“Almost like it was watching us.” Sev threw Cass a look Celina couldn’t interpret. “Got birds working for you too?”
“Not us, no. But it’s not outside the realm of possibility.”
“That begs the question—friend or foe?” Sev asked.
Sensing they needed to make another decision about direction, Celina checked for her brother again. Diving into the magic, she quickly targeted him, all this practice making her fast in connecting to him. For the first time in months, she breathed a relieved sigh at the feeling of strength shimmering down his life strand.Finally.“I’ve got Connor. Definitely stronger. But I can’t tell if we should be going up the mountain or farther along the base.”
“Mountain,” Cass and Sev said decisively.
“Okay then.” Celina chuckled. A bubble of excitement churned despite the winged danger. They were really going to find Connor.
“Before we do that, we should go out a bit farther and see what the bird does. If it's intentionally watching us, we should be able to tell,” Cass said.
“Agreed.” Rodric shifted even closer to Celina, if that was possible. “Which is why we should split up temporarily. There’s an open pass up into this mountain range ahead. Let’s meet there. See what our watcher does when given two groups to follow.”
She nodded, along with Sev and Cass.
“Shimira, you’re with me.” Sev swept his arm open in welcome as he began to ride out, away from the tree line.
Cass followed him, kicking her horse into a burst of speed so that she shot just past him.
If Rodric didn’t look so serious, Celina would have laughed watching Cass and Sev’s competitive antics. She reached out to touch his leg, in easy reach with him pressed so close to her.
“Let’s wait a moment. I want to see if it follows them before we move.” His eyes were glued to the sky, but he touched his fingers to her hand in acknowledgment.
Warmth spread through her at the small gesture. She followed his gaze as they waited. Soon enough, the bird flew closer, until she could identify that it was a large red feathered hawk. It swooped through the sky, seemingly normal movements to Celina, before veering sharply in the direction of their companions. Sev let out a loud bird call of some type.
“That mean something to you?” She turned to look at Rodric.
He grimaced. “Yes. It’s a hunting signal—the predator has an eye on them. It means the hawk came close and low enough to see their faces.”
“At least it's only watching, not attacking.” The sooner they entered the cover of the trees blanketing the mountain instead of out in the open, the better.
“Not yet anyway. Stay close. If I give the word, you dart into the trees.”
Celina pursed her lips at the order but didn’t comment. She knew when to bow to someone else’s expertise.
They kept to a fast walk as they made their way toward the meeting point. About halfway there, the hawk came back into sight, keeping pace above them. It swooped in front of them twice, causing tension to rise. Zora and Rogue made strained attempts to lash out at the bird with their teeth. By the time they made it to the mountain pass entrance, the bird of prey had fully disappeared from view.
Everyone stayed quiet as they met up at the pass. Still feeling like there were eyes following her, Celina shivered. The feeling persisted as they made their way slowly up the mountain.
Coming to a plateau, Celina stopped to feel for Connor. Elation burst through her at the increased presence of his lifeforce. “He’s close. And in better condition than he’s seemed in the past. Whatever injuries he had must be healing well.”
She wondered what had caused the near death feeling she’d had originally, which had gotten worse before getting better. Something drastic had occurred. Whatever it was, she’d soon be able to help him through the rest of it.
Rodric motioned to Sev and Cass, and the two split off in the opposite direction, following the plan they’d determined for when they finally got close to their quarry. She rode beside Rodric as they continued out in the open.
Celina pulsed magic down her bond to Connor, then motioned Rodric to veer to the right as they approached a fork in the path. “Rodric, I can feel—”
An eerie screech split the air for the second time that day, cutting off her words. The red hawk raced straight toward her in an intense dive. Fear pummeled her, boiling through her blood as the bird raised its talons as if in the final descent to catch its prey.
Before she could make a decision, Rogue let out an outraged cry and reared up, pawing the air in the bird’s path.
Rodric’s weight crashed into her just as Rogue’s feet touched the ground again, pulling her off the warhorse and onto the ground. He covered her with his body, protecting her from the air attack. His head was tucked down next to hers, his arms covering both their heads.
Feeling Rodric flinch, Celina’s anger soared, chasing away the fear and shock.
“It was aiming for me. Let me try to lead it away.” If she could draw the bird’s attention, maybe Rodric could attack it, or she could knock it out with her healing magic. It was worth a try to keep the predator from ripping Rodric’s back to shreds.
