Ankyra Sound make a den, build a fire; later, the smoke will taste like plums

She takes the bait and turns to follow his gaze, but he’s brought back to watch her as she considers his words. The weight of her judgment remains heavy in her eyes and he keeps from making contact but they are where he can still read her. A pack and regular meals might give him the edge he needs for his purpose, searching out to rescue his mother from them, but he needs to lay some trust somewhere. His knowledge of Drageda may not be much but maybe it is enough to win her favor.

”Who’s to say it’s not?” he dares. ”But I hardly believe you’ll stand a chance against an army,” he suggests with a roll of a shoulder. They’d won a war, at least, and maybe most of them are children, but what do they know?