Kaelun eyed me. “All of that reading and you never once thought to look up our cities?”
Not enjoying the accusatory tone in his voice, I shot him a look. “I was a little busy, you know, trying to figure out how not to doom us all.”
He pulled on the back of his neck. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“No.” I waved him off. “You’re right, I should have done cursory research at the very least.”
“May I ask,” he said almost sheepish, “what made you think about meeting Addy in the first place?”
I shrugged, suddenly hot under the cloudy afternoon sky. “I don’t know. It’s just”—I shrugged again—"you all have lives. You know? Like, it’s your duty to watch over me, but at the end of it all, you have her, a family, a whole life outside of this. All of you do. You have friends you call family. You all love and laugh and have inside jokes. You have parties. You havelives.But I…" I trailed off, the truth too thick on my tongue.
“Thisisyour life,” he finished for me.
I nodded.
After a brief pause, he said, “I’m ashamed to admit it, but even witnessing your memories, I never really considered that you’d be deprived of the things I take for granted. I’m sorry for that.”
“Thank yo?—”
My gratitude was cut off as Kaelun snapped his head to the side. I drew my blades knowing first-hand what it looked like when something unwelcome brushed against his senses.
“Run!” Kaelun yelled, and he didn’t have to ask me twice as the sound of at least a dozen ravenous hounds filled the air.
I followed him, the long sleeves of my leathers taking the brunt of the branches whipping back at me in Kaelun’s wake. He shifted directions so many times that it was an effort to stay calm knowing we were slowly being surrounded.
Focusing on Kaelun, I barely registered the cushiony moss shift to hard rock. Before I knew it, the trees gave way to some sort of black slate with green-and-purple veins, their colors blending underfoot as loose chunks crushed together under our weight.
“Hello, little mouse.” Njal’s taunting words came ahead, and I skidded on the ground, my momentum carrying me across the unstable surface a few feet before I stopped. “I must admit,” he said, crossing his arms. I took him in, and had terror not already gripped me, I would’ve appreciated the stunning backdrop of unobscured views courtesy of a sheer cliff at his back. “I do enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than most—and oh, what a hunt it has been.”
Kaelun put a protective arm out and ushered me behind him.
“Yeah,” the autumn commander scoffed, “becausethat’sgoing to stop me.”
“Kaelun?”
His entire body coiled, and I knew then that we’d be forced to fight our way out.
“How many?” I said, shifting so that my back was against his like before.
“Ten on each flank, and almost two dozen from the north—not including Lothar, who’s with them.”
I could practically Njal’s delight as he waited for the others to surround us. Keeping my daggers sheathed, I touched their golden grips one by one and imbued them, ensuring I had every element in my arsenal.
I slid the pack off my back and Kaelun followed suit.
“Yeah,” Njal taunted, “because that will make the world of difference.”
“Says the coward waiting for backup,” I spat.
“Well, you see, it’s the only intelligent thing to do when you don’t play by the laws of nature, little mouse.”
Wait. What?
“Oh, you didn’t tell her.” The commander shot at Kaelun, then laughed with mirth at his silence. “Magic is supposed to come from your hands, dear mouse, not the ground.”
“The fire rings?” I said under my breath.
“Ding. Ding. Ding. Tell me, whelp, whydidn’tyou share with her just how impossible her little trick was?”
