They’d thought Karlani dead. The Turhmos paper had reported as much. Memories of the other woman moving in dance-like combat moves with Jonas, and, worse yet, holding Llew down as Aris thrust a knife into her gut, replayed. Sweat tingled across Llew’s skin and fury simmered. A rage tempered by fear. In theory, Karlani could kill Llew before Llew took a breath. How a confrontation between them would play out in practice – a Syakaran with her exorbitant strength and speed versus the draining power of a Syaenuk, if the Syaenuk could get a grip on the Syakaran … Llew left those what-if calculations to whir in the back of her mind while she assessed the reality of now. She didn’t like her odds.

  Karlani paused her surveillance when she saw Llew looking back at her and crooked her lips in a smug smile. Llew swallowed, forcing Alvaro’s words and intent behind her. Karlani was a new challenge and deserved her full attention. Llew may have bested Karlani in a fight once before, but she no longer had the physical advantage. As much as she loathed the thought, any dealings with this woman would have to be diplomatic.

  “Stay.” Llew signaled both Alvaro and Rowan, drew in a breath, and walked towards the well, remembering the first time she’d seen Ard, and him her. On the run in the heart of Turhmos, Llew had stopped for a drink at that well, and Ard had invited her indoors and offered a meal, courtesy of Merrid. Ard had credited the well for drawing in other Aenuk fugitives the couple had helped over the years, hiding them in the bunker beneath their home, and seeing them safely to Quaver or Brurun, or beyond. How many lives had that well saved?

  She used her momentum to perform a graceful swing with both legs clearing the waist-high wooden fence and allowed herself a little self-congratulation for the ease of the move. Petty and meaningless as it may be to celebrate her physical prowess when facing a full-strength Syakaran, she had to take every win. Besides, she still had to approach Karlani from downhill.

  Llew paused briefly, knowing full well that in doing so she lost some of her edge in Karlani’s eyes, and also acknowledging she was too close if Karlani decided to go full Syakaran and attack. Llew’s hands flexed, ready to pass the pain and damage right back, if she had time. Karlani could break Llew’s neck, and Llew would survive, out here on this lush ground. Would Karlani? And how much of Merrid and Ard’s farm would suffer? Not too much, if Llew could grip Karlani in time. Llew judged the farm safe enough should Karlani turn violent. But it was still too much risk for Llew to volunteer the first move.

  She walked on.

  “Technically, that’s thieving, that is.” Llew drew strength in emulating Ard as she approached the other woman. The farmer wouldn’t brook nonsense from the likes of Karlani, and neither would Llew. She folded her arms across her chest.

  Karlani pushed herself off the well to stand and hesitated only a moment, looking Llew up and down before retorting. “I suppose you would know all about the technicalities of theft, leech. Aris filled me in on your previous career. He didn’t think too highly of you.”

  “The feeling was mutual.”

  Llew stood watching Karlani, leaving the other woman to decide what she wanted to do, and still unsure how to take this woman who had done so much to hurt her, but now seemed in need.

  Karlani looked up and down the road, down at the bucket, picked it up, and took another swig. She placed it down and stood back with a casual air, pursed her lips, then looked back at Llew. “Is Jonas with you?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Llew filled the word with the assertiveness she needed when facing Karlani.

  “And his friend?” Karlani looked beyond Llew, likely seeing Alvaro, for she narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar man.

  Though Llew kept her mouth shut, she couldn’t help glancing towards the hilled paddock over which Hisham may still have lain. While Karlani believed herself underpowered, Llew had time. She could send Karlani away, but that didn’t guarantee they wouldn’t cross paths again, and next time Llew might not be fortuitous enough to spot Karlani first. Attempting to kill her was a risky option, no matter how much she deserved it. If Llew had a weapon in her hand, if she knew she could strike true before Karlani could defend or counterstrike, the Syakaran woman would be dead already. But she didn’t have a weapon, and she’d mock battled Jonas enough to know he always had the upper hand. Karlani would, too. Llew tamped down the impotent rage that flowed through her. It did no good here. And, though she loathed to consider it, if Karlani would lend her strength, there was little doubt they could put it to use. That fact alone had her cursing under her breath.

  Karlani cast her eye over their surroundings, lingering on the bodies hanging at the main entrance to the property. She lifted her chin at them. “Your work?”

  Llew clenched her jaw against tears and shook her head. She gathered her strength through a deep breath and said, “Look, I’ve got work to do. Despite my better judgment, I’m going to give you the choice between joining us or moving on and fending for yourself.” Without awaiting an answer, Llew turned for the homestead. Karlani could be a powerful ally or foe, neither of which appealed.

  Llew cleared the fence again and kept walking. She no longer had the benefits of Syakaran strength and speed – or had it been Immortal? – but her own fitness had improved over the preceding months. At least, she didn’t think she had Syakaran strength and speed. No. If she did, she would also have been able to heal Jonas with a touch.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The soft crunch of Karlani alighting on the cartway behind her halted any thoughts Llew might have had regarding babies.

  “This is Karlani. She’s Syakaran,” she said offhandedly as she passed Alvaro, leaving Karlani and Alvaro to figure out their own next moves, and rolled her shoulders, trying to shake the tingle down her back at having the Syakaran woman behind her.

  Focusing on building her inner strength, Llew didn’t look back again, even when Rowan asked “Who’s that?” as she stepped up to the porch. She didn’t know how to explain Karlani, anyway, and would really rather not, so she just carried on into the kitchen.

  Anya and Elka stood by the bench and cooking range, having a murmured conversation, and Jonas was standing by the wall at the other end of the table. It took Llew a moment to realize what was odd about the scene. While Jonas still used his crutches, he was stepping forward on his right foot. She blinked, but it remained true.

  Rowan came through the door behind her. “Now he’s healed as much as he can, we thought he should make a start on getting used to a prosthetic. That’s the one I brought with me. I’m not sure if it’ll be enough when he’s full power again, but it’s a start. Takes time to get used to them.”

  Jonas eased his weight onto the prosthetic and shuffled his other foot along the floor with a hiss between his teeth.

  “It’ll take some getting used to,” Rowan said. “Your thigh’s never taken your weight like that before, and the skin hasn’t toughened up. It will.”

  Jonas stepped onto his own foot and brought the crutches forward, then swung the prosthetic through again. When he shifted his weight to the prosthetic again, he kept any expression of discomfort to himself, probably for the best, as Alvaro and Karlani arrived at the door. Llew heard them and moved farther into the dim dining area to allow them room.

  “What’s she doing here?” Llew didn’t think she’d heard such vitriol from Anya before.

  “I stopped for a drink,” Karlani said.

  “So?”

  “She’s here because where else would she be?” Llew said. Llew still couldn’t decide if it was luck or punishment.

  Jonas eased himself onto the bench seat at the table, leaning his crutches against the far end, in the deepest dark of the room.

  “Whoa. Something’s gone down.” Alvaro placed himself at Karlani’s shoulder. “Had a bit of a girly spat, did we? Oh!” He laughed. “Karlani’s Syakaran.” He looked at Jonas, then back at Karlani. “Did you meet Aris? Jonas is weak and missing a leg, you know?”

  Llew had the urge to punch his smug face.

  “Weak?” Karlani asked.

  “I ain’t Syakaran no more.” Jonas sounded vexed to have to say it. Llew had hoped to hold Jonas’s presumed superior strength, speed, and skill over Karlani a little longer, too. Damned Alvaro.

  “How?”

  “He’s sick. He just has to fight the bug.” Llew fought the urge to fold her arms. Despite all the truths standing between them, she did not want to appear weak in front of Karlani.

  “Bug?” Karlani glanced around the room.

  “Microorganism. An infection,” Elka said. “Ins— side his body.”

  Karlani took a step back towards the door. “Can we catch it?”

  Llew almost smiled to see Karlani’s fear, but it was justified. “I don’t know. None of the rest of us seem affected, but we’re not Kara.”

  Karlani took another step back, putting herself just outside the door again. Alvaro took a step closer to her. He glared at Llew, but said nothing.

  “The only people I know have been infected are Braph and Jonas. Braph did it knowingly and used his magic to fight it before it did too much damage. Jonas …” Llew glanced his way to find him scowling at the table, and cursed Alvaro again. “… didn’t know what he was dealing with until it was too late.” Llew shifted her weight. For a second there, she’d forgotten this was Karlani she was talking to, until a wave of fear and rage washed over her, neither of which she wanted to show. She lifted her chin. “You’re welcome to leave.”

  Karlani shrugged, though she flicked a glance Jonas’s way. “Got nowhere else to be. I can, I don’t know … maybe help?”

  Llew clamped her lips tight on the urge to laugh. As absurd as working with Karlani seemed, there was little doubt a Syakaran was handy to have around.

  Rowan cleared his throat. “Anyone else hungry? I’ll grab what’s left in the carriage and we can all have a decent lunch. Might be enough left to make a good start at dinner, too. That should give us the sustenance to look for more food. This is a farm, after all.”

  Llew nodded, and Karlani and Alvaro made room for Rowan to slip past them. “Want to help?” Llew said when Karlani and Alvaro refilled the doorway. “Go. Give him a couple of extra pairs of hands.” The pair hesitated a moment before following Rowan.