Gwenna sighed wistfully. “We were so carefree then. Everything seemed possible.”
Cedric glanced at her, at the way her expression had softened. “And now?”
She was quiet for a long moment, thoughtful in a way she rarely allowed herself to be. Then, finally, she said, “Now…now I think everything still is possible. Just in a different way. We’re not the same people we were then, Ced. But maybe that’s not a bad thing.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond. Was he better or worse than the boy he had once been?
As dawn crept into the sky, they reached the outskirts of another small village. Cedric immediately tensed, his instincts kicking in.
“We should wait until nightfall,” he suggested.
But Gwenna shook her head, resolute. “No, last night you were right. We don’t have time. I’ll go through alone and meet you on the other side after you change. We can’t afford to lose another day. We’ll find a place to rest after.”
Cedric clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to argue. He hated splitting up, hated letting her walk straight into potential danger. But she was right. They couldn’t afford to slow down.
“Be careful,” he said, his voice low. “And if anyone recognizes you?—”
“Hit them in the head with a rock,” Gwenna interrupted, flashing a quick, grim smile. “I know.”
He scowled. “That’s what got us into this mess.”
She snorted. “Yes, well, you can’t argue with how effective it is.”
Then, before he could say anything else, she slung her pack over her shoulder and strode toward the village.
Cedric stood there for a long moment, watching until she disappeared between the buildings. Then, reluctantly, he turned toward the tree line, retreating into the safety of the shadows just as he felt the first pull of the transformation begin.
When it was over, he folded his wings close, picking up his pack and hanging it from one of the spines on his back. He glanced back, pleased that it was secure.
He slunk through the trees, keeping to the sun-dappled shadows, following a long, winding path around the village until he found the road on the other side. There, he crouched low in a shaded glade, waiting, watching.
An hour passed.
Then another.
His claws dug anxiously into the dirt. She should have been here by now.
Finally, just as he considered risking exposure to search for her, Gwenna appeared at the edge of the trees.
“Sorry,” she panted, dropping her pack at her feet. “I got held up. There were posters everywhere with my face on them. I had to be extra careful.”
Cedric growled low in his throat.
But Gwenna just patted his snout. “Don’t worry,” she assured him. “No one recognized me.” Then her expression darkened. “But Ced...things are worse than we thought. The posters...they’re offering a massive reward for my capture. And there are rumors about Finn.”
Cedric stilled.
She met his eyes. “They’re calling him a traitor.”
Cedric blew out a long breath, forcing the air slowly through his nostrils. It did little to ease the pressure in his chest. He wanted to demand, to beg for more details, but in this form, he could only listen. And wait.
And pray that Finn could hold out until they reached him.
For now, they needed to find shelter. With Gwenna at his side, they moved parallel to the road, staying hidden in the thick brush. Cedric’s keen senses picked up distant voices—travelers passing by, the occasional clink of a horse’s bridle and the clop of hooves—but nothing close enough to be an immediate concern.
Finally, they found a small clearing tucked deep enough into the woods to keep them hidden. Cedric glanced at their surroundings. No signs of travelers or hunters. Far enough from the nearest farmstead that they should be able to rest without worry.
They settled in the clearing, the towering trees stretching high above like silent sentinels. Cedric rested his head on his claws, but he remained alert, listening to the whisper of the wind through the leaves.
