Page 87 of Skysong

Andala wanted to say that she had done nothing, that Oriane had done that herself, but she found her words catching in her throat. She was suddenly sharply aware of Oriane’s hand in hers. Of the bare inch of space between them. Of the fact that they were here, the only two of their kind, that they had found each other, that she wanted—

The sound of boots crashed through the woods. Someone was coming their way.311

Andala leapt to her feet. Oriane did the same beside her. They stared ahead, where the sounds of someone stumbling through the woods were getting louder. Andala whispered, ‘We should hide—’

But before they could, the figure was there, at the edge of the trees. Andala wrenched Oriane behind her, quicker than a thought. The stranger was cloaked and hooded, one hand braced against a tree, their face hidden in the gloom. Had someone from the palace found them? Had someone from the village realised who they were?

‘Who is that?’ Andala demanded. There was no use trying to hide now. Miraculously, her voice betrayed none of the fear she felt.

The cloaked figure righted themselves, took another step forward. Lifted a shaking hand and brought down their hood. Andala’s heart leapt into her throat.

Then, her eyes adjusting, she saw who was beneath it.

‘Kitt?’

‘Kitt,’ Oriane’s voice chorused behind her.

‘Thank the skies you made it,’ he panted, the faint flash of a smile gleaming white in the shadows. Then his knees seemed to give way beneath him. They dove towards him as one, hands grasping at his arms to hold him upright.

‘Skies, Kitt,’ Andala muttered. ‘What are you doing here? Are you all right?’

‘Are you hurt? What can we do?’ Oriane’s voice wavered with concern.

‘I’m … fine,’ Kitt ground out. His voice sounded rough and exhausted. ‘I’m fine. Fell off my horse – couldn’t take Cricket, got stuck with a great violent beast that ended up throwing me clean off the saddle, a mile out of town. Ran the rest of the way myself – found the man you were travelling with, Andala. He told me where to find you.’312

His breath seemed to be coming back to him now, and he was able to stand unaided. He swiped a hand across his brow, sweat glistening in the clearing’s silvered light.

‘Oriane,’ he said, focusing on her with sudden joy, drawing her to him in a hug. ‘I can’t tell you how good it is to see you.Thisyou,’ he added, pulling back and gesturing to encapsulate the whole of her. ‘We missed you when you were gone.’

Andala watched Oriane return his grin, gave them a moment to share it. Then—

‘What’s going on, Kitt?’ she asked. ‘Why are you here?’

His expression turned grave. Even by starlight, she could see his eyes were filmed with fear.

‘They’ve taken the palace. Properly this time. We had to flee. And Terault – Terault and his followers …’ He stretched out a hand to each of them, squeezing their shoulders as they stared at him in horror. ‘They’re coming. You need to get ready to run.’

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Chapter 41

‘He will have started sending scouts already. Messengers. Search parties.’

As they tore back down the hill towards the village, Oriane forced herself to focus, to listen to what Kitt was telling them.

‘We managed to get everyone out of the dungeons while Terault and his lackeys were after you, Andala. The return of the sun helped – thank you for that, Oriane. It distracted Terault’s followers enough for Tomas’s men to overpower them, finally.’

She tried her best to return his kind smile.

‘The first thing Tomas did was send for additional aid from the city.’ Kitt paused. ‘It was a logical move, but perhaps … perhaps a little too quick. I don’t think he stopped to consider how far Terault’s influence had reached.’

Oriane’s stomach dropped.

‘What happened?’ Andala asked sharply.

‘The soldiers from Aubrille came up to the palace to help us keep Terault and his followers secure. But … there were fanatics among them. Tomas blames himself for that. He’s here, by the way,’ Kitt added. ‘He and Hana. We left together. They’re hidden away in a room at the inn, to avoid any undue attention.’

Oriane was relieved to hear that Hana was all right – for Kitt’s sake, if nothing else. But if she were honest, she could not find it314within her to say the same for the king. He was still the man who had caged her, who had sent soldiers to her home.

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