With a growl, I followed.

Amazons had owned the safe camp since the area was settled. We-not me, being in my nineties, I wasn't born yet-built the farmhouse not long after.

When Thea and I arrived at the house, the yard was empty. Thinking everything was under control, not knowing we had lost the child yet, the Amazons had gone about their normal tasks. It was approaching time for dinner. The hearth-keepers would be in the kitchen. The warriors were exercising the horses in one of the lower fields, and the one artisan staying with us was off doing whatever artisans did. . drawing or carving or something.

"Do you have a plan for retrieving the baby?" Thea asked.

Her voice startled me. I wasn't used to being questioned, not even by the high priestess. But Thea wasn't Alcippe, our old priestess; she was younger, probably used to being bolder and sharing more responsibility in how a camp was run.

That, of course, didn't mean I had to answer. Especially since the answer was no. I had no idea how to find the sons now. And even if I did, I was fairly certain getting the baby back this time was going to be a lot harder.

And I wasn't sure how much time we had. But after talking to the son in the woods, I had an idea why they wanted the child. . revenge, pure and simple.

Payback for every son an Amazon had killed or maimed in the past.

I stayed up most of the night, pacing outside. I had gathered the tribe as soon as they had returned to camp from their various tasks. It had been awkward telling them we had lost the child, that the two sons had stolen her back, but they deserved to know.

There had been a few dark looks darted from face to face, but that was it. No one questioned us. It wasn't their place. They knew if their assistance was needed, Thea or I would tell them. Until then they were to just go about their regular lives.