Her gaze softened, just for me. “Then let’s find out what kind of people these humans really are.”
Zola appeared in the shadows of the balcony. “I didn’t see any sign of Taran or Minaeve’s royal guard. There’s a creek and a small trail off the main roads leading south ofthe clearing. I believe that it’s theRainbow WoodsRéalta speaks of in her letter.”
Castor grunted. “Cryptic.”
“Or cautious,” I said. “Perhaps both.”
Gunnar cleared his throat behind us. “And if there is anything—”
“There won’t be,” Skylar cut in, looking at our general. “I’m choosing to believe it is not a trap.”
Gunnar nodded as he stepped to my side. He would be coming with us for the rendezvous, as an extra layer of protection.
For a moment, I looked back at the city, at the crimson horizon, at the lands we were about to leave undefended.
Then Skylar placed a hand on my shoulder, her hold steady. “Ready?” she asked.
“Always,” I said.
And together, with Gunnar, I teleported us to the mainland.
Chapter Thirty
Daxton Aegaeon
The world reformed in a wild rush as magic thrummed through my veins. One heartbeat, the heat of Crimson City washed over us like a rainstorm, and the next, the smell of fresh trees and open grasslands filled my lungs.
A forest clearing stretched before us, untamed, vast, and darkened with the lack of light from the new moon. The scent hit me first. Damp earth and moss, wildflowers that didn’t belong in a desert, or my home in Silver Meadows.
Skylar exhaled beside me, steadying herself after the jump. Her phoenix’s fire bristled against the pull of my magic, frost and flame uniting in a perfect balance along our bond.
“This way,” Gunnar whispered, scanning the horizon. His eyes narrowed, straining to see in the dark. His twin axes were strapped to his back as he crouched low, head on a swivel. “There’s movement along the southern ridge. Villagers, maybe. We’ll need to keep low.”
“I can lead us,” Skylar said. “It helps when you can see in the dark.”
“Show-off,” Gunnar muttered, causing Skylar to chuckle under her breath.
“Jealousy isn’t a good look on you, General.”
Gunnar straightened as his queen took the lead. “Get going.”
We followed my mate, moving quietly and carefully.
The trail beneath us was nothing more than a thread of dust winding between brush and ancient trees that thickened the farther we ventured into the forest. I glanced toward the commotion that had caught my attention, seeing the faint glow of lanterns flickering in the distance.
Burns lay north of here, a human settlement that specialized in farming. Focusing my senses, I could hear the faint echoes of laughter from the homes in the distance, and something in my chest twisted at the sound.
These humans had lived a life untouched by loss and war. I was envious of them. Of their peace.
“There is a main road over here, yet there seems to be nothing for miles. Do humans always linger this far from their main cities?” Gunnar asked as we crouched behind a boulder. “If the princess wanted a private meeting, she could have chosen somewhere less… populated.”
“I believe she’s being cautious,” Skylar said softly. “Just as we are.”
“Right,” Gunnar grunted.
I shot him a look. “You know as well as I do that diplomacy begins with risk.”
He snorted under his breath but said nothing more. Gunnar was not a male of politics and words, but of action. It was one of the many reasons why I selected him to lead the armies of Silver Meadows. Gunnar would never ask his warriors to do something he would not do himself.
