“We’ve been thinking,” Grae said, drawing the attention of those sitting across the fire. Their images warped from the twisting flames. Grae’s eyes shifted to me and then back to Ora. “The Rooks are rampant in Taigos and I’d imagine even worse in Olmdere. Maybe our crew could join you, seeing as we’re traveling the same way? We could offer you some manner of protection on your travels?”
My mouth dropped open as I blinked at him.
He’d listened to me.
“I was just about to suggest the same thing,” Ora replied, giving Mina a grin. “We’re a little on edge after what happened today. Having some people who are good with swords on our side would be most welcome.”
“Guards to the musicians,” Hector said, raising his mug again. A log cracked and embers danced into the darkening sky.
“I’m assuming it’s not just generosity that made you offer such things.” Ora pursed their lips, rotating their glofta around the licking flames. “You need to keep a low profile, too?”
The four of us froze. What did they know?
“Yes,” Grae finally answered for us. “In our line of work, it’s best to go unnoticed.”
“Until the sword’s in your belly,” Hector said with a laugh that he cut off as soon as Sadie elbowed him hard in the ribs.
“That must be very difficult,” Navin said, his eyes meeting Sadie’s.
Flirting aside, he had no idea. The people we were trying to avoid were our own pack. Now that Grae was gone, too, we were certainly being hunted even as we sat here. We needed to stick to the fringes of town, the human quarters, if we wanted to keep hidden. For all the pomp and circumstance, a musical group would actually draw the least suspicion. Wolves didn’t learn the faces and names of humans, they were window dressing, servants, entertainers, and nothing more. The Silver Wolves hunting us wouldn’t think we’d affiliate with lowly humans. That arrogance would be our greatest cover.
“What are we going to tell people when they ask about them?” Malou asked Ora.
“Hmm.” They considered each of us. “They could help with the setup, or maybe we could say they know how to repair instruments? They could broker performances for us or . . . Calla, you said you can sing?”
“Oh.” My eyes dropped. “Not really.”
“Will you sing for us?” Mina signed. She grabbed a piece of spiced bread her sister passed to her and popped it into her cheek.
“No, no, no, no.” The words came spilling out of my mouth. It would’ve been embarrassing before, but now that Grae and the others were here . . . my face heated, the icy sting of the evening air gone. Hector shook beside me with restrained laughter and I elbowed him.
“Will you both stop elbowing me!”
“Not anytime soon,” Sadie muttered.
“That is four nos.” Ora laughed, looking at me.
“When we have the instruments out,” Malou insisted, “you can sing along then, and if it’s bad we’ll just drown you out so no one will know.”
I snorted, adding a mocking, “Thanks.”
We all stared into the fire, watching the flames dance between us.
“Any good stories from wherever you’ve come from?” Ora asked. “I think we’ve heard twenty different versions of every tale in the land.”
“It sounds like you’ve traveled to every corner of Aotreas,” Hector said. “Your accents are hard to pick.”
“You’d never guess it.” Malou chuckled, nodding to her companions. “None of us look like the kingdoms we were born in. Take Navin.” She hooked her thumb at him. “He looks like he’d be home in Valta, hey?” Navin leaned forward and steepled his fingers against his lips, hiding a grin. “But say something in Valtan.”
“Inge asha astanne carrasrostrom.” He barely got the words out before he burst into laughter.
It took me a second to realize he was even speaking the native tongue of Valta, the words were so jumbled. I thought he’d meant to say: hello, how are you? But it was nearly impossible to decipher. Everyone cackled with laughter.
“Eight years traveling with us and it hasn’t gotten any better,” Ora wheezed, wiping tears of laughter from their eyes.
“You must be from Damrienn, with the way you roll your Rs,” Sadie said.
“Wrong.”
“Taigos?” Hector guessed.
Navin shook his head again.
“We’re running out of kingdoms.” Sadie chuckled, picking at the seed heads on the flowers beside her. “If you’re not from Damrienn, Taigos, or Valta . . .”