I winced a bit at the forced playfulness in his voice and ducked out from under his brotherly hug.
“You either,” he shot over my shoulder toward Adrianna.
Adrianna made a low noise in her throat; something between a growl and a laugh. “Just don’t get cocky with the kelpies, and we’ll all see each other again.”
I moved in close to Adrianna so she could pick me up. Her arm went under my knees and the other braced my back. “I’ll try not to fly too high, but I won’t have a choice once we hit the—”
“The mountains. I know.”
“Bring back something hideous,” Cai called out to us.
I looked over at them, the emotions sticking in my throat. “Be safe.” My voice was a croak.
“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of Frazer for you.” Liora grinned.
Frazer chuffed, indignant. And a smile touched my lips.
Adrianna didn’t say goodbye. She whirled and ran, letting her wings sing with the wind. Once we were up, she hovered and slowly spun so we were facing the rest of our pack. We continued to climb like that. I didn’t know if it was for me or if it was her way of saying goodbye.
Liora and Cai waved, but not Frazer.
I’ll miss you.
A flicker of sadness, quickly smothered. I know, siska.
His words were distant now. Soon we’d lose the ability to speak, but thank the gods, the kin bond would hold strong.
Eventually, Adrianna had soared far above the camp and our friends were blurs. At least to me. She spun in mid-air and we started east, to the home of Hazel Greysand.
“I don’t know if it’s Sapor, but there’s definitely a village down there.” Adrianna nodded to a spot on the horizon, too distant for human eyes.
I squinted. “All I see are trees ahead and mountains behind.”
Adrianna grunted as if unsurprised. “Well, it’s in the right spot, so it’s worth checking out.”
She wasn’t wrong. Over the past two days we’d stared at the map and the tiny dot that was Sapor so many times, it felt like the image had become burned into my eyelids.
As we drew closer, the outline of the village took shape for me: russet-timbered buildings splattered with greenery, thin chains of smoke rising from chimney stacks, and the vein of a river—the pulse of the community—that rushed on by. No building dominated the others in size or grandeur. There was also nothing in the way of defensive fortification. I guessed fae villages didn’t need them. And although smaller than Tunnock, it still brought back memories and forced a gut-ache. Not for the first time, I wondered what John and Viola were doing.
“I’m going to start my descent now,” Adrianna warned, a glimmer of tiredness undercutting her words. Hardly surprising. Two days of almost non-stop flying had to take its toll. Especially with a passenger and supplies thrown on top.
Adrianna shifted into a glide and did a final circle of the village. I tried to ignore the unpleasant lurch of my stomach as her body readied for descent by tilting back, and her wingbeats grew heavier and more labored.
A familiar and welcome thump shuddered through me as Adrianna’s feet hit the ground. She put me down. Finding my legs felt stiff and numb, I stretched and shook them out to get the blood flowing.
Once recovered, I did a sweep of the immediate area. We’d landed on a dirt path. On the right was the forest, home for towering evergreen trees and a musky, earthbound scent. To the left was a house with a mossy roof and a tiny garden jammed on the side.
“Should we knock on doors?” My heart beat just that bit faster.
Adrianna met my eyes with a frown. “Let’s walk around first. Witches often advertise their services. There might be a sign up somewhere.”
She started down the trail in a loping stride. I tried to keep up, but she outpaced me with every step. Rounding the side of the building, we came upon a row of cottages on the right. All had blooming gardens filled to bursting; poppies, lilacs, daffodils, and sunflowers smiled back at me. A female with blue wings stepped out of a house near the end of the row. Her red hair caught the sun, reminding me of Liora, forcing me to question what the rest of my pack might be up to right now. Were they safe?
My anxiety ticked up a notch.
We made straight for the strange female. By the time we’d reached her, she was shutting the gate in the ivy-strewn wall enclosing a garden. Adrianna greeted her.
“Excuse me, I was wondering if you’d know where we could find Hazel Greysand?”
The redhead’s grip on the gate tightened; she turned slowly, her square jaw lifting an inch. “Can’t you just leave her alone? Haven’t you lot harassed her enough?”
Adrianna and I exchanged fleeting looks. Huh?
“You must have us confused with someone else,” Adrianna started. “We’ve never been here before—”
The fae’s face became even colder, harsher. “Maybe not, but your cohorts have.”
Adrianna’s eyes tapered to points. Spotting the warning signs that a barbed comment was imminent, I interceded. “Like my friend said, you’re mistaken. It was another witch who sent us here. She thought Hazel might be able to help me.”
The female’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but the lines around her mouth didn’t soften. “Which witch was that?”
Adrianna was now glaring at the fae in open contempt. “Maggie OneEye.”
The female was shorter than us. Maybe that’s why her posture shifted as she stretched up to her full height and said, “I know the name, but I still don’t see why I should help you.”
A faint growl ripped free from Adrianna. Before teeth could start snapping, I stared right into the redhead’s eyes. “Please. It’s life or death.”
The fae’s head crooked to the side. She gave me a blank look that made my chest tighten.
After a tense moment, the stranger jerked her chin to a standalone cottage directly ahead.
Its structure was made from similar chestnut-colored timber, but it had white and purple starflowers growing up its walls, lending a speckled appearance. Its herb-covered front garden wrapped around to the back and overlooked the forest beyond.
“You’ll find her there.” Without another word, the female marched off in the direction we’d just come from.
Adrianna stepped back and gestured up the row. “You first.”
My toes curled.
“I’ll be right behind you.”
I nodded distantly.
Go on. Nothing to fear.
Auntie’s words settled in, loosening, unleashing. I straightened, shaking my shoulders. And with curled fists, I strode up the path and through the gate. I knocked. No answer.
“Try again?” Adrianna suggested from behind me.
I tried again, this time a little louder.
Still no answer. An itch to bang on the door erupted. Where was she? Adrianna grasped my elbow and pulled me around gently. “We can come back.”
“No.” That got me a disapproving look, but I continued. “I’m staying, but you should go. We didn’t find anything on the way here, and we can’t afford to hold off on the hunt anymore.”
She didn’t say no, but she released my arm, her lips scrunching up at the sides. The same look Viola got whenever she was contemplating saying no.
“I can look after myself.” My chin went up a touch.
Stars bless her, Adrianna said, “I know that, but what are you going to do? Stand here and wait?”
“Yes.”
Her lip quirked at that.
“You go—find us something to hunt.”
I waved my hand and smiled, hoping she bought the fake confidence.
Adrianna nodded, lips pursed. “All right. I’ll be back in about two hours, but that redhead seemed wary of us, and we don’t know why. So don’t go wandering.”