On our way to the center of camp, I glanced down myself quickly and sucked in my stomach. It didn’t take very much for me to pack on muscle or fat. And I always had both, no matter how much I trained. I’d never been thin like Wren. Her long, graceful body looked built for dancing. I always thought I must have been born for war. Some men liked my curves. Some liked Wren’s long and elegant line. I wasn't sure what Nash liked. Whether he was pretending to gain information or if he was different like he claimed.

Half a mug later, I had to remind myself to be worried about it.

"Your sword technique is beautiful," I said. "I'd kill to face off against you."

"Is battle all you think of?"

"I guess you’re still thinking only of your manliness."

He ran his hand over his mouth, grin wide. "Such a ruthless woman. But I would kill to shoot like you. I’ve spent so much time on sword-fighting. I need to work on other skills.”

“Well,” I settled my mug on my lap. “If you teach me a thing or two about your swords, I’ll return the favor.”

“Would you?”

“Of course.”

I was shocked when Nash hopped up, disappeared for a few minutes, and returned carrying two swords and my bow and quiver. A laugh slipped from my lips as he grabbed my hand and led me out to the grassy field beyond the tents.

"Someone's going to fire on me if they see this." I tugged on his hand and slowed our pace.

"You'll be fine if you're with me."

"Why is that? Why do they listen to you?" Couldn't waste a chance to get information from him.

"Same reason your people listen to you. Alright." He tossed the swords on the ground and passed my bow to me. "This looks like a good spot."

I hesitated. "You aren't worried I'll turn this on you?"

"You're not careless. It would be too dangerous for your people if you attacked anyone."

He had a point. "Well, that's true. I also can't kill you before I learn your technique."

"Funny," Nash said dryly.

I lifted my bow with an arrow notched and drew the string back so my hand nestled against my pillow of hair. Released. "Feel the air around your bow. See how it will flow around the arrow."

Nash moved closer. Touching his fingertips to the bow, trailing down its spine until his knuckles brushed my shoulder. My breath caught in my chest.

“We fought together brilliantly today." Nash's voice lowered. "You and me together, we could kill him.”

A jolt of shock hit me. He was manipulating me. "Are you playing games with me?"

"This isn't a trick." Nash grabbed my shoulders, holding me firm. It shocked me to silence. "I’m your best shot at taking the Prophet down. Just like you’re mine. The woman I saw in battle today would never surrender. Fight with me."

The air was shifting. Waves of heat swelling around me until my skin burned. I had to stop or I'd get sucked in. Would slip to that terrible place where the fire melted my skin.

I ripped away from his grasp. “Why would you kill the Prophet?"

“I want to be free.” Desperation laced his words. “Don’t you?”

“So stop fighting for him.”

“I can’t. He's forced me to fight for him the same way he forced you today.”

I held my bow against myself. “You were captured?”

“He conquered my village years ago, just like all the others. Not everyone living in his village chose to. Some of us were forced to."

“You’re a great fighter. Escape.”

“I have people too. You think you’re the only one with someone on the line?” Nash shook his head. “The Prophet will never let me go. Don’t be surprised when he spares some of your warriors and makes them fight for him permanently.”

“My people would sooner die than serve your Prophet.”

Nash snorted. “That’s why you battled for him today, then, isn’t it?”

I caught a hold of his collar and jerked myself up closer to his height. “We’ll free our people and then we’ll go after the Prophet. We’re not waiting around for years for someone to save us.”

“Will you?” He pried my hands off him. “If you can’t fight now, what makes you think you’ll be able to later? The Prophet conquered the entire Valley and forced us all into his service.”

"We're only doing this until we can save our people." The pity in his eyes only reflected how foolish I felt as I said the words. This was probably what the warriors of every village the Prophet had ever conquered said. But this was different. I was going to escape. "He has the children." My voice broke. "Rune. He has Rune. Leif's son." I clawed at my throat as images of him tightened my vocal cords. I'd forced myself not to think of him, hadn't I? Just as I forced myself not to see him in the village at first. "I promised him I would protect him."

Nash nodded, looking heavy with the weight of the pain I carried, as though he truly carried his own as well. "The Valley is full of people who feel the same. You think we haven't tried? That we all just gave up once he came for us?"

"We're different." I had no proof to back it up. Couldn't even pretend to have a good argument. I just needed it to be true, because the alternative was unthinkable. Living in service of the Prophet like Nash was unthinkable.

"Your village held out longer than most. That’s all."

My fury nearly got the best of me. The only thing that saved him was the truth of his words, because as angry as it made me, I couldn’t punish him for my weakness. I had so far failed.

I stared at Nash. "How do I know you’re not actually working for the Prophet right now?”

“I’m going to help you escape. That’s how you’ll know.”

The words could have been a punch to my gut. They hit me that hard. "What?"

“I searched the battlefield for someone who looks like you. I didn’t find anyone, but I’m going back before dawn while everyone in the camp sleeps. We'll stage a death. You try to escape and I'll pretend to kill you. I can talk the Prophet into not taking retribution for your disobedience.”

I crossed my arms, brows furrowed. There had to be some trick here.

Nash sighed. “I’ve had countless plans fall through over the years. Your people gave me hope. When I saw you in battle today…” He ran his hand through his hair. “We can do this.”

It wasn’t true. He didn’t understand the extent of the Prophet’s power. If he helped me escape though, I could return to the Mountain of the Gods for my power and free my people, free the entire Valley, from the Prophet. So I wouldn’t tell him how hopeless his plans really were or that I’d never be able to assassinate the Prophet with this bow, no matter how good of a shot I was.

“Okay,” I said.

Quiet settled between us, a stark contrast to the raucous noise of the camp. I couldn’t imagine how it would feel to have to fight for the Prophet for years. If Nash told the truth, then it only gave me more reason to fight. I'd been far too narrow-sighted while hiding amongst my people. There were so many stories in the valley I'd never taken the time to learn.

I studied him. “Who is he holding against you, Nash?”

Pain burned in his eyes. Such deep pain that I couldn't imagine he faked it. His voice sobered. “My daughter.”

[Discord]