Cactus pushed forward. “No. I called on the Tracker. I broke that rule. One less to punish her with, then. You cannot kill her.”
I didn’t gasp, I wasn’t surprised he would try to take the punishment from me. That was Cactus through and through. “Cactus, don’t—”
“No.” He went to his knees beside me. “No. You are not doing this without me.”
My father stepped down from the platform. “You are both hereby banished. You are no longer of the Rim. You are no longer of our family. I cast you out to wander the desert, Larkspur. That is your home. Cactus, I cast you out to the north. You will not be together.”
Cactus’s eyes bugged and I knew what he was thinking. He’d finally found a way to be with me without Ash. Except Cactus would not survive banishment.
Beside me, Peta let out a wail, her pain echoing through me. I crouched and put my arms around her, whispering in her ear. “This is not forever, Peta. I will survive this too. You know if Talan survived banishment, so can I. Do what you can to learn, go to the families and search out their secrets, weaknesses. The mother goddess plays a deep game, and I aim to uncover it.”
She put her head against mine. “Please, do not leave me again.”
“For a little while, my Nepeta. Only a little while.” I stroked her head. “Shazer. Take her, and don’t irritate each other too much.”
The Pegasus shook his head. “This is wrong.”
“For all those deaths?” It was my turn to shake my head. “I think I got off lightly.”
There was no saying goodbye for me, not for anyone other than my two familiars. Bella tried, as did Cactus and Ash. They were held back and I didn’t fight the guards who hustled me to the eastern edge of the Rim.
Griffin leaned against a tree, watching me dumped like a bag of human garbage. “Kicked out?”
I dusted off my clothes. “You don’t seem surprised.”
“Not. Seen it coming for a while, yeah? I’m going to come with you for a bit. I got something you should learn.”
We walked side by side through the forest, angling to the south. “What’s that?”
“Teach you how to make things from the earth. Not with your power, but with your hands. Teach you the ways of a blacksmith. It’ll keep you company while you’re away. I think you’ll have a knack for it.”
That was not what I’d been expecting.
The days and nights rolled into each other and we only stopped when fatigue or the pain in my healing leg finally demanded I rest. There was a strange emptiness in my heart I chose not to pay attention to.
The loss of my Peta. Of Ash and Cactus.
Of watching Bella cry as I was dragged away, never having even met my niece.
Of understanding how much the mother goddess had used me.
The edge of the desert beckoned me on the fifth morning. Flat, empty, desolate. The ground was baked so hard it might have been concrete. A hot wind blew across the expanse, kicking up tumbleweeds and dust.
“So this is home.”
“Did they give you a time period?” Griffin asked as we stared out over the horizon.
“They didn’t. Banishment is forever, you know.”
“Only because they don’t know you can survive it. Yeah?” Griffin punched me lightly in the arm.
I laughed, but it was bitter-filled. “Yeah, I know.” Which was why the punishment didn’t scare me. “Griffin, my father banished Cactus too. He won’t survive.”
“I’ll get the boy, take him to a safe place after I show you what I gots to show you. A place outside our world where he can be safe and wait on you. Yeah?” He tipped his chin forward.
“What do you mean, wait on me?”
He burst out laughing. “How long before you decide you’re going to leave this desert? How long before the chains that hold you here weaken and you break this rule too?”
My face heated with embarrassment. “I don’t try to be disobedient.”
“Nah, it comes natural to you. Every Spirit user is like that. It’s why you’re so much fun.” He winked and headed out onto the flats without me. I watched him go, thinking about what my future might hold.
He was right about one thing. I wouldn’t stay here forever. Peta needed me, and I needed her. A little more time I could stand apart from her, but not forever.
No, not forever.
I took a step and my bare feet touched the hot, hard ground. The earth shivered as I reached out for my power, feeling its strength.
Above my head the whoosh of wings tugged my gaze heavenward. Shazer flew high above, Peta balanced on his back in her leopard form. Her eyes met mine and I raised a hand to her as they banked away from the desert. I dug into my bag and pulled out the blue sapphire. With a toss, I sent it into the air. Peta caught it in both paws. “Take it to Finley.”
I held a hand up to her, the pain of losing her once again tearing at me.
“Wait for me, my friend. This is not forever. A little while and then . . . then we will be together again.”
CHAPTER 27