"Jocas needs these types of herbs." A handful of black and white drawings made their way around the table. Ryadni crossed her legs, leaning over Casten's shoulder with her chin propped on her hand. The petals were shaded beautifully in charcoal in breathtaking detail, covered with a delicate film for preservation.
"Where do they grow?"
Ryadni squinted at Helene through the semi-darkness, the room lit only by the weak candles at either end of the long bench.
"In the swamps of Rubanast."
She traced the lines of charcoal with a long index finger, admiring the details.
"That area is heavily manned." There was a trace of doubt in Casten's normally jovial voice. Ryadni looked up, seeing a guarded on look the face of Helene, Pallas's wife.
"I'm assuming you want us to raid too. My last batch wasn't enough to last through this week?" Ryadni had heard about an accident involving smashed bottles of goods yesterday.
"Correct," Pallas's wife, Helene, answered primly. "I'll need you–" She nodded at Casten. "–and Urseus to go. Pallas will organise a lookout and a fighter to travel with you."
"I'm not going?" Ryadni said.
"You are to stay and teach the trainees."
"But I always go with Casten. Pallas—"
"Pallas left me in charge."
"But—"
"No buts, Ryadni. Rules are rules. Urseus is almost fully trained; he can more than assist Casten."
Ryadni's back prickled and blood rushed to her face. Through the gloomy darkness, she scowled at Pallas's wife. Helene gazed back steadily. Ryadni opened her mouth to argue but suddenly became aware of the eyes of the other members on her. She gritted her teeth and swallowed her words.
The debrief continued but Ryadni tuned out, glaring down at her rough hands, chipped, short nails, and thick calluses. Her skin was pale, like everyone else, due to lack of sunlight. But she was strong and reliable.
She seethed. Why couldn't she go? She wanted to rip up the drawing in front of her. She could see Casten throwing her a look out of the corner of her eyes and she stared pointedly downwards. She remained that way for the rest of the meeting, not hearing any of Helene's further instructions, and before she knew it, everybody rose to their feet and dispersed to their duties.
"Come on, piglet," Casten said with a grin, tugging at her elbow. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and stood up stiffly. "I'll come back in time for dinner and play with you."
"I don't need you to do anything, Casten," she said sourly, turning away. "Just don't get yourself killed. We don't have enough Raiders. I have a good mind to come with you regardless—"
"You won't do it. You know Helene has a point."
She said nothing. Standing up, she straightened the hem of her dress and stalked on ahead, fists clenched.
"You know the rules, Ryadni. Pallas and Helene call the shots—it's their place. Kids need to train. We have enough Raiders now Jocas's done her magic." Casten ran to catch up. Ryadni paused at the top of the stairs, her back to him. She had more to say but she swallowed them alongside the anger. She didn't care for the training. She didn't care for the food sourcing. But she couldn't say that.
She fought to keep her breathing even and to stop her heart from pounding so loudly in her ears. With another big breath, she turned and smiled. Casten looked almost uncomfortable.
"Fine. You go. Have fun. Urseus is a wimp, though. You're on your own."
"You need to be kinder to the younger ones, Ryadni. One day, that mouth will get you into trouble."
"Am I lying, though?"
"Sometimes the way you phrase things makes you come across as... inconsiderate. And insensitive."
"Luckily they have you to kiss them better." She scowled. Casten chuckled and patted her shoulder.
"Right, I'm off, piglet. I'll be back soon, with the herbs Jocas needs. Catch you later."
Casten strolled up the stairs, humming to himself. He had never had trouble raiding and this trip would be no different. Cracking her neck from side to side, she made her way down to the training area, trying to ignore the bubbling fury and the twinge of unease deep inside her.
****
"Quicker!" Ryadni's voice snapped like a whip. She clapped her hands and marched to the trainee. The kid's hands shook, fumbling with the knots. "Come on! At this pace, you'll get yourself and the entire team killed! Come on!"
With an exasperated sigh, she wrenched the rope from the trembling fingers and showed him again.
"You're fifty feet in the air, if your hands are shaking like your knees are, you'll definitely smash into pieces on the ground. Steady your nerves—do you want to die?"
The boy blanched. Ryadni sighed as he took another terrified look at the drop beneath them. Shoving the untied rope back into his hands, she grasped her own knot, deftly untying and re-tying it onto the metal hooks above her head.
"Try agai—"
"Ryadni!"
The shrill call reverberated off the stone walls of the training room. Rolling her eyes, Ryadni secured the last knot and swung down, the rope rippling through her gloved hands. Her feet hit the ground with barely a sound. Above, the trainee hastily attempted to replicate the figure-of-eight, his eyes darting again and again down at her.
Ryadni brushed the runaway curls out of her face and straightened up.
"You know you're not supposed to shout here. And Pallas must have told you about the volume limit underground!" she said, with a glare. The young messenger quivered under her eyes. "What is it?"
She watched him swallow, beads of sweat running down his pale face.
"It's—it's Pallas. He told me to get you. He said it's urgent."
She frowned. Pallas seldom labelled anything as 'urgent', unless...
She straightened up and, without a backward glance, raced towards the stairs.
"He's in the meeting room," the little boy called after her in a tremulous voice.
Thoughts raced through her head as she scampered up the stone stairs. What could be so urgent? It had been a few hours after Casten had set off for the raid. Had something gone wrong?
The damp air made her eyes water. No, Casten was a good Raider. He didn't have her speed or lightness, but he was secure on his feet and had better instincts. It wouldn't have been the first raid where his gut feelings had saved the team, where Ryadni's recklessness would have cost them dearly. Plus, he would never be so stupid as to put anything in jeopardy.
Perhaps there were more resources needed than they'd anticipated. Perhaps Pallas was considering sending another team elsewhere and she, as one of the remaining Raiders, would obviously be first choice.
When she knocked once on the wooden door then pushed it open, it was obvious her instincts were correct. Pallas had aged another five years since they last spoke. His jaw tightened when she approached the table.
"Sit down, Ryadni." Even his voice had a deadened timbre to it.
"Tell me."
Ryadni's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me."
"Casten and his team were caught in Rubanast."
She scoffed. "I thought he had the potential to be better than me. How disappointing."
Pallas's facial expression remained unchanged. Her snort died away into awkward silence.
"Rubanast is home to a very powerful Draconian Family."
Ryadni's breath caught in her throat.
"Are they all—" she cleared her dry throat, "—dead?"
Pallas shook his head. She eased out a breath.
"Casten and Urseus were captured, alive. The two fighters we sent with them are dead. The messenger managed to flee."
Her stomach dropped. She opened and closed her mouth for a few seconds before finding her voice.
"I told Helene to let me go!" she burst out, fists clenched. She glared daggers across the table. "Urseus isn't cut out for being a Raider yet. He's soft as cowpat and Casten can't raid and look after an imbecile at the same time!"
"Anger won't get Casten back, Ryadni."
"But I should have been there and I was told no!"
"Neither will blame."
She took a deep breath, exhaling shakily. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening them again.
"You want to send a reconnaissance team?"
"We need them back. Sumair will be going frantic about Urseus."
Ryadni pursed her lips, indifferent.
"Helene will be breaking the news to her right now."
"I don't care for the psychotic woman or her mad ramblings."
Pallas gave her a look and suddenly Ryadni felt like she was five again, being told off for cheeking the tutor.
"You need to watch your words, Ryadni. Walls have ears."
She scowled. "Just tell me what to do."