Page 143 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

I don’t have time to wait for next year. My markings are creeping down my arm already, and it won’t be long until someone sees them.

The day isn’t over yet.

I’ll have to make my way to the gathering point, even if it’s on foot. So I take a deep breath, pull my shoulders back, and head off into the woods.

I haven’t gone far when snapping twigs alert me to someone’s presence. I twist around, and there stands Livia.

“Now, who do we have here?” Livia sneers at me. Great, just the person I don’t want to see. “I’ve been looking for you, you know.”

This is not good.

“Why? Forgot your name again?” I sound much braver than I feel.

I look around, and my heart pounds when I see two people looming behind her. One is a rider, and the other isn’t.

My blood runs cold.

I search for a way out while I try to keep the trembling in check. I’m much stronger than I was a day ago. The poison isfinally gone from my blood, but I’m very aware of how weak I still am.

My hand wanders slowly to the dagger at my side while my eyes take in the other man accompanying her. A stranger. Something about the mismatched armor he wears rattles my memory.

“You’ll get what you deserve, you little misfit. Not so brave without your big strong friend, are you?” Livia mocks me, stepping closer. “That is the one you were looking for, isn’t it?” she asks, pinning me with her gaze.

What?

“Let me get a closer look,” the stranger says, stepping up to me. He reaches for my helmet, but I take a step back.

The rider behind them fidgets. “You don’t need me here, do you?” he asks, and Livia chuckles.

“No, we got this,” she says. Without another word, the rider turns and walks away.

Well, no help from him then.

“Don’t be shy,” the man croons, making Livia chuckle again. He jumps forward, pushing me hard, and I stumble into a tree behind me. Before I find my footing again, he grabs the helmet, lifts it, and throws it to the side.

Livia gapes at my hair. Her eyes widen, then her whole face contorts in fury.

“You bitch.” She backhands me, but I dodge the fist she follows up with. I sweep my tongue over my lip, taking in the coppery taste and the slight sting, while I get my arms up to protect my head. She swings at me again, and I kick, aiming at her knee.

“Don’t take my rejection so hard, Livia. I’m just not into girls.” I have no idea why I taunt her when she already looks ready for murder, but her enraged scream is satisfying.

The man steps back, crossing his arms like he settles in to watch a show. Whoever he is, he obviously doesn’t care if either of us gets hurt.

Livia comes at me again and again, and it doesn’t take long until I’m winded. She’s good and not worn out by battling poison like me. Her fists find their targets more and more often, and I’m tempted to draw my dagger. But if I do, she will, too, and a blade will do much more damage than her fists. So I refrain.

Our fight moves us onto a clearing. That I don’t have to watch out for trees is the only positive thing about my current situation. There is a small fire set up and it looks like someone spend some time here.

They waited for me.

Livia keeps hurling insults and accuses me more than once of murdering Gorgon. Since that doesn’t get a rise out of me, she spouts allegations about me fucking Calix, Joel, and Tate, and gets quite creative with it, too.

But I stay quiet, not because I’m so smart and above it, but because I’m simply out of air. My legs feel like jelly, and my heart gallops like it wants to burst out of my chest. I’m exhausted.

She pushes me, and I stumble back, my hand grabbing for her and latching on to a necklace around her neck. I fall back, and the chain snaps, landing in the grass beside me when I land on my ass.

“She’s all yours,” she hisses, glaring at me but addressing the man.

“Well, thank you for softening her up a little,” he says with a smile while he steps up.

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