Page 94 of Obsidian Throne

I narrowed my eyes at Theo. “I thought you said there was no hope for Bear, so it hardly matters, does it?”

He sighed, running a hand over his weary face. The fight was leaving him as soon as he heard the bitter resignation in my voice.

“There is always hope, Rowan,” he said sadly. “If the men break through the western line in time to help. But it’s a slim hope, and I won’t bring you back only to die.”

A slim hope.

But hope, nonetheless.

One I could find a way to capitalize on, if I could get away from Theo. The vial I had accidentally taken from camp was still in my saddlebags, and I had the feeling it could prove quite useful, under the right circumstances.

I just needed to time it right.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

ROWAN

We made our way through Bear territory, presumably toward the heavily armed border that Theo and Evander had devised a way to sneak me through.

It hadn’t taken me long to come up with a plan to get free, but I still didn’t know what I would do after that. The part of my brain that was as reckless as Theo accused me of being wanted to leave anyway.

But I remembered the game of Dominion I had played with Evander in Lochlann. Another pang lanced through me at the thought of him, but I ignored it, focusing.

Sometimes winning requires patience, Lemmikki. And an actual plan.

I spent the morning in silence, forcing myself to come up with one.

Slowly, something vague started to come together in my mind, but I didn’t see the full picture until well after our break to water the horses.

Until we passed an enormous band of the Unclanned passing along the other side of the river. Most of them kept their heads down, but others glanced in our direction, some with curious gazes and others with eyes full of resentment.

What was it Evander had said?

All of the Unclanned were soldiers once.

I knew they were willing to work for money, since Ava had paid them, but my father had always said that mercenaries were worth less than half of a soldier fighting for a cause.

And these men had been ostracized, forced to live off nothing. They would never see a reason to fight for Bear. They needed something else.

Hope.

Turning to Theo, I forced myself to speak to him again.

“What offenses lead to Unclanning?” My voice was still hollow, but at least it didn’t come out half as hateful as I felt.

He looked at me askance, but he answered, probably grateful that it appeared I was on the path to beingreasonableabout this.

“As you know,” he began, “blood spilled at the Summit. Treason against the duke is the most common one, any kind of offense in the military. But in certain cases, thieves will get Unclanned as well.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “What about your everyday murderers? Rapists?”

He shook his head. “No. We execute for that. To allow someone like that to roam freely with nothing left to lose would be unconscionable.”

So there were bands of trained soldiers that, in all likelihood, were guilty of no more than speaking or acting out against authority.

Following my gaze, Theo sighed. “Rowan, each of those men knew what they were doing when they got Unclanned. Don’t let yourself forget how dangerous they are.

“Dangerous?” I said softly. “You mean like a man who kills thousands for a power trip? Surely, we’re past that kind of judgment now, Theo.”