Adele looked around the forest. Her eyes darted quickly from one thing to the next, giving an impression that she didn’t miss much. “You’re traveling alone through the forest,” she said. “This is dangerous.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether that was intended as a warning or a question. Flick decided to take it as the latter and hope for the best.
“Aye,” he said. “But Kyra’s been alone out here for a while. I worry she’ll go hungry.”
Adele’s eyes moved over his features. “Do you share blood with Kyra?”
“Blood? Oh no,” said Flick. “We met as children.”
“But you are close.”
“As close as brother and sister at this point, I’d say.”
Adele nodded with something that looked like approval. “It’s good that you are loyal to her.” She exchanged a glance with Mela. “We will escort you. It will be safer for you that way.”
That was unexpected, but it took a weight off his chest. “Thank you,” said Flick. “I’d be grateful.”
She fell in step beside him, with Mela trailing right behind. Adele asked him questions about Forge as they walked—how many people there were, how they felt about the Makvani, what kind of food they ate…If Flick had been the suspicious type, he might have thought she was trying to get information to use against the city. But he didn’t think that was the case. Adele had an air of genuine curiosity, as did Mela, who occasionally interrupted with more fanciful inquiries about the colors that humans preferred, or why they wore tunics that required pulling over their heads to remove. Occasionally, Adele gave Mela a reproachful look, as if she thought her friend’s question was too silly.
Presently, Adele slowed. “Kyra is there,” she said.
It took Flick a while to spot Kyra, and by the time he did, his old friend was running toward him. Kyra’s clothes were wrinkled—she’d probably slept in them for several days in a row now—but she otherwise looked healthy. She was about to throw her arms around Flick when she noticed Adele and Mela. Her expression became more guarded.
“We came with him to make sure he didn’t get attacked,” said Adele. She turned to Flick. “We will rejoin you when you’re ready to return.”
Neither Kyra nor Flick said anything until the Makvani were out of sight.
“How’d you manage to charm those two?” Kyra asked.
Flick held out the rabbit. “They liked the herbs I gave them. This was their way of thanking me. Feeling hungry?”
Kyra eyed the carcass. “Keep it. My cooking won’t do it justice out here.”
He handed her the bag of supplies that he’d brought. “The news from the city is bad. There’s a price on your head. Malikel’s been removed from Council duties and placed under house arrest while the magistrate investigates.” Flick wasn’t one to follow politics, but even he knew that removing Malikel from the Council would upset the balance of things greatly.
Kyra let the bag of supplies sink to the ground. “And Tristam?”
“Mercie didn’t say anything about him, but my best guess is that he’s also under investigation.”
Her gaze went distant at his words, and Flick watched as conflicting emotions made their way across her face. Flick still wasn’t completely sure what had happened between Kyra and Tristam, but he’d eat his cloak before he believed that she no longer had feelings for the wallhugger.
“This is my fault,” said Kyra. “I can’t just leave them there to take my punishment.”
Flick sighed. He’d had a feeling she’d say that. “You won’t do them any favors by going back. What could you do?”
She looked at him, her jaw set in a stubborn line.
“Be realistic, Kyra. The Palace would just kill you on sight.”
He could tell she wanted to argue, but eventually her shoulders slumped. Flick relaxed slightly when he saw that she’d given up on that line of thought.
“There’s one more thing,” he said, pulling out the parchment Mercie had given him. “A man named Jacobo says he wants to talk to you.”
Here, she perked up. Kyra looked over the parchment with interest. “I asked him about Demon Riders a while back.”