“Waging war.”
“Yeah. That. Working out some issues,” she adds, cryptically.
I assume she means killing people had always been something he disliked. He would do it to keep Zosia safe. Apparently, killing isn’t something he minds doing, now. “Like therapy.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Saskaya snaps.
I forget sometimes that she doesn’t have as much experience with the outside world as Cata did. She was there with us in Scotland. Watching over us. Zosia, anyway. I was under their protection, too, but I didn’t suffer the illusion that I was a priority.
“It’s this thing where you go talk to someone about your problems…” I broke off. Trying to explain the concept of talk therapy to Saskaya was like trying to teach astronomy to a wolf-bear. “It’s paying someone to listen to you complain about your life.”
Saskaya laughs harshly. “What a pointless waste of money.”
I don’t disagree. The literature says its clinically helpful, but it’s just not something any Auralian would do.
“Is it good to be back in Covari Village?” I change the subject.
“Magnificent. I missed my bed. And my son. My husband, too. Not in that order.”
It’s my turn to chuckle.
“What are the latest casualty reports?” she asks.
I blew out a breath and mentally scan down the updated roll of our dead.
“An estimated five thousand dead from Oceanside alone. Mostly men, but a lot of women and some children, too.”
Saskaya curses floridly.
“The Grasslands District is basically destroyed.”
Another ten thousand people dead, either from attacks or wildfires. Possibly as high as twelve. When this is all over, Zosia will need to do a proper census.
“Nansier?” Saskaya prompts.
“Obliterated.”
The Timberlands District was always sparsely populated. It boasted only one proper city, Nansier. Six thousand people, reduced to a few hundred. The Timberlands understood how important it was to stop the invaders from advancing. It came at a great cost.
Kenton’s entire family perished.
“A third of the Covari are gone.” Saskaya keeps her tone devoid of inflection.
Another twelve hundred lives lost, give or take. Without the help of the secret tribe dedicated to protecting the royal family, we’d have lost that first night. They paid a high price. Their tribe was only around three thousand people to start with. They’re our best warriors, but their time-honored fighting skills were no match for bullets.
“The Mountain District is relatively unscathed. As are The Mountain Folk.” Saskaya says.
“Lucky them.”
I’m salty toward Keryn’s tribe. They initially sent a contingent of fighters to help guard the border to the Timberlands, but they didn’t do much else. My people have lost half our army fighting to keep the invaders away from our castle. The remainder are stationed at the border trying to prevent any further attacks. Relatively, we’re well off. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot of losses.
“If the Skía controlled both entrances to the island, we’d be pincered.”
“I know.” I do. I resent them anyway.
“How’s your boyfriend?” Saskaya asks. She, too, can unsubtly change the subject.
“Tovian’s great.”
