“Thanks.” I chewed slowly, savoring the fluffy interior.

“You okay?” Izgath asked, smooth voice softening.

The bread turned to ash in my mouth. “Just fine,” I mumbled, ducking my head.

What is it with this male? Why does he unnerve me so? Why can’t I keep my act together around him?

A male from my unit approached with an issue that needed solving, saving me from further questioning. I quickly dispatched orders, not hesitating in the slightest to delegate.

As he walked away, a realization settled over me. To my surprise, I had become a good leader, trusted by these males; not only that, but I enjoyed it.

Females weren’t granted much in this life, and the fact that I had the opportunity to travel to another part of the Demon Realm, let alone be trusted to lead a set of people, was astounding. The thought humbled me, and a spark of hope settled along with the sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.

The Weaver had put me on this path for a reason, and I should trust that she would ensure my success in this endeavor.

I will find a way.

The Fates believed in me; all I needed was to believe in myself. Resolve strengthened, I popped the remainder of the roll in my mouth and retrieved Blaeze, determined to find the crossing.

The chatter behind me fell away as all my focus went to the flow of the river, its little twists and turns, the vines and branches hanging over its expanse, and the reeds that clung to its edges. A crow squawked overhead, shattering my focus and forcing a sharp inhale. My head shot up just in time to see three burst from the leaves and dip toward the ground before leveling out and flying straight ahead of me.

Curious, I dug my heels into Blaeze’s sides and sent him cantering after them. The three did not deviate from their path, wings flapping ever so slightly to keep them aloft in the blue sky above. Then, in perfect synchrony, they dipped to the left, back toward the river.

That was when I saw it.

A thick break in the trees and reeds greeted me as I turned Blaeze, and my mouth almost popped open as I beheld the pile of pebbles barely covered by the rushing water. The clear flow was still fast-moving, but over something so shallow, we had ample opportunity to cross it.

Thank you, Fates.

“I found it!” I shouted, too excitedly for a male. The squad was still far behind, I realized once I looked away from the river. They must have heard me, though, because a whooping cheer rose from the group, followed by a few sharp whistles.

When I returned my attention to the trees, the three crows were nowhere to be found.

“I wondered why you rode off in such a hurry,” Dromak chuckled as he rode up. “I thought you might have found some pussy.”

I smothered the urge to wince at his brashness. “Just the place that will get us to the pussy faster,” I said instead, bitterness coating my tongue with the words.

Dromak threw back his head and laughed, while Jaku, whose horse pranced beneath him, rolled his eyes. “Keep moving, we have no time to waste.”

I wondered who was more anxious to move, Jaku or his horse. Perhaps their restlessness fueled one another, which was why all both could think about was taking another step forward.

“Aye, let a few of the wagons catch up first. We can cross on one side of them to help break up the water flow,” Dromak drawled, drawing a sharp look from Jaku.

“What? I come from Fured. It’s the only place north of Uzhhorod where rivers carve up the land. I know a thing or two about crossing them,” Dromak shot back, waggling his brows.

“He’s right. It would help the wagons cross. One tipping over would cause a bigger delay,” I pointed out, shifting in my saddle.

“Thank you, finally someone sees my logic.” Dromak threw his hands in the air and I had to smother a laugh. Most of the time, his ‘logic’ was as illogical as it came, though I didn’t have the gall to point that out like Izgath normally did.

My attention drifted to the line of soldiers, all the way to the back where the Incubus and Uzadaan rode.

“Fair enough,” Jaku grumbled. “I will test the waters myself. I am, after all, your Százados and it is my duty to ensure the squad’s safety. Remain here and direct people across.”

“Yes, sir,” Dromak and I said in unison.

Turning, Jaku urged his mount to enter the water. The river swept midway between his horse’s hooves and knees, though the beast plunged forward, splashing all the way to the other side without incident. I counted the seconds, since this section was by no means narrow. Should a surge happen, we needed to know how long it would take to push across.

Thirty seconds was a little too long for my comfort, but this wasn’t the mighty Graz River where the opposite bank was invisible and the icy water would kill you if the sharp rocks did not. Compared to that, this crossing was as easy as snuffing a fire.

The first of the mounted soldiers approached, and Dromak and I waved them forward, watching intently as they crossed as a group. Droplets sprayed in all directions as four rode abreast, soaking the hides of the others around them.

The first supply wagon was next, and the driver pulled up the team of horses in front of us. “How do you want us to go, Kormánzó Vagach?”

“You must cross without stopping. Vezető Dromak has suggested that some walk or ride on the left hand side of the wagon to break up the flow of water,” I replied, pointing to the river.

“Aye, we will do that,” one of the soldiers under my command volunteered.

“We will watch, but shout if you need assistance. You are the first to cross, so this will be a test to see how it goes,” I cautioned, sweeping my attention over the group.

Ten males gathered in a perfectly straight line on the side of the wagon, and when the driver instructed the horses to pull forward, they fell in step with it, splashing into the water at the same time.

I held my breath, studying every shift in the way the water moved, every jostle of the wagon over a large rock, every slip of a foot against the slick stones. One male at the back nearly went down, only to be caught by the one in front of him and hauled upright again. After a nod of appreciation, they kept moving, every one of them making it safely to the opposite bank where Jaku waited.

“That’s a relief,” I commented to Dromak.

He snorted. “Only a dozen more to go.”

OceanofPDF.com

10

Of course, the final wagon, escorted by Izgath and Uzadaan, was the one to break a wheel on a rock in the river.

“All hands weave shadows!” I shouted at the males knee-deep in the river with me. Izgath, Uzadaan, and I worked in tandem, coordinating our soldiers to weave a solid block of black, combining at least a dozen strands of magic to level the wagon out.

It still hadn’t righted, and the water was picking up speed, sending twigs and fallen leaves bumping against our knees as they raced away from the glacial mountains that fed them.

Izgath craned his head to look at those on standby on the riverbank. “We need more at the back to help push!”

Without hesitation, a dozen more returned to the river, sloshing around the horses to the rear.

“It had to be a front fucking wheel,” Izgath cursed, surveying the scene with hands on his hips.

I judged the distance between us and the opposite shore. “We only need to go about fifty more feet.”

Izgath grunted. “But that fifty feet will take every single one of us helping.”

“We can do this,” I shot back, shoving up my sleeves. My magic well had enough reserve to contribute, though if we didn’t move the remaining distance quickly, I’d run out faster than I wanted to later that day.