“I would fight for her, against the Edlan troops.”
“By yourself? Why lend them your strength?”
Adele lowered her gaze, and Kyra imagined a slight flush on the young woman’s cheeks. “I would like to see peace between our people and the humans on this side of the mountain.”
“And you want this enough to risk your life for them?”
Adele raised her eyes to Leyus, and her voice was clear when she responded. “I want this enough that I am willing to take this to Challenge if you forbid me to go.”
There were gasps and murmurs, and Kyra realized that many of the Makvani had gathered around to listen. The Challenge was a right of anyone of Makvani blood, an opportunity to fight to the death on behalf of a petition. If Adele claimed a Challenge here, it would be against Leyus or someone of his choosing. Kyra had seen Leyus fight. He was almost twice Adele’s size, and far stronger. As unfamiliar as she was with Makvani customs, Kyra knew that Adele had just said she would rather die than lose her chance for peace with the humans. Why was she doing this? Was this all for Flick?
“Adele.” Pashla’s voice rang out from the back. The older woman came to her side, acknowledging Kyra with a nod before she too addressed Leyus. “I also beg permission to help Kyra in her quest. And I too am willing to Challenge for it.”
Leyus had risen to his feet by now, his arms crossed over his chest. His brow was furrowed, but he didn’t look angry. “The two of you, then. Is there anyone else who wishes permission to go with the halfblood?”
Halfblood, Kyra thought. He still spoke of her as if she were a stranger to him.
“I would,” said a new voice. Kyra recognized Mela, Adele’s friend. A few others also stepped out, mostly younger clansfolk, several of whom looked familiar.
Leyus looked over each one of them. “You understand that this is no paltry raid. This army comes in great numbers, and they are well armed.” There were a few nods. By now, almost all the Demon Riders had gathered around to watch. When Leyus spoke again, his words were to the volunteers, but his voice was loud enough for all gathered to hear. “You have my permission. Fight as you will. And if you succeed in breaking the siege, I will consider negotiating peace with Forge.”
All in all, there were twelve of them: Kyra, Pashla, Adele, Mela, three other women, and five men. They were all young. Several were friends of Adele’s or had spoken with Flick. Most were from Leyus’s clan—three were from the other. When Kyra asked one of them why he was helping, he replied, “We’ve been sleeping in trees and eating raw meat for over a year now to stay hidden from the human troops. If there’s a better way, I would like to find it.”
She was grateful for their help, but still, there were only twelve of them against over a thousand troops. What good could they possibly do?
“I’d imagined surprising these soldiers with two hundred demon cats at my back, but we can’t do that now,” Kyra told Flick. He’d found her in the forest soon after Kyra left Leyus with her recruits. Mercie, Lettie, and Idalee had taken shelter with friends farther from the city, but he chose to stay with Kyra and her band of Makvani fighters. Whenever Flick wasn’t talking with Kyra, he was at Adele’s side. Kyra wondered if he knew that Adele had been willing to fight a Challenge to win her right to be here. It seemed too personal a thing for Kyra to disclose.
“If you can’t attack them directly, mayhap you could weaken their position some other way,” said Flick. “Their supplies, perhaps?”
“That might work,” said Kyra. “But I know nothing about the Edlan supply caravans.”
“What about that trader Craigson? He’s from Edlan, in’t he?”