Page 81 of A War of Embers

The treetops it is.

Walking a few paces inwards, I look around until I spot a tree with enough branches low for me to climb. The forest remains still as I get closer, reaching forward and wrapping my hands tightly around the bark until I’m lifting myself up as quietly as I can, learning the way the trees talk to one another as I go.

They whine when I step too far out, and sway as my feet leave one branch in search of another. The birds remain still, watching but not moving as I move along their territory in the sky. When the wind comes howling through the treetops, I use it to swing from one tree to the next, hiding the gusts of air that leaves my lungs on a particularly long jump.

It doesn’t take long to reach the other side of the village. The forest wraps around the southern end and heads north. I have no idea how much further I’ll be able to go, but everything seems to be working in my favor at the moment.

Even the pale light of the sun shifting through the permanently gray sky doesn’t give away where I’m at. From the village I can spy lights turning on, chimneys being lit as smoke rises out, yet no one steps outside. The icy air must be keeping them all indoors.

Making my way around the trees, the entire foundation of the realm seems to shake. The trees violently sway back and forth, jostling my body roughly as I cling onto the branches to keep myself up in the thicket of the branches.

Fuck. Has Rowan already been alerted to my absence? Did he send Zeke to return me back to the estate? Time is really running out now.

The ground shakes again, rattling everything including the homes. From this distance I can’t make out if anyone is peeking out their windows to figure out what’s going on.

A whistle catches my attention from below. I scowl as I twist, staring at the Ashguard brothers staring up at me. Their bodies have their scales still slightly protruding out, similar to the way Zeke shows his.

“Well this is new,” Kennedy says.

“I told you I saw something when we were flying,” Ethan firmly states, baring his teeth at his brother. He tilts his head back to look at me. “Why are you in the trees?”

How did I forget there are creatures who can fly? I hadn’t been looking towards the sky or the distance as I moved. Instead I was focusing on the branches straight ahead for me that I needed to use and the ground beneath.

Kennedy squints. “Are you running away from Lord Rowan again?”

Double fuck. “No,” I immediately respond. “He’s aware I’m here.” Not technically a lie. He’ll know at some point in the future.

“If he knows then why are you in the trees?” Ethan frowns.

“Because it’s faster.” At least it’s not a lie. The treetops allow me to be more agile so I can move at a faster rate. The only time the trees are slower is when the air is completely still, unable to hide my movements.

“Do you want to come down and talk to us?” Ethan asks.

“Mom probably has breakfast going on the stove,” Kennedy adds.

Absolutely not. The more time I stick around, the easier it’ll be when Rowan comes searching for me. “I have somewhere to be.”

“You realize you’re further away from the Bone City coming this way, right?” Kennedy says, his brow furrowing as he watches me.

“Not to mention Lord Rowan returned to the Blood City yesterday,” Ethan tacks on.

All of this is common knowledge to me by this point. “Yes,” I clear my throat. “I’m scouting,” I lie.

“For what?” Kennedy asks.

Great question. I have no fucking idea. “That’s not something I can discuss. Rowan and I are looking for something but he had to attend to a few things that arose this morning so he’ll be catching up with me later for a status report on my findings.”

Both the brothers look as though they know I’m full of shit but are too polite to outright call me on it. Eventually Ethan sighs. “Do you need an escort to wherever it is you’re going scouting at?”

Like I’m dumb enough to allow these two to have more information than they need to hand off to whoever comes looking for me. “No, but thanks. I think I can take care of myself.”

Ethan squints. “Are you sure this is the story you want to go with?”

Straightening on my tree branch, I cross my arms and glare down at both of them. “I have shit to do. You two should go see your parents for breakfast.”

“Mom will be pissed she missed you,” Kennedy says in a warning voice.

“So pissed that she might even go looking for you,” Ethan adds.

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