Free Noble Falling by Sara Gaines

punishment for her crimes.”
    “She won’t hurt us, Ori. It’s only one night.” There was a voice that told me we were safe, but no matter how confident I could seem, I knew Ori wouldn’t abandon his mistrust.
    “I hope you’re right.” The guard shrugged. “At least we have very little to steal.”
    Admitting that Kahira might not be as great a threat as he believed seemed to make the guard relax, albeit a miniscule amount. Seeing he was lost in thought and knowing there was little I could do to ease his tension, I gave in to an urge that had been gnawing at me from the moment we stopped for camp. Ignoring Ori’s hushed protests, I stood and turned my back to the guard, trusting his abilities to finish cooking our food. Moving caused me to wince at the still present pain in my side, though it had thankfully dulled slightly. Determined to talk to the woman who had saved our lives, I hesitantly walked toward her.
    As I approached Kahira, I could not decide if it was the bravest thing I had ever done, or the most foolish. Before I could determine the answer, the low growl of Kahira’s hound greeted my arrival.
    “Enza, down.” A harsh command came from the animal’s owner, immediately calming the dog. Seeing me, Kahira left her horse’s side and walked over.
    My stomach flipped as the woman came toward me, and the words flew from my mouth before I could even think about what I was saying. “You’re Dakmoran.”
    The woman’s tattooed eyebrow arched in amusement as a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. When she spoke, her voice was far softer than it had been before.
    “Yes, I am. And which one of you put the pieces together?” Kahira laughed slightly. “That is what I get for taking the time to bury those soldiers.”
    “Why did you have to bury them?”
    I did not realize I had ignored her question until she was speaking again.
    “My people believe a person’s soul fades unless the body of the deceased is placed in the ground and the right words are said.” She knelt to scratch her dog’s ears. “Without the rites, a soul is gone from this world, and all memory of the person vanishes along with it. It is as though the person is erased from ever existing. It is not that I cared for those men, but I cannot disrespect such traditions, even if the families of the men will never know. It is a habit I have never been able to break.”
    The way she spoke left no doubt that the two men she buried today were not her first.
    Seeing an opportunity to learn more of this woman, I spoke again.
    “But, what of soldiers? It must be impossible for every fallen Dakmoran to be treated with such kindness.”
    Naming her acts as those of kindness only seemed to amuse her more.
    “There is a belief that the spilled blood of a soldier will call to the earth to take him as long as his death was for a noble cause. I….” A sad smile flickered across her expression. “I just believe the men who die at the end of my blades deserve what I can give. I do not wish to be responsible for the extinction of a soul. Even if the man tried to kill me.”
    She stood once more, taller than I had originally thought. The cream-colored hound whined, protesting her owner’s sudden lack of attention. Kahira must have caught my nervous glance as the dog climbed to its feet. Choosing to change the subject, she spoke again.
    “Don’t worry, Enza is usually harmless.” The dog brushed her head against Kahira’s hand; the woman smiled fondly at her pet’s antics. “What you saw earlier is a side of her even I rarely see.”
    “I imagine her presence alone would help you with avoiding a fight.”
    Kahira offered another smirk. “Yes, but thankfully such a scenario does not happen much anymore, despite what you might think.”
    I let out a strained laugh and swallowed the lump in my throat, afraid the young woman would see a look on my face that would make her assumption clearly true. To avoid her scrutiny, I turned my attention