Page 80 of Claiming Sarah

“I hope we’re going the right way,” I said, not knowing where we were.

“Same here. Since we lost Augur we could be completely off track,” she said, then a confident smile lifted her lips. “Save for the fact that I know what to look for in a conduit path.”

“How do you mean?”

“Look up.”

I did so, and directly above us, the tree canopy was open. Two steps to the left or right, it was closed. I smiled down at Omen. “Clever.”

“Everyone looks at the ground for signs or symbols on trees and rocks, or some such. Understandable, but obvious,” she said. “No one ever thinks to lookupfor a path, but if you singe the ends of branches above, they almost never grow back, leaving a long-lasting clear path in the canopy. A difficult task for anyone without powers, but all you need is one pyromancer in your midst, and you can mark an easy clear path.”

“Brilliant.” I didn’t want to ask her about the loss of Augur since the drecks—they had seemed close—but I needed to know where her head was at. “Are you worried for Augur?”

“I hope she’s fine, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was off, chasing whurlers or something,” she said, and shrugged. “She was a great conduit, but that girl is always in her own head.”

“You’re not worried the drecks got her?”

“I’d be shocked if they did,” she admitted. “She was the first to run…which is odd, come to think of it.”

I frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

She paused. “Remember when I told you to hide instead of running? And you thought I was daft, until the drecks ran past us?”

“Of course. You said they liked to give chase and it was better to hide.”

“Augur knows that, too.” She glanced back up at the canopy as we continued along the path, then she chuckled. “Maybe something caught her attention, and that’s what she was running to. I don’t know.”

“Hopefully, one day, you’ll get to ask her.” The last thing I wanted was harm to come to anyone who’d joined us on this mission.

The trail became a wooden plank walkway that elevated a half meter over dank water below as the land drooped, seemingly under the weight of the dirty water. The walkway was wide enough for three Ladrians to walk side by side, a common formation for marching conduits. Nothing followed us, not even Sarah’s jem’hora. My gratitude for their help was equal only to my gratitude for their absence. Branches formed a tunnel around the walkway, and I could not help but feel closed in, save for the open canopy directly above.

Rex lingered from his men, allowing the two of us to catch up to him.

Omen spoke in a quiet tone that only I could hear. “I don’t imagine he has anything of value to say to me. I’ll leave you to it.” Before I could protest being alone with Rex, she jogged past him and caught up to Sarah and Jac ahead.

Annoyed, I caught up to Rex. “Yes?”

He fell into step beside me. “I am glad to see you haven’t forgotten everything I taught you.”

“Meaning?” I asked sharply.

“The tallest should cover the rear to watch for surprises from behind, while they can observe the front of the line.”

Yes, I had learned that from him. “Is there something else you had to say to me? Or are you merely here to take credit for my tactics?”

Rex softly chuckled. “Don’t be so emotional, Deacon.”

I loosened my tongue to ask the one question that had been on my mind since we arrived in his company. “Why haven’t you told them yet?”

Rex looked surprised. “I would have thought you’d figure that out by now.”

I hated how he talked in riddles. “Figure what out?”

“I suppose it makes sense that someone like you wouldn’t have realized it, though,” he went on, more play on words. “Oneof the many differences between us…I enjoy the mayhem of torture. You never did.”

“Tell me,” I said through gritted teeth.

He smiled immorally. “Because, my boy, I like having something over you.”

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