If Thaden’s estimate is accurate, then we should come upon the human outpost by the afternoon. Once we get there, we can decide whether or not to infiltrate it tonight or wait until tomorrow. We’ll be able to make decisions when we have a sense of the layout of the place.
Thaden wanted to reach us before the fight, but I’m not sure how likely that will be. He has much farther to travel, and there could have been any number of delays on my family’s journey to safety.
Midway through the morning, I stop and press my hand to the ground, waiting for the surge of power that will tell me if another Blacksmith is near. Of course, Milena could be only steps away, because if she isn’t using her hammer or medallions, then I won’t detect her presence.
I’m not surprised when nothing happens.
I’ll just need to try again once we’re farther along our path.
As the morning progresses, Erik also stops more frequently, tilting his head and listening.
“The wolves are following us,” he says. “But they’re agitated.”
The fact that the wolves are tracking our movements isn’t unexpected, but I don’t like the idea of being followed by unsettled predators.
“For what reason?” I ask. “Are they nervous of the humans? Are they going to attack us?”
He shakes his head. “It’s puzzling. They keep crossing our path up ahead and then circling back around on both sides. I don’t recognize this behavior. I’d think they’re trying to get in our way, except that theyaren’tgetting in our way.”
When his gaze remains far away, I ask, “What else?”
He wears a puzzled expression. “There’s another creature in this forest with us, but I can’t be sure what it is. I sense a sort of…breathing. But it’s not much more than the breeze around us.” He presses his fingers to his temples. “I don’t know how to describe it.”
“That’s okay,” I say. “Let’s go carefully.”
After that, we slow our pace, stopping regularly to check our surroundings.
Everything has become quieter and I understand what Erik was trying to describe.
If anything, it’stooquiet.
Later, I bend for the fifth time that day, pressing my hand to the ground, fully expecting nothing to happen.
A streak of energy bursts through the undergrowth, sizzling across fallen leaves and branches and snapping at my hand.
The force is so intense that it knocks me backward.
I land at a crouch, stifling my cry of alarm and attempting to channel it into a harsh whisper. “Fuck.”
“Asha.” Erik rushes toward me, but I jolt back from him.
“Don’t touch me. Not yet.” The energy is still tingling through me like aftershocks of lightning and the power in my left hand is burning like an inferno.
He stops only inches from taking my hand.
I squeeze my eyes shut with a groan. “Fuck, that was strong.”
He settles into a crouch beside me. “It has to be Milena.”
I try to breathe out the hum of energy the shock left within me. Although the immediate streak of light has disappeared, it’s left a bright line across my sight.
I point in that direction, slightly right of the path we were taking. “The power came from there.”
His gaze narrows. “That’s farther north than we were expecting.”
I shake off the last of the aftershocks, making sure my palm has stopped burning before I take Erik’s hand. Once I’m back on my feet, he becomes very still again.
“The wolves are gone,” he says.
