Addrick didn't respond or dismount. One hand released the reins and extended outward. He blew on the palm with a single breath. Golden dust particles swirled together until it converged in the shape of a sparrow. Kira rested her chin on Addrick's shoulder, watching him make the tiny bird. It chirped in his palm, twittering its wings. He pushed up with his hand to release the bird. Dust snowed behind its tail feathers as it flew over the hay and moved toward the village.

"Something's wrong there."

"How could you possibly know that? We're not close enough to see anything clear enough, even with your kitten vision."

"Aye, true. But we Wilders have a code of symbols we paint on an object outside a village when one of us has recently passed through. It can warn of danger to our kind, let our people know if there is no trade, good trade, whatever we need. Did ye see that sign post? It had a fish skeleton painted inside two circles."

"Let me guess, it says the fishing stinks around here?"

Addrick chuckled. "Nay. It means something odd is going on and to proceed with caution."

"And that bird you made is going to do what?"

"It will find the closest Wilder and bring him or her to us. We go no further until we understand the danger and we stay on the horse in case we need a fast get away."

The purplish sky melded with orange before giving way to blue skies. Clouds drifted inland from the nearby coast. It sent a chill through the air which made Kira shiver. She twisted in the saddle to glance back at where they'd come from. Land gave way to sharp drops zigzagging through the earth in a maze. She marveled at how little of the land appeared passable, yet Addrick had cut through it with ease. On any other day, it would've been breathtaking. He elbowed her, narrowly missing the edge of her breast.

"Watch what you're elbowing."

"I don't see the problem. There's not much there to hurt," he said. Kira grumbled and punched his arm. Addrick rubbed where she'd hit. "Ye have a strong punch. I was elbowing ye to get yer attention, not steal a feel."

Addrick nodded toward the fields. A cow waddled through the barren farmland. It stopped to look over its shoulder and moo before continuing on its path to where they stayed concealed behind the hay. Time seemed to tick by slowly as Kira watched the animal approach. When the cow reached them its body shifted and contorted. Black spots lightened to a golden brown as the girl rose from four feet to two. Dark cherry hair sprouted in a collection of braids that jingled around her shoulders. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Kira.

"Is this her, Addrick?"

"Aye, Demitra, this is who the seers sent us to find."

"She doesn't look like much," Demitra said.

"And you don't look like a cow, looks can apparently be deceiving."

Addrick snorted before wiping his hand against his nose. Demitra grabbed one of the gold hilted daggers strapped to her side. She twirled it between fingers as if to show her skills before pointing the dagger toward Kira. Electricity flickered from her other hand.

Kira rolled her eyes. "Am I supposed to be impressed? Please, Ry can do that blindfolded. And I can make it rain lightening if I want."

"Enough, Demitra." She returned the dagger to its holder when Addrick spoke. "Why is there a warning?"

"The guards came marching in here last night asking everyone if they saw two Wilders and a young man. At first the village kept their silence, we've always had a good relationship with them. But the guards started to destroy homes and threaten to kill everyone if they didn't give up the Wilders. In the middle of it all, someone attacked the guards. He fought valiantly, I'll give him that, but they overpowered him easy."

"Ry," Kira whispered.

"I don't know his name, but his face is on the poster tacked in the village. Along with this girls face. Yours is absent, Addrick, but they know you're a Wilder. There's a high reward on their head for the death of the king."

"So the king really is dead?" Kira asked.

Demitra nodded. "The boy is in the stockades in the village square, no guards are with him—"

Kira didn't wait to hear more. She slid off the horse and drew her sword. The village appeared as though it pulled farther away from her as she ran toward it. A hand grabbed her shoulder before she could get back to the path. It jerked back, making her drop the sword. She continued to try to run away, ignoring the speed of the hand. Her mind stood on Ry and what he was going through.

"Stop! Ye hot headed, impulsive woman," Addrick said with a growl. His grip tightened and pulled one last time. Her feet gave out on her as he collapsed on top of her. The weight of his body pushed on hers as he rested where he fell. Both hands held her wrists, pinning her to the ground. His face leaned in until they could nearly touch noses.

"He's the last family I have! You don't understand." Her knees kicked at him as she tried to wriggle free. She cursed his binding of her magic. The urge to fry him had never been greater within her. His eyes stared into hers. Through their tunics she felt his heartbeat. It was calm, steady, a stark contrast to the raging beats of her heart.

"Aye, but I do. I do understand. More than ye realize right now. I knew yer instinct is to run into danger, be damned the consequences, but that will get both ye killed. Think for just a moment. Breathe and think. Demitra said there are no guards, so aye, on the surface it seems easy. But do ye think they'd leave him un-guarded when it's ye they really want? If Rodyn knows who ye are, don't ye think he knows what's important to ye? That guard at yer home made a mistake in killing yer aunt. He was foolish and it unleashed yer magic in one sweep of fury. Rodyn is nay a fool. An evil bastard that needs to be slaughtered, aye, but he is nay a fool. He'll know what Rylanne means to ye. Or do ye truly not think it's odd he's in the stocks, out in the open, with no guards?"

Kira sighed. "He's bait."

"Aye."

"I don't care."

"I know ye don't. But I do. I have a duty to get ye back to New Calandria safe and sound. If I have to use magic to knock ye out every night to get ye there, I will. The seers have seen these events unfold. Ye framed for the Kings murder and plotting against the Princess, Rodyn hunting ye—it was all foretold. And I suspect it all leads to calamity if the seers wanted us to fine ye first. Tribes dispersed to search for ye."

"But Ry . . ." Kira's voice trailed off as the tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Addrick released the grip on one of her hands. His thumbs brushed the tears from her cheeks as he stared down at her. For the first time she noticed the speckles decorating his temples and brow. Freckles hidden beneath tan skin at a distance stood out up close. Faint scars trailed his strong cheeks. Addrick closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"The Gods curse me for this. I'll make a deal with ye. Come with me to New Calandria, meet with our seers. Hear what they have to say. After that, we'll go for Rylanne together. Demitra will stay here and follow wherever they take him and report back to me. On my honor as a shifter, if any harm comes to Rylanne while we are not with him, I shall hand ye the dagger that will strike me down."

"And if any harm comes to him . . . I'll take that dagger and cut out your innards."

Addrick rolled off her and helped her up. One hand brushed the hair off her shoulder, stroking her cheek gently. Her stomach twisted with convulsing muscles. A heat radiated from his touch and spilled through her in a wave. When Addrick pulled his hand away, Kira no longer felt the empty void in her soul. She raised a hand and conjured a ball of fire in the palm.

"If ye are being hunted by Rodyn, I may not be able to protect ye. Ye need to protect yerself again. But use it only if ye need it."

"Continue to the coastline, Addrick. The Wilder's that escaped here will be there. I'll send word you're coming so they'll wait," Demitra said.

Addrick nodded and strode off to wrangle the horse. Kira hugged herself as she looked toward the village. From her distance it seemed harmless enough. People wandered the outside, some working to harvest crops in the fields. A wood fence kept most of the village concealed. No men walked its battlements. She jumped when a hand gripped her shoulder.

"I will watch after him. On my honor as a shifter," Demitra said. "And you can trust Addrick. There is no other Wilder I'd trust with my life. If he's made you a promise, you can bet he'll keep it or die trying."

"Who is Rodyn?" Kira's stare found Demitra's. Light brown eyes watched her through thick lashes; her left eye appeared nearly blind, a thin cloudy line marred it by the cut of a sharp object. The scar continued at an angle from her temple to the side of her nose. Her eyes drifted from Kira to the village. Demitra bit down on her lower lip before releasing a short breath. Her body shuddered as she faced Kira. Lips sat in a firm line.

"He is death for us all."