Page 43 of Invocation

Figures scattered around the camp as a search began. Someone from the camp was wandering toward them, but they were alone. Novikke ducked low in the darkness and held her sword ready. Aruna tipped his head back against the tree, closing his eyes. In the hand that wasn’t clutching hers, he held his dagger. They were silent as footsteps came closer.

When the figure was about to pass by them, Novikke leapt toward them, raising her sword.

“Hey!” The figure raised their hands, jumping back. In the scant light, Novikke could see it was Thala. Her sword was still sheathed.

Novikke lowered her own sword a fraction.

Thala gave her a measuring stare. She looked over her shoulder at the scrambling soldiers at the camp, then jerked her head toward the brush Aruna was hidden behind.

Reluctantly, Novikke put her sword down and went to kneel in the dirt beside Aruna. Thala put her hands down, then crept behind the brush with them.

“What a time you chose to get here,” Thala said.

“Where are we?” Novikke asked. “What’s going on?”

“You’re just south of the ruins. How did you—?”

“Kadaki.”

She gave a tip of her head in silent understanding. “You’re lucky you got out of there. The entire company is here.”

“All of them?”

Thala nodded solemnly. “After the four of you left the ruins, Vissarion and Aleka and I retreated into the forest. We thought we were doomed without a guide. But we kept walking toward where we thought the edge of the forest might be, and we ran into the rest of the company. When Theros’s expedition didn’t return on time, they set out to find us.”

“I don’t understand. They came into the forest and made it all the way here? Without a guide?”

Thala gave Aruna a guilty look. “The forest is dying,” she said.

He opened his eyes long enough to peer over at her. “We know.”

“I’ve seen animals dropping dead all around the forest,” she said. “How are you faring?”

He gave her another tired, wary look.

“Not well,” Novikke said. “Thanks to Theros.”

Thala nodded. “That’s why we’re able to move freely now. The forest’s defenses are weakening. We don’t get lost like we usually do. We can navigate with the sun and stars without them leading us astray, and without things changing around us while we’re not looking, and no monsters or weird mists have assaulted us the entire time we’ve been here.”

Novikke glanced up at Aruna. He looked nauseated.

“With Theros gone, Vissarion is acting captain. He refused to leave, now that we can navigate on our own. He said we’ve never had a chance like this and we need to take advantage of it. He’s leading the group into the forest to finish what Theros started.”

“No,” Novikke hissed. “Didn’t you tell him that we can’t do that?”

“I tried,” she said, looking pained. “I tried to tell them. Kadaki tried to tell them. They don’t understand, or they don’t care. They’re angry. They know the night elves killed a dozen and a half of their own, including their captain. That’s all they care about. They’re out for blood.”

“We have to get to the ruins. Can you help us?”

“I think so. Can you fix this?”

“Gods, I hope so. Where’s Kadaki?”

She motioned over her shoulder. “Back there. Arrested. She’ll be court-martialed. Same as you.”

“And you?”

She bit her lip. “I’m still trying to avoid that.”

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