Use your fingers to show us.”

He thrust up three, the gesture obviously a rude one even if it did answer my question. Then his eyes fluttered closed and he coughed; blood-colored spittle dribbled past his lips.

“Internal injuries,” Kele commented.

“Looks like it.” I kicked his good foot lightly, and he jerked briefly, his yellow eyes opening to glare at me. I pointed to the east. “How many ships that way? Show on your fingers.”

He muttered something, then thrust up both hands. I sucked in a breath. If there were ten boats the size of the ones we’d burned here today, we were in deep trouble. While the galleons docked here had appeared to hold little more than supplies, the men to move them, and at least one ground regiment, they were similar in size to ours, which meant they were capable of holding more than one hundred and fifty men plus whatever livestock and supplies they might need for the journey.

“How many flights of birds?”

He coughed, spraying more bloody spittle. Then he grinned and growled, in a rough form of common language, “The Stymphalian will cover your skies with gold. All will die.”

And on that charming proclamation, he did so.

“So the bastarddidunderstand us,” Kele muttered. “But at least he had the decency to die and thereby save us the decision of whether or not we should get him medical help—although we both know I would have fallen on the side of ‘not.’”

“Had it not been for the need of information, I would have too.” The fact they’d killed Kaia’s drakkling made it an easy enough choice, let alone everything else they’d done since then.

“Captain Silva?” someone called from the ruins of the administration building. “It’s Commander Iker Green, of the Hopetown Brigade. We’re told you’re needing some help.”

“Over here, in the field,” I replied.

“The drakkons?”

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