With a deep breath, I gave voice to the wild thoughts that’d been forming at the edges of my mind for two weeks now. Thoughts I’d been ignoring because they were outlandish, but were now teetering into possibility.
“Before I came across themagvis, the only encounters I had with this land and these animals were hostile. Animals havealways run, seeing me as their hunter, and this land has only ever made my life more difficult.” I waved my hand, spitting out the rest of it. “But now I’ve stood before a line of seabirds on a ship. The seas got us here quicker because they were favorable, and you said they’reneverthat way. The sun has made a number of appearances. Back when I escaped Koerlyn, I survived river rapids and a waterfall far too easily. That vine held against my attacker in the Citadel, when it should have snapped.” A deeper memory resurfaced. “And before all that, when we came across that pack of wolves after visiting Josenne, the wolf I killed could have attacked me, but it hesitated.”
I finally summoned the courage to drag my gaze away from the animal and gauge the two men’s reactions. Aric’s face was thoughtful, while Harthon was staring at that wolf, his expression undecided.
“It sounds just as impossible to me as it does to you,” I murmured, needing them to know I hadn’t entirely lost my mind.
Harthon’s fingers gently squeezed my waist and fell away. “Not impossible.” After another beat, he asked, “Are you doing it intentionally?”
My shoulders relaxed. “No. As with everything else, it’s just happening.”
It was Joris who spoke next, breaking his typical silence. “It isn’t just that the seas and the animals know. It’s almost like theywantyou to get there. Like they want you to help them,” he mused.
That was where my thoughts were going. When he said it, though, a new problem came to light. “But the Domus’ resources aren’t going to restore the land. Those walls will keep sucking life from the Territories. What we find inside will just help us survive for longer.”
“This is true,” he conceded, perplexed.
“The reason behind it changes nothing,” Harthon decided. “You can’t control whatever this is, so it can’t be used as an advantage. We may get lucky and have some help in First if we take a ride down any rivers, but we can’t count on it.”
Everyone but Aric nodded in agreement.
“Themagvishas always had the ability to manipulate the natural world, which means she’s always had a relationship with it,” he stated slowly, eyes still riveted to the wolf. “Thing is, my father met amagvisonce. His horse nearly went feral because it was terrified.” He spared us a glance. “Any relationship she had with the animals in this land was based on fear, not whatever you thinkthisis.”
In other words, we were foolish to think these were anything more than coincidences.
Maybe we were.
Lips in a flat line, he nodded at my horse. “Regardless, you need to mount. We can’t afford to waste time standing here. Let’s move.” He sheathed his sword and drew a dagger.
I jerked toward him. “You aren’t throwing that.”
“I’m not allowing a predator to stalk us.”
“And I’m not allowing you to kill it.”
He loaded his arm. “Sorry, love.”
“You need to remember you’re outnumbered here, Aric,” I threatened. “Kill that wolf, and I’ll slice your neck the moment you fall asleep.”
He barked a patronizing laugh. “We both know you wouldn’t succeed, and Conrad here wouldn’t like that very much.”
Conrad’s bulky shoulders hiked in warning.
“Oh, I’m fully aware.” I cocked my head. “But when I fail and I’m harmed or killed in the process, these three men will tear you both apart. And we both knowtheymight succeed.”
His lips tightened. “I like you, Etarla, but I don’t like being threatened.”
Etarla.Not an endearment.Perhaps he was coming to respect me.
Or I’d just put him in a bad mood.
“And I don’t like that we’ve just wasted more time standing here because you’re afraid of a starved dog.”
His eyebrows shot up.
“Can we go?”
Aric chuckled, shaking his head. The dagger disappeared into a sheath on his chest. “Domus help you, Harthon.”
