I showed her my palm, cutting her off. “Wait. What if I burn up before the end of these trials?”
Hazel’s throat bobbed slightly. It didn’t give me confidence. “We’ll have to risk it and hope the necklace’s power holds. After the last trial, recruits wait about a month for a posting. That’ll be your window. It’s usually when the fae see their families. And the humans … say goodbye to theirs. Any sooner, and your absence will be obvious and noted. You’ll be considered deserters, and you do not want trackers on your tail. Besides, if we’re smart, we can use the sixth trial to our advantage.”
A pause.
Adrianna soon filled it by huffing out a noise of irritation. “Care to explain?”
Hazel looked down and picked at her fingernails. “D’you know what the rest of the trials are?”
Adrianna beat me to it. “Of course not. Each camp guards their secrets jealously. The armies clip wings and pull nails if an instructor or recruit talks about them.”
Hazel tossed her head, snorting. “Only if you’re stupid enough to get caught. I’ll tell you right now that Kasi’s fourth trial is the only one decided by someone other than your instructors.”
Adrianna and I exchanged a fleeting glance.
Hazel smiled knowingly. “I see you’ve already found that out. The fifth trial takes place in the arena, where you’ll each battle it out with another recruit.”
Shit.
Adrianna was the one to ask the obvious. “How d’you know these things?”
A sly smile lit Hazel’s eyes. “I might live on the outskirts, but I’ve got ears and eyes everywhere. Those instructors of yours, the army brats; they all talk. Despite your faith in their discretion,” she said to Adrianna. “In this case, their loose lips are a good thing because I know what the sixth challenge is, and how your pack can use it to our benefit.” Her heavy gaze met mine as she continued. “If we’re to return you to your natural form, we’ll need spell ingredients. To be specific: the feather of a phoenix, the golden claw of a white tiger, the fire of a dragon, and the sap from a nightshade thorn. That trial’s the perfect opportunity to retrieve all four items, as you’re given two weeks to choose and retrieve an object or creature of power. The only snag is that you’re meant to carry out the quest alone, and splitting up might be dangerous. Unavoidable … but dangerous.”
Words failed me at this point. Adrianna, thankfully, picked up the slack. “Those items won’t be easy to find. Let alone …”
My stomach knotted. If Adrianna had been rendered speechless, what chance did we have?
Hazel, however, remained stoic. “D’you honestly think I’ve been idle all these years?” Her shining eyes bored into mine. “Sati always wanted you to have your magic and fae body back. She told me to be ready. While I haven’t dared to seek the items myself—not with Morgan sniffing about—I have pinpointed locations for all the ingredients. But this won’t work unless each member of your pack contributes.”
Adrianna straightened. “I can speak for our pack. We’ll each go after an item.”
I wasn’t sure how Liora, Cai, or Frazer would feel about her speaking for them. Still, I had to appreciate the gesture.
“Very well.” Hazel bolted upright and said, “Hand over the map Maggie gave you.”
Adrianna dumped her bag and dragged out the bit of parchment. Hazel snatched it and crossed the room. Sandwiched in between two bookcases was a writing desk. She placed the map atop it and opened its tiny drawer to pull out a fountain pen and brush the tip. Ink bulged, and she bent over to mark the map and make notes on the back. Adrianna sat next to me while we waited. The clock showed a good five minutes passed before she called to us. Salazar bumped us off his cushions, and we walked over.
“First, in the matter of your third trial, you’ll find a korgan nearby.” Hazel pointed to a section of the map close to Sapor, and added, “He moved in last week. I’ve been planning to get some villagers together to try to oust him, but no one’s been willing to go with me to face a devos.”
A devos sprite. Holy fire.
Hazel’s mouth turned down. “At least if your trial demands a kill, it’ll be a sprite with real malice in its heart.”
Adrianna shifted. As if she was uncomfortable.
“The rest of the sections circled are for each of the items we need. On the back is where I’ve written the information you need to find them.” Hazel dragged a finger to four separate sections of the map: the Wisinder Cliffs, the Azar Forest, the Barsul Mountains, and the Attia Forest.
They were all in the Riverlands, thank the stars.
Adrianna arched an eyebrow and looked at Hazel with something resembling respect. “You really found them all?”
She got a thin smile in return. “A life’s work,” Hazel confirmed. “As for what happens after you’ve collected the ingredients—go back to Kasi. Reunite, but don’t let the objects out of your sight. And complete the last trial.”
“What is it?” Adrianna asked, folding her arms.
“It’s another battle in the arena …” Hazel spun to face her front door. Adrianna’s eyes followed, and she did a familiar head tilt.
“What is it—”
Adrianna shushed me frantically.
Hazel cut in. “They can’t hear us. But you both need to leave now. Go through the back door.” She waved to our left. Looking to Adrianna, she added intensely, “Carry Serena, and keep going until you reach the korgan hollow.”
Nodding and rolling the map up, Adrianna asked, “What about our scents? Will they track us?”
“They’re only here to harass me,” Hazel reassured. “They’ll assume you’re clients because that’s what I’ll tell them.”
Adrianna made for her bag by the couch and stuffed the map back in. I was still clueless. I looked to Hazel. “What’s going on?”
“Morgan’s spiders are outside.”
A shiver blasted up my spine.
“Don’t be scared. I’m only asking you to leave to be extra cautious,” she said, trying for a reassuring smile.
I didn’t feel any better.
Adrianna appeared at my side with both our bags in one hand and my sword in the other. “Why is Morgan interested in you?”
Hazel regarded her coldly. “Because I refused to join her court, so she sends the vermin along to harass me.”
Adrianna’s brow furrowed but said nothing.
I strapped my Utem? to my hip. Both of us shouldered our bags and set toward the back door. Adrianna picked me up in one swift movement and said, “Remember, once we’re out of this house, don’t speak until we’re out of range.”
I nodded, showing just how silent I could be.
Hazel rushed forward and put her hand on the door knob. “Follow the instructions—collect the items and stick together. And once you reach Ewa, find me.”
As if it were all that easy.
“If I’m not there, show the undines the necklace. Ask for their help,” she ordered.
My gut seized with a sickening turn. So many words, so many responses to that. None of which we had time for, so I dipped my head in thanks. “We’ll see you there.”
Hazel flashed me a tight-lipped smile and opened the door. Adrianna gave her a respectful nod and then ran a few steps before unleashing her wings. She jumped into the air, and keeping low to the ground, headed for the tree line.
Chapter 22
The Monster in the Woods
Adrianna tore through the wildwood, though maneuvering past cloud-busting trees with no supportive wind streams wasn’t an easy task. Her wings pulsed harder than ever, sending out a ripple so strong, it set boughs and thickets aquiver as we passed. I quickly succumbed to dizziness.
A steadying breath, in and out. And once again.
With my gut churning and niggling away at me, it was difficult to focus on anything else. Still, I caught glimpses over Adrianna’s shoulder in between the thrumming wings; there was nothing and no one behind us, just the rousing of leaves and the song of the wind whipped up in our wake.