Adrianna left a note, thanking her, and then we were gone.
A dense fog bank hovering over still waters greeted us outside, along with a peach and rose-tinted sky, just visible through the limbs of cypress trees. We took a moment to grab our weapons and harness them. I buckled everything tight; who knew what we’d face on the journey back. But pulling my rucksack’s straps tighter only caused shooting pains to sear through my shoulders and back, like a branding. Humid weather and walking for hours didn’t mix; the skin had been rubbed raw.
Damn. What I really needed was a bath. A swim—anything. Frazer and Adrianna must’ve been sick to their stomachs with so many unwashed bodies floating about.
Once ready, our pack traced the same path as yesterday. Past the old willow and across the swamp, through the veil of mist, we made it back onto dry land again and fell into a familiar line. Cai in the lead, Liora and I in the middle, Frazer guarding our backs, and Adrianna as our eyes in the sky. But something had changed between us. Something that went bone-deep—an affinity that wasn’t there before. Maggie was right. We were bonding.
The same tedious trek followed for three days. Hours of walking, broken up by the odd five-minute rest and a few cloudbursts. Our conversations went around in circles. From the possibility that Tysion’s pack might be setting an ambush for us, to Maggie’s revelations. The hunger gnawing at my belly all day until the evening meal didn’t help, either. It made me cranky. Hell, it pissed me off.
But what came next was much worse.
The fourth day of our march began with a brittle tension brewing. As we moved out into the forest, it was becoming harder and harder to ignore the twisting knot in my stomach.
Around midday, Cai called us to a stop. We’d agreed ahead of time that Adrianna would fly on ahead and scout the area for ambushes. It wasn’t a guarantee, but still, better than nothing. We watched her navy-blue blur vanish.
Cai continued to stare up into the canopy, even after she’d disappeared. His expression was unreadable.
Liora moved closer to her brother’s side. “They won’t find her. Adi’s too good for that.”
A completely unnecessary comment.
Liora’s expression tightened as Cai looked down to flash a quick smile. It was painfully obvious that he was acting his ass off. “I know. I’m just annoyed we’re stuck here until she gets back.”
He’d been actively shielding our scents, our sounds, and now we needed to stay put for Adrianna to find us or risk discovery by those vexing fae senses.
Cai ran his hands through his hair, which over the past few days had become an unruly mess with frizzy tufts sticking out at all ends. “I’ve been thinking. If Tysion’s pack is lying in wait, it seems reasonable to assume it’ll be by the tree line.”
He met Frazer’s eyes, and a line of understanding passed between them. Their camaraderie seemed to be flowering. Into maybe even friendship.
Cai began, “He’s most likely to hit us when our pack breaks cover. But if Adrianna’s right, and he’s held off from completing the trial just because of some rutting grudge, then he might not stop at taking one of us hostage. Even if it’s against the rules.”
“You think he’ll try to stop us from finishing the quest,” Liora said, looking stricken.
Cai sucked on his teeth thoughtfully. “We don’t know how much information Tysion was given. His pack could know what our quest object is, and if he finds the hair, he might destroy it. It’s an outcome we need to prepare for, anyway.”
“It definitely sounds like something he’d do,” I muttered.
“What’s your strategy?” Frazer asked Cai. A soldier to his leader.
A hesitant heartbeat. Cai seemed to be building up to say something. Something told me I wouldn’t like what came next. “None of us wants to become Tysion’s hostage, but we won’t get kicked out if we do. And getting the hair to Goldwyn and passing the trial is our end goal. So, we split up. They won’t know who to go after.”
Liora crossed her arms, frowning thoughtfully. “But what if the person carrying the hair gets caught with it?”
Cai replied with a lazy, lilting grin. “They could hide it up their ass.”
A sharp snort of laughter burst from me as Liora rolled her eyes in reply.
“Go hang,” Frazer snarled. “Although …”
“Great. You’re coming around to the idea,” Cai played.
Frazer gave him a haughty look. “D’you ever tire of hearing yourself speak?” Cai opened his mouth, but Frazer quickly added, “Never mind. Just listen. We’ll divide the hair into three sections, and split up into pairs. That way it’ll give us more shots of getting through, but we’ll still have someone watching our backs.”
He gave me a not-so-subtle sidelong look, so I finished his thought. “For those who need it—like me.”
His jaw clenched. Frazer started, a warning implicit, “Yes. Because given your history with them, we can’t be sure they won’t hurt you.” He surged on, scowling. “I might’ve refused to protect you in the beginning, but I’ll be damned if I’ll fail you now.”
That was guilt in his eyes. My heart shifted a little. Less anger, more love.
Liora’s back straightened and her hands hung loose at her sides. “As long as you give some to me.”
Cai stiffened, but Liora just continued, louder, steadier than before. “I haven’t had as many issues with them, and they won’t expect that you’ve given it to one of your weaker warriors. It only makes sense.”
Indeed. Cai was still slow to nod his approval.
At the sound of humming wingbeats from above we went for our weapons, but it was just Adrianna. As soon as she hit the ground, she said, “I didn’t spot an ambush, but I had to stay high to use the cloud cover.”
Frazer filled in the blanks. “Then, there’s a chance you missed something?”
A curt nod.
“Well, I think we’ve got a solid plan if it all turns to shit.” Cai relaxed his grip on his sword.
Adrianna listened to our idea. “Fine. Although, if you gave it all to me, I’m sure I could out-fly the bastards.”
Cai’s eyes danced. “Now, now, don’t get cocky.”
Her expression turned lethal. “Don’t underestimate me.”
“No danger of that,” Cai replied with a flirting smirk.
Adrianna looked away first. Huffing.
Cai added more seriously this time, “Adi, how far is camp?”
“On foot, maybe fifteen minutes.”
“No point delaying then. Frazer?” Cai gave him a little nod.
My kin shrugged off his quiver and bow to get to his rucksack. He pulled the hair from deep inside and gave a third to Liora, and divided the rest between himself and Adrianna.
They all found different places to hide the lock of hair—no one chose up the ass, unsurprisingly.
Cai gave his commands—a general in the making. “Liora stays with me. Frazer with Serena. But we stay in sight of one another. Adrianna, obviously the same rules don’t apply. You’ll have to go it alone.”
A slight rigidity entered Adrianna’s body posture. As if daring him to ask whether she minded. But Cai just continued, oblivious. “Then, when the camp comes into view, Liora, Serena—I want you to run out first. I’ll signal when with a birdcall. We’ll follow, and surprise them from behind.”
“What?” Frazer growled, his features clouding over.
“The sound barrier will break, and they’ll be in plain sight. It might draw Tysion and his minions out.”
Adrianna cut in, doubt coloring her voice. “They’re not that stupid.”
“You’re biased,” Cai argued. Albeit calmly. “When a fae’s blood is up, they can lose all sense and reason. I’ve seen it again and again. It’s a weakness; one we can exploit.”
So true. I tried to hide a smile.
Cai looked skyward. “Adi, d’you want to lead us out?”
Adrianna didn’t bother saying farewell or good luck. Her wings flared, and she soared, circling above. We split into our pairs with Cai and Liora walking thirty paces to our left, staying within sight and reach of the sound barrier. The forest thinned soon enough, and then we saw it. Kasi.