Wings of Fate

10. Monsters and Innocents

Warm light from the setting sun bathed Moira's almond skin in a golden hue. She kept her gaze fixed on the wagon tracks they were following. The Faerie caravan had come through these parts only a few hours ago. She was certain they'd find the group shortly after nightfall.

If Kalian's plan doesn't work, I'm throwing him under Dagen's boot, Moira thought.

The last thing she needed was another lecture from the General. He often seemed to forget that she had been an Ironblade almost as long as he had. She'd been there from the beginning, always serving. Always fighting. Always protecting. Her name was feared amongst Faeries, and yet, forgotten amongst her own kind.

Because I'm a woman, Moira huffed. And as soon as I make a womanly mistake, I'll be out on my ass, regardless of everything I've done.

That was one of the reasons why she was so brutal. Her male soldiers usually focused on that and ignored the fact that she spared anyone who looked under the age of thirteen. When questioned about it, Moira answered that even Faeries needed a chance to rebuild, assuming the children lived to adulthood.

In truth, it was because she was too...weak. She couldn't look a child in the eye and drive her sword through their stomach. She would end up picturing her younger sisters, whom she barely remembered. They never had a chance to live. They should've. Granting the Faerie children their lives helped her feel like she was doing at least one thing her family would've wanted.

When she thought of her sisters, all she could see was gaunt faces and skin the color of ash, when it should've been dark like her own. Marian and Marguerite had perished during the years of famine and disease that had plagued the Human Lands. Moira was lucky she had survived. Or perhaps she was cursed. She had yet to decide, though her opinion leaned towards the latter with each passing day.

"Do you think Deirdre's plan will work?" Lir asked, guiding his horse alongside hers.

"Yes," Moira answered. "And if it doesn't, at least I have someone else to blame our failure on."

"General Dagen doesn't accept excuses. If he decides to punish you, there will be nothing any of us can do."

Her gaze snapped to his. "You think I don't know that?"

Lir averted his eyes. "No, Commander."

"Hm." Moira resumed watching the wagon tracks. "What do you think of Kalian so far?"

"He's...strange. Not strange in a bad way, but he keeps to himself. Doesn't really talk to anyone, even Rame." Lir smoothed peppered black hair out of his face.

"He seems guilty."

"That he does."

"He said some strange things while we were working on the plan."

"How strange?"

"Strange enough that I'll be keeping a closer eye on him than I have been." Moira furrowed her brows. "He knows a lot about Faerie magic and creatures. More than any Human I've ever met. He also mentioned he used to live in Cosette."

"There weren't many Humans in that village, except those friendly towards Faeries. Do you think he might've been friends with one?"

"Maybe, though that does make me wonder why he decided to become an Ironblade. When I questioned him after his arrival, he gave me vague answers."

"It could be that he didn't think we'd allow him to join if we knew everything about his past right away. It was that way when I first joined. I think we should give him some time. He's still trying to settle in."