Warrior of the Wild(58)

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OVER OUR WELL-DESERVED hot meal, I ask Iric, “What did you decide to do with the head?”

He swallows the bite of meat he’d been chewing. “I buried it in enough salt for it to keep until I’m ready to head back to Restin.”

“And when will that be?” I ask.

“I haven’t forgotten our deal, Raz. Besides, I’m not heading home until Soren gets that damn feather.”

Soren’s body stills, his cup of water suspended over his lips. After a moment, he lowers his hand to the table. “You would … wait for me?”

“We’re all going home. That was the deal. And I think I know the best way to do it.”

“Do share,” I say, my stomach now full of warm food. I feel ready to sleep a week, but we should discuss our next plan.

“It’s safe to say that I would be useless climbing the mountain with Soren,” Iric starts. “My skill doesn’t lie in fighting, but in building.” He turns his next words to Soren. “You and Raz should climb the mountain together. Meanwhile, I’ll stay here and build that armor I promised Rasmira. It makes sense for us to do Rasmira’s task last when there’s so much we have to prepare for it. But you, Soren? You can battle a bird.”

“We don’t even know if the otti exists,” Soren says.

“All the more reason for you to take Raz up there to check it out.”

“Rasmira has no obligation to climb the mountain with me,” Soren says. “You two had a bargain. Swimming lessons for armor. I can’t offer her anything in return for her help.”

I’m about to silence Soren’s reasoning. I don’t need anything in return for helping him climb the mountain.

But then I slam my mouth shut. I would never have even thought of offering my help a few weeks ago. I have my own task to tackle. Why would I risk my place in the goddess’s paradise if Soren’s not giving me anything in return?

Because I like him.

My cheeks warm without my permission.

But just as quickly, panic sets in. Liking Torrin is what got me banished to the wild. I can’t like Soren.

But I do.

I hadn’t realized it before, but now it’s so obvious.

I like him. I want to help him, but I also have a promise to keep and fears to worry about and—

I put my focus into breathing and thinking. Breathing and thinking. That’s all I have to do.

I don’t want Soren to climb that mountain alone. I don’t want him to die. But I also need every move I make in the wild to draw me closer to killing the god.

And then I get an idea as I realize something.

It would never be enough to walk back into the village carrying Peruxolo’s head. He has the face of a man. No one would believe it was the god’s. If I’m to return home, I have to publicly kill Peruxolo. My father has to see the god’s powers and see me defeat him. Somehow.

But would Peruxolo come if I issued such a challenge? What if he laughs it off? What if he visits his wrath on the villages instead?

But then I realize—

He can’t. He wouldn’t.

Not if I tell him all the villages have been invited to watch the battle. He’d want to come and show off his powers. He’d want to put me in my place for all the people to see. Instilling fear and awe in mortals is what Peruxolo enjoys most. Surely he wouldn’t skip out on such an opportunity.

I only hope that I can find a way to come out on top.

“Soren,” I say, cutting off the boys’ argument, which I really hadn’t been listening to anyway. “When I’m ready to challenge Peruxolo, I’m going to do it publicly. I want all seven villages to witness the battle. But I can’t do that on my own. I’m forbidden to set foot in any village, but if you complete your task, you could deliver the invitations on my behalf. I will climb the mountain with you if you will travel to each of the seven villages and invite them to the battle.”

Silence.

“That’s not a terrible idea,” Iric says.

“You’d be traveling through the wild alone,” I say. “It could be dangerous—”

“I’ll do it,” Soren says. “It’s a deal. When do we leave?”

“First thing tomorrow?”

“Works for me.”

“Actually,” Iric says, “I’m going to need your help tomorrow before I can get started on Rasmira’s armor.”

“What are you going to make it out of?” I ask. “The god’s power deals with metal. Our iron armor can’t get through the barrier, but we haven’t had a chance to test other metals.”

Iric grins proudly. “I wasn’t planning on building you armor out of metal.”

“If you think you’re going to get away with making me wooden armor, you—”

Iric starts laughing. “I’m not going to build it out of wood, you impatient twit. I’m going to build it out of ziken hides.”

I’m taken aback. Ziken hides. That actually—“That’s brilliant!” I say. It’s durable. Strong. No metal involved. And—“Do you think it would heal itself after being struck?”

“Only one way to find out.”

“Iric, you are a genius.”