“They’re speaking in the ancient elven tongue.” Her words were no more than a breath, tickling my ear and neck, but I stayed still.
When no more arrows flew, I tapped once on Iradîo’s hand and we began crawling through the grasses, trying to match the sway of the gentle wind as we moved.
“Wait! Please! If you reveal yourself, I promise no harm will come to you!” Lady Chaliko sounded desperate. “I understandyou must report to the Kennelmaster, you must answer to Emperor Tallu, but please let me at least explain.”
I paused, crouching lower. They didn’t know who we were. They assumed that we were part of the Kennel, two of the Emperor’s Dogs.
“Do not even think about it.” Naî spoke from nearby, but I could hear her words in my head and from Iradîo’s wince, they had echoed just as loudly inside her skull. “They have dragons of their own.”
Around me, the dense grass moved back and forth with the breeze, brushing softly against my cheeks.
“Prove you will not hurt us!” I made my voice loud enough that it echoed off the nearby trees, making it difficult to tell where exactly we were hidden.
“Look. We’re throwing down our bows.”
I squinted and saw someone throwing something out of the trees. It was impossible to tell if it was a bow, or just a very long stick. Either way, Lady Chaliko would know intimately what happened when you crossed the Kennel. I tensed, readying to stand, my hands damp where they touched the swampy earth. Iradîo grabbed hold of my wrist, squeezing twice.
I squinted into the darkness, hoping she could see me, then leaned forward, breathing against her ear. “You stay here. Save me if something goes wrong.”
Then I was up on my feet, striding out of the grasses. The land around us was silent except for the sound of wings. Thinking of what Naî had said, I nearly winced away when something passed overhead, but it circled, landing on my shoulder.
“I still think you are foolish,” Naî complained, nuzzling the side of my head.
“You didn’t even warn us before you disappeared,” I muttered.
“Why should I?” Naî nuzzled my head again and I stepped close to where the roots had torn free of the ground. They werefrozen in place, a trap that had been sprung without a rabbit inside.
“Show yourself,” I called out.
There were more whispers, and then Lady Chaliko called down. “It would be easier if you came up.”
One of the trees nearby shifted, groaning as it sprouted stairs. I didn’t hesitate, climbing them until I was in the tall branches of the tree. They were lit by heavy fruit that hung from the branches of all of the nearby trees. They glowed a soft red that shifted to purple and violet.
Terror had been right. These were not houses built into the trees. The trees themselves had grown into houses. I was standing on the exterior of one, and when I looked inside branches grown like windows, I could see a small table and a bed, perfectly child-sized.
“Thank you.” Lady Chaliko stood on a bridge made of branches and vines that connected this house with the one in the next tree. She took a step forward, and her eyes widened as I turned. “Consort Airón! Your Highness.”
“Lady Chaliko,” I said. “It seems you may know more than reported about the Tavornai elves.”
I saw a flash of metal as someone drew an arrow, but Lady Chaliko held up a hand, desperately calling out, “Do not shoot him!”
“Don’t shoot me,” I said. “I don’t care if out here in Tavornai you have rebuilt one of the ancient elven cities. All I want is Spider. Can you get her for me? Can you tell me where she lives?”
Lady Chaliko hesitated, then dropped her head into a nod.
“Perhaps.” She gestured her trembling hand in silent invitation for me to follow her. “You will need to come with me to find her location.”
Eighteen
Lady Chaliko turned, and though she trembled, she was demonstrating for the children that she trusted me not to stab her in the back. As she walked, I saw elven children creeping to the doorways of their houses, peeking out of windows and hiding between branches.
“You saved them,” I said.
Lady Chaliko’s shoulders slumped. “They are orphans. Or, if not orphans, then abandoned by those who should have cared for them.”
“You once told me that your father said the emperor would never give you a task that was more than you could manage.” We stepped across a swaying bridge, much longer than the ones we had previously crossed. The wooden slats were made of soft, supple wood and the branches acting as handrails were slick. It would be easy to fall off the bridge, although the height likely wouldn’t kill me.
“He did say that,” Lady Chaliko agreed.
