Tessia gripped my hand tightly when I joined Meresh, Fen, and the others at the front of the seated tribe.

I'm scared. Her gray eyes practically begged to be anywhere else. They're almost here.

All eyes were fixed on the quickly approaching group, who had clearly chosen speed over stealth. They numbered about twenty. Niralessa led them, her green skin a contrast against the yellow grass, even though they still appeared small in the distance.

Can you tell what she's thinking right now? I asked Tessia.

Not yet. They're too far away.

It was strange to be sitting in the dirt with a crowd of people, waiting for something that could mean complete doom.

Dust floated up as Niralessa's war party jogged closer. Anxiety rolled off the Zurbos around me as they shifted around and breathed faster. But they remained eerily silent, as if a single word might burst the bubble of safety they were currently in.

When at last the oncoming warriors noticed us sitting on the ground, they stopped advancing. Some of them looked around, raising weapons, as if expecting an ambush.

They talked among themselves, but they were still too far away for me to hear anything.

Tessia, do you know what they're saying?

She squinted hard in their direction. They're confused. They think it's a trick.

Well, that was better than a murderous rage, right?

They advanced again, but more slowly now. The ones at the rear of the group kept careful watch all around them. When the group was shouting distance away, they stopped again.

"What happens now?" someone behind me whispered.

"I don't know. I don't want to die," someone else whispered back.

I tried to remain calm, but my heart was already racing. It nearly stopped when Niralessa picked me out and stared hard.

"What deception is this?" she called out, voice like iron.

"It's not a trick," I yelled back. "There will be no fighting today." I tried to put confidence in my voice, even though I knew my legs would be trembling had I been standing. She just looked so angry.

"You speak nonsense. I came for blood, and I will get it."

Minocken, who stood by her side, nodded in agreement. He and the others followed when Niralessa stepped closer still.

"I knew this wouldn't work," I heard Pimo grumble from where he sat.

I shushed him. He gave me a disparaging look, but said no more. It was too late to do anything different.

"Hasn't there been enough blood?" Meresh rose to his feet, squaring his shoulders in what looked like a belligerent stance.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. "Don't provoke them."

He ignored me and sauntered toward Niralessa. I might have thought him fearless had I not noticed the nervous swallow.

As he got closer, Minocken raised his club. Meresh raised his palms, clearly showing them he was unarmed. "I am deeply sorry for the loss you have suffered. We have lost good people as well."

"Good people?" Niralessa growled. "Don't make me laugh. You have no idea what we've lost. Corin was—" She pressed her lips together to stop herself.

Corin. An ache pressed against my throbbing heart. I would never get to know my father better.

Meresh seemed to sense the woman's anguish. His head dipped in thought.

When his shoulders drooped, I wondered with alarm what kind of decision he'd just made.

"Take my life," he stated, voice so low I barely heard him. "I am the chief. I will take responsibility."

"No!" The word flew out of my mouth, while various gasps circulated behind me. I jumped to my feet.

Meresh turned sad eyes to me and raised a hand. "It's all right. If giving my life saves my people, then I will give it."

"Meresh!" Elna's broken sob turned my head. She shook, eyes pleading, clutching her belly as if to shield her unborn child from something horrible.

"Tell our child stories about me. The good ones." He gave her a wan smile.

Minocken looked from Elna to Meresh and lowered his club. Doubt clouded his eyes.

Niralessa tilted her head. "You would give your life for them?" She spat 'them' as if referring to termites.

Meresh exhaled wearily. "They are my people. They are prone to poor decisions, but we are working on that."

The derisive laugh that came out of Niralessa's mouth ran a cold shiver down my spine.

Tessia, she's not going to kill him, is she?

Her mind is very chaotic. Full of grief. I don't know. She might. A pause. She just wants the pain to stop.

"He's not like the other Plainsmen!" I approached the standoff happening before me. Fen scrambled to his feet and joined me.

"Never thought I'd see us on opposing sides, brother." The disappointment was evident in Minocken's voice.

Fen looked away, but placed a hand on the small of my back to let me know he was with me. I couldn't imagine what it was like for him to face his family like this.

I forced my gaze back on Niralessa. "Chief Meresh is a good man. Open-minded. Isn't that what this land needs?"

"This land needs fewer vermin." She pulled a knife from her belt.

The breath caught in my throat. This couldn't be happening.

"Ma." Fen stepped closer, putting himself between Niralessa and me.

She gave him a look that spoke volumes about the betrayal she felt.

Fen hesitated, but went on. "You taught us to be strong, to protect the family."

"That's right, which is why I'm wondering why you're standing over there."

Fen gulped. "If you kill him, these people will see us as monsters."

"They already see us as monsters," Minocken snarled.

"Not all of them," Fen told him. "This chief shook my hand in front of his people. It started something. Something good." He turned his attention back to Niralessa. "Corin would say this was an opportunity." Fen straightened his spine. "And so do I."

"Soft-headed, little . . ." Niralessa muttered, but didn't finish her sentence. Her grip on the knife tightened, and I couldn't tell if she wanted to throw it to the ground or slash someone's throat.

Minocken surveyed the frightened tribe sitting helplessly in front of him. "It would be so easy to kill all of them," he murmured.

I tensed, unsure what to do. Pimo was right. This was a stupid idea. We were all about to die.

Hmm. Maybe we have some time to vote before we die?