"It is not as easy as they make it seem in training," he said. "Taking a life."
"I don't think it ought to be."
He nodded, and she leaned against him, his hand going to her hip as he gave a shuddering breath. Then he pulled back, straightened, and looked about, still regaining his composure.
"I'll say a few words for both of their spirits," she said. "I'm not sure it works, coming from me . . ."
He squeezed her arm. "Thank you."
Gavril's swords clicked, and they turned to see him kneeling beside the young bounty hunter. He took the thin dagger from where it had fallen and examined the blade. It was needle-thin and seemed as if it would fold on impact, but when he tested the blade, it didn't bend.
"It's a stiletto," Tyrus said.
Gavril frowned at the unfamiliar word.
"I've read of them," Moria said. "They're foreign. From beyond the empire. Very rare. They're also known as assassin's daggers."
Tyrus nodded. "An imperial bounty hunter ought not to be carrying one. Which is no excuse for me nearly losing Daigo's life to the trick. Particularly after he tried to warn me." He turned to the wildcat. "My apologies."
Daigo swished his thick tail against the prince, his way of saying the apology was accepted.
"While warriors cannot carry hidden weapons . . ." Tyrus held it out to Moria.
"Thank you," she said. As she accepted, she recalled taking another dagger from a dead warrior--Orbec, back in the Forest of the Dead. While her intention had been to return the ancestral blade to his family--which she had--she'd still felt guilty taking it from his body. Now, even with no such purpose, she did not. She regretted the young man's death. It was senseless. Foolish, too, given that they'd tended to his wounds and obviously did not wish him ill. But he'd made his choice, and if his weapon could aid her, she would take it.
"We ought to go now," Tyrus said. "Say your words for the dead, please, Moria, while Gavril and I take what we can from their supplies."
TWENTY-EIGHT
As they walked, they told their stories of what had transpired since they'd parted outside Lord Okami's compound. Moria asked Tyrus to speak first. Their tale would end with the death of Kiri Kitsune, and Gavril didn't need to revisit that any sooner than necessary.
Tyrus had been held under guard at Goro Okami's compound, while his father had returned to the imperial city. His captivity had lasted only until he'd heard that the emperor's spy had reported Moria and Gavril had never arrived at Alvar Kitsune's compound.
Escape hadn't been difficult. Tyrus may have joked about dungeons, but it was simply house arrest, Lord Okami having presumed that once Tyrus calmed down, he'd see the futility of following Moria. Tyrus and Daigo had escaped and found the place where Sabre had reported meeting up with Moria and Gavril.
"We discovered the remains of your camp, along with signs of a wagon train heading up to it and then retreating north. Presumably you'd been taken captive. We followed the wagon as best we could, but your wildcat needs tracking lessons, Moria."
Daigo fixed Tyrus with a baleful look.
"Yes, I know," Tyrus said. "You aren't a hound or a hunting cat, but you could try harder. It's never too late to learn new skills."
Daigo growled and laid his head against Moria's leg as they walked. That was usually something only Tova would do with Ashyn, Moria and Daigo being less overt in their affections. But tonight he stayed close, and she rubbed him and scratched his ears and felt one hollow part inside her fill again.
"We lost the trail completely this morning," Tyrus said. "Your wagon must have ridden over hard ground, and we could no longer track it. I knew exactly where I was, but your wildcat got hopelessly lost."
Daigo rolled his eyes and flicked his tail at Tyrus, who laughed. Moria saw Gavril watching them. In their days together on the Wastes and beyond, Daigo had gone from barely tolerating Gavril to grudgingly accepting his companionship, a far cry from the easy camaraderie Daigo had with Tyrus.
"That's when we found the bounty hunters," Tyrus continued. "We overheard enough to realize they were looking for me, so we planned to attack under cover of night. If we'd seen their poor fighting skills, we could have struck sooner. But then we'd never have found you, so . . ." He smiled at her. "It all worked out."
"It did."
"Now tell me your story."
Moria explained that their captors had said they'd only stumbled upon them, when they'd actually been in pursuit of Kiri Kitsune.
"Your mother's out here?" Tyrus said to Gavril. He caught the young warrior's expression. "Gavril?" He turned quickly to Moria. "What--?"
"My mother is no more," Gavril said. "I will . . . I'll let Moria explain. She's . . . better at such things. I sh