sais. Flicking the blades out and in, I practiced offensive strikes and defensive moves. The activity warmed me and I removed my cloak. Before I knew it, the dark sky paled, announcing dawn’s imminent arrival.
I fed the horses a bucket of grain and checked their water buckets. Satisfied all was well, I slipped through the gate and fumbled with the latch, muttering under my breath over the complex catch.
Without warning, an arm snaked around my neck. “Cry!” I yelled as the arm locked tight, pressing against my windpipe.
17
RUSALKA’S LOUD SQUEAL pierced the air. The pressure on my neck eased a bit. I shifted my hips to the left and rammed my right elbow into the man holding me. Then I stomped on his foot. He yelped and released me. I spun and stopped.
“Ulrick! What are you doing here?”
He rubbed his stomach, glaring. “Changed my mind.” He huffed. “Thought you might—hey!”
The tip of Leif’s sword jabbed Ulrick’s arm. “Step away from her,” he ordered. Although he was shorter than Ulrick by a good foot, Leif’s fierce countenance and powerful build made an impression. Ulrick hurried to comply.
I waved Leif off. “It’s okay. I know him.” Rounding on Ulrick, I demanded, “Why did you attack me?”
“To prove a point.”
I waited.
“You were out here all by yourself. An easy target … or so I thought.” He looked behind me. The others had come outside. Woken by Rusalka’s warning, they clutched stones. “Still, if I had a dagger, I could have stabbed you before you said a word.”
“Do the horses know him?” Leif asked.
Quartz did; Ulrick had been at the stables with me many times. “Yes. Why?”
“He wouldn’t have gotten close to you if he was a stranger. The horses would have warned you.” Leif studied Ulrick. “Didn’t think I could protect Opal?”
“I didn’t know who was with her. I just thought one more person couldn’t hurt and I wanted to help with ordering the kiln.”
I introduced him to Leif.
Ulrick’s surprise turned contemplative. “The Soulfinder’s brother?”
Leif huffed in annoyance. “Yep, that’s me—The Soulfinder’s Brother. Opal forgot to use my new name. I’m sure if he knew I was The Soulfinder’s Brother, he wouldn’t have worried about you. After all, Leif Zaltana isn’t anybody of consequence.” He kept muttering as he returned to the shelter to make breakfast.
“Is he truly angry at me, or just being sarcastic?” Ulrick asked.
“Probably both.”
“Great.”
“He’ll get over it. It’s hard having a famous sibling, and being judged by others based on that relationship. I grew up being Mara’s Younger Sister. No one knew my name. In fact, when we met in your mother’s factory—”
Ulrick groaned. “I immediately associated you with Mara. I’m sorry. I should know better—my mother and sister are famous. No matter what the rest of my siblings and I crafted with glass, it was always compared with our mother’s. I’ll apologize to Leif.”
“Good idea. Now what about your promise never to return to Booruby?”
“I’m still not visiting my family, but I wanted to help. There’s nothing more to do and Aydan is quite content with his new assistant.”
I looked around. “How did you get here? Do you have a horse?”
He ducked his head, and stuttered with guilt and chagrin. “I … uh … borrowed a horse from the Keep’s stables.”
“Borrowed?”
“He was one of the extras who hadn’t been claimed by a student. I left a note for Stable Master.”
“A note!”
“It was late; I didn’t want to wake him.” The excuse was weak.
I laughed. “Didn’t want to face him is more like it.”
“That, too.”
“So where is he?”
“I tied him to a bush over that rise.” Ulrick pointed down the road. “I figured you stopped here, but I wanted to check your defenses before bringing him here. I’d better go get him.”
When Ulrick led the horse over the rise, I almost fainted. The all-black stallion had an unmistakable white moon on his forehead—Moonlight.
“There’s a reason no one claimed Moonlight,” I said, as Ulrick removed the saddle.
“Perfect name. He’s quick and intelligent. A Sandseed breed, I believe.” He patted the horse’s neck.
“Don’t you want to know why?”
“I’m afraid of the answer.” His flippant response lacked conviction.
“You should be.”
“Come on, get it over with. You’re dying to tell me—I can see in your eyes. You want revenge for my mock attack.”
“I’m not that vindictive.”
“Now you’re scaring me.”
“Good. Because Moonlight was going to be a gift to Commander Ambrose of Ixia. Our relationship with Ixia has improved thanks to Liaison Yelena, and the Sitian Council wanted to make a gesture of goodwill.”
All color faded from Ulrick’s cheeks. “I’m in …”
“Deep shit?”
“Yes.”
Ulrick failed to follow my suggestion to return the horse as soon as possible. He insisted on accompanying us to Booruby. Leif’s cold shoulder toward Ulrick melted when he apologized. Also, Ulrick’s ability to make travel rations flavorful won him Leif’s good approval.
After traveling all day, we stopped and made camp along the road.
“We made such a racket last night,” Leif said, “it’s best we avoid the shelters.”
Cornstalk stubble lined the harvested field and worked well as kindling. We sat around the campfire and talked about sisters. Ulrick had two, one older and one younger than him. I grew up with two older sisters, and Leif had Yelena, who was kidnapped when she was six years old and returned home five years ago after a fourteen-year absence.
“She made up for the lost time,” Leif said. “We blew through all those years of sibling rivalry in two seasons.” He laughed. “Probably a good thing she wasn’t with me when I was growing up. I never would have lived to see
