"We'll do that then." She raised her voice. "Gavril? We're saying a few words to the children, in case they are anxious."
He nodded. "I'll wait here."
Speaking to the children settled Tyrus's stomach and his nerves. They thought him a hero, so he would be one for them. As Moria watched him tease and joke with the children, knowing each by name, and she saw them beam under the attention, she thought of the wild visions she'd had on waking the dragon whelp. Visions of Tyrus on a throne. She watched him with the children of Edgewood, and then with the warriors, more words for them, and she realized they were not such wild visions after all. He did have what it took to be emperor, and she might have no idea how he'd get to that throne, but he would. She'd no doubt of that.
Then it began. A test more daunting than any battlefield. Tyrus marched on the city that had declared him a traitor. He marched at the side of the enemy's son and the young woman who'd supposedly betrayed him. He marched with the Seeker of Edgewood and with an exiled thief who bore a warrior's blades. He marched with Goro Okami, who followed with his son directly at Tyrus's back. Wagons followed him, too. Two wagons filled with the children of Edgewood and Fairview and Northpond.
And Tyrus brought something else. A dragon.
They'd argued about that. Tyrus had wanted to find a way to contain Zuri, possibly in one of the wagons.
"You bring a dragon," Moria had said. "And you wish to hide her?"
"I fear . . ."
"You fear what?"
He'd shifted, uncomfortable, casting a glance at Zuri, who was ripping apart a leg of deer with Daigo.
"You fear insulting your father," Gavril had said, quietly listening in.
"How?" Moria had asked. "The dragon is your totem. You return to the city bearing your actual, living totem, who chooses to stay at your side. If that is not a sign of the goddess's favor . . ."
"That is the problem," Gavril had said.
She'd understood it then. If anyone should have a living dragon, it was the emperor. So Moria devised a solution, one that allowed Tyrus the awe and majesty of returning with a dragon, while not claiming the goddess's favor over his father. Now Zuri flew far overhead, circling the wagons and the troops, but always returning to her master, making sure he did not leave her.
They attracted quite enough attention on the secondary road, but when it joined the Imperial Way, Moria truly realized what they were doing. One might say that an empire is never so unsettled as when it is at war. That was, Moria reflected, not true. Being on the edge of war was worse. Tensions ran high and everyone was looking for a scapegoat. And now they brought three of them into the city. Three traitors, leading a small army.
Last time they'd been met with catcalls and mockery. Now it was hatred and fear. Lord Okami's men had to surround them to keep them from being attacked. Even then, they could not stop the rage-fueled words. Or the stones and fruit and whatever else could be hurled. Moria deflected a few of the missiles before they struck Tyrus, and she hurled snarls back, Daigo echoing them, but Tyrus stopped her.
"Ignore them," he said, without looking her way. "To acknowledge their anger only feeds it."
Gavril grunted in agreement. Moria glanced back to be sure Ashyn was fine, riding behind Lord Okami. Her sister caught her gaze and looked anxious, but the mobs growing along the road were leaving her alone. Their targets rode at the front. The three traitors.
Moria seethed and fumed and fidgeted in her seat. When someone shouted an insult about Gavril's mother, she could not help herself. She wheeled toward the offender, daggers raised. Gavril leaned over swiftly and caught her arm, and then whispered, "Be calm. You are the Keeper."
"I cannot stand to hear--"
"Do you remember when we first walked into the city? And you defended me? I never forgot that. Whenever I would try to tell myself I had not betrayed you, I would remember you leaping to my defense."
"I--"
"What I mean, Keeper, is that it was more than I expected then and it is far more than I expected to ever have again. So . . ." He fussed with his reins. "I simply mean thank you."
Tyrus leaned over then. "Believe me, I would have liked to draw my sword on that idiot myself, but this is one time when we cannot--"
"Are you bewitched, bastard?" someone shouted.
"At least bastard is an epithet I can own," Tyrus said quietly to Moria. "And I will also accept bewitched."
He grinned at her, and she smiled back.
"The Kitsune traitor has used his sorcery on you," the man shouted. "He whispers treachery to the Keeper bitch and you still smile for his whore--"
Tyrus had his blade out before the man could finish. Gavril lunged, nearly falling off his horse as he leaned across Moria to grab at Tyrus's arm. He couldn't reach, but Tyrus looked over, their eyes meeting.
"He cannot call her--" Tyrus said.