I was shocked by the suggestion, considering it briefly. “They’re deep in Windguard, Ro. You shouldn’t risk it, not if the king’s soldiers are expecting you back soon. They’ll spot you before we make it south.”
“I have a feeling we’re running out of time, Dae. You’re helping me retrieve my loved ones. The least I can do is return the favor.”
“You owe me nothing,”I said.
“I owe you everything.”Her voice cracked with emotion.
My heart had never weighed so heavy. She couldn’t know what she’d done for me, to restore my life to something worth having, yet she thoughtshehad reason to be grateful.
“You have given me everything, Ro. I’ve been so lost in this hellscape for so long, I’d killed almost every part of myself. You’ve taught me how to live again. Don’t you ever think for one second that you owe me a single thing.”
On my next step, my body faltered.
“That’s it,” Ro said, sliding off my back. “You need a break.”
“We’re already behind.”
“It won’t do us any good to show up and collapse. When we get there, we need to be ready to fight our way out.”
“Time is limited, Ro.”
“I know that!” she snapped, her anger echoing off the rock and trees.
Shame ricocheted through me. I didn’t need to reiterate something she already knew, something she knowingly weighed when it came to my well being.“I know you do. I’m sorry.”
She folded to the ground. “My body is so stiff. I’m going in under prepared and outnumbered. Tio needs me. Yet I know if it comes down to it, he’ll ask me to save Melody over him. And I…I don’t know if I’ll be able to make that call.” She buried her face in her hands.
I curled around her, accepting the moment of rest that we both needed.
“He’s my best friend. I can’t lose him.”
Braxius fluttered around her head, scratching at her hair. She loosed a soft chuckle. “You’re my best friend, too,” she said to the little complainer.
“Stretch and relax. We won’t take long. I think we can make it before nightfall.”
We didn’t.
Which meant we probably didn’t beat Carmin here, either.
“This complicates things,” I said.
“What do you think we should do? Maybe with everything that happened, they forgot to mention us slipping away?”Ro said.
“If they didn’t, patrols will be higher.”
“How many to the front gate?”Ro asked.
“Increased patrol would mean four to six to the front gate. Usually there’s only two at night, three in the day.”
We sat in the unnaturally silent woods, tucked into the brush along the outskirts of camp. Ro unbound and re-braided her long hair, pulling back any loose strands.
I sensed the incoming messenger before his shadow took form. Braxius fluttered around Ro before landing on her shoulder.
“He says there’s two at the gate,” Ro whispered with optimistic delight.
I wished that meant I felt better about this. I shifted into my human form, ready to attempt our plan. Soreness pummeled my body like a ton of bricks, the strain of travel stronger in this body. I stretched my neck and my shoulders, counteracting the tension that seared my muscles.
“Are you okay?” Ro asked, the gentle touch of her warm hand on my arm soothing the pain in that spot.
