Page 135 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

“Who?” Zaza asks behind me.

“Uh…Daeva did feel a little off earlier today,” I lie.

“You make me sound weak,”Daeva complains instantly.

“She is not happy about me saying that,” I relay to the others, which makes them chuckle.

“Yes, I’m not happy because you tell lies about me to cover up Jared’s mistakes. Tell him to keep his mouth shut, or I will come for him.”SinceZaza is still next to me, laughing about something Jared said, I spare him the threat. The way Zaza looks at my best friend while he serves the next rider makes me pause.Is that longing in her eyes? I remember Zaza’s comment to Ara about the men in our division. Maybe I should make my best friend talk about things for a change.

I walk over to the trunk of a big fallen tree and sit down, my thoughts wandering about a day’s ride northeast to Picking and Ara.

I hope you play it safe, sunshine!

Exhaustion helps me to fall asleep despite my worries. I start awake after a much too familiar nightmare, only it had been Ara bleeding out in front of me this time. I scrub a hand over my face, trying to reassure myself that it was only a dream, but sinceshe isn’t safe within the walls of the academy, but out in the open just like me, it’s not that easy.

I sit up. The night sky is bright with stars above me since we skipped erecting tents to save time in the morning. The next part of our route is always the worst. The winds in this part of the mountains are tricky and exhausting for our companions.

The night is quiet, and the sleeping forms around me should be reassuring with the birds huddled close by. But instead, there is a tension I can’t shake. Like someone is watching.

Daeva blinks at me when I get up, so either it’s her turn to keep watch or I woke her with my nightmare.

A rustle between the trees has me snap to high alert. Maybe it hadn’t been just the nightmare that woke me. The mist crept up to our camping area during the night. It’s not even three steps away from me now.

I shudder and peer into the misty veil, trying to make out anything out of the ordinary. Despite my attention, I don’t see the shadowy figure until it steps out of the mist right in front of me.

I step back, reaching for the dagger at my leg and letting my magic flow to the surface.

“Don’t,” the figure threatens, leveling his taut bow right at my heart. “And tell your bird to stay put, too.”

“You heard him,”I tell Daeva, and her ire washes down our bond, heightening my own. I grasp for the air around him. As soon as I have a hold on the arrow, I can move.

“Don’t,” the low voice warns again even though I haven’t moved a muscle.

Can he feel my magic?

I can’t get hold of the arrow. It’s like something is shoving me back, like the air within the mist doesn’t listen to me.

“You won’t get away with killing me,” I tell him, switching to Daeva’s view to try to make out his face. The long dark cloakhe wears seems to melt into the mist around him, hiding his features completely. If it hadn’t been for his voice and size, I wouldn’t even have been sure he’s male.

“Oh, I’m well aware that killing you could start a war we are not ready for.” The stranger chuckles. “And I’m sure she would never forgive me. So you are safe for now.”

“Yes, Daeva would hunt you down,” I say, switching back to my own view. He looks at my bird.

“Yeah, she doesn’t look too happy either.” His head turns back to me. “Listen, I’m only approaching you because you are asking the right questions. There is a lot more going on than you know, and this isn’t the time to get into it. But I need to warn her. You need to warn her. There are people after her and after you. She has to stay vigilant and can always count on us for help. We’ll always take her in.”

“Who are you?” I ask.

“Tynan of the mist court, or the titans, depending on how fancy you prefer it.” He takes a little bow, all of it without moving his arrow even one finger away from its mark. “I tried to warn her, but she ran… to you—and since I know what you did for her…” He pauses, his gaze turning to the mist, but his bow stays on target. I have to give it to him. He has control. “Tell her to leave a message in the book she dropped or to whisper my name into the mist, and we will contact her. Don’t let her walk into the mist alone.”

A rustle to my far left draws my attention. Boko turns but settles again.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, turning back, but the space next to me is empty. He vanished as quickly and silently as he came, the mist licking at my feet but slowly drawing back. What the fuck was that about?

“You heard that, too, right?”I ask Daeva.

Thankfully, she confirms. Otherwise, I would have thought I dreamed all of it.

“Do you think he was talking about Ara?”I ask Daeva.

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