When the raven awoke at dusk, his bones ached from cold. For the thousandth time since he had left the Pause, he wished Nagienvik were with him. With every hour that passed, Sylesh grew more aware that he was on a fool’s errand. He had left his sahad, the partner who was his whole world, and for what? To save a bunch of mortals who would never thank him for it.

Sylesh looked down from the tree. Something was moving in the snow on the forest floor. He focused on it. It was a medium-sized, plump white bird that stood on top of the snow without sinking. He tried to remember what it was called. Something with a p. He thought about it a little longer. Ptarmigan. He remembered that they were good to eat, and he was quite ravenous.

He took flight as quietly as he could, then descended and seized the bird with his bladed claws. The ptarmigan squawked and flapped its wings to try and escape. Clumps of feathers tore off. It managed to take flight, but Sylesh flew after it and tore off one of its wings in midair. It plummeted to the ground and was dead on impact. Blood painted the snow red. Sylesh settled in to eat.

As he tore into the carcass, Sylesh saw something else move in the corner of his eye. He looked up. A strange animal with a striped face had grabbed the severed wing in its mouth. He recognized it as a badger and stiffened, ready to fight if need be. Badgers could be dangerous, he knew.

But when the badger saw him, it looked bewildered. The wing fell from its jaws. Then – gods be damned – it spoke. “Are you a Shade?”

Sylesh jumped at the sound of its voice, then replied telepathically. Am I a what now?

“Is that not what you’re called? I’m sorry.” The badger didn’t sound afraid. Only confused. “I’ve never actually gotten to talk to one of you before. Whoa…your eyes are so beautiful! They’re like fireflies. Have you ever seen a firefly before?”

Sylesh wondered what kind of trickery was going on. Badgers didn’t talk, and no one thought Ferash Therall’s eyes were beautiful. No outsider was ever this friendly toward Ferash Therall. Ever. Who are you? Sylesh asked. And what do you want?

“Me? My name’s Talin. I’m looking for food for my friend,” said the badger. He spoke with all the ease of a human.

Who’s your friend? Sylesh asked. And why can’t he find his own food?

“He’s a silver fox. I call him Nightjar, like the bird. He can’t ever wake up all the way, so I have to take care of him. I feed him, clean him, protect him…” Talin trailed off. “Wait, you’re a telepath. That’s how you’re talking to me. Could you possibly help me? I would love if he could wake up.”

Sylesh thought about it. If, like the badger, the fox in question was a Razaghal, it would be a good opportunity to take them both out. At the same time, he didn’t want to do it. He wanted to know more about what was going on. It had been a long time since he had been able to indulge his curiosity like this.

I have to ask you, Talin, said Sylesh. Do you know what “Shades” do?

“Yeah,” said Talin. “But you haven’t done it yet. Why would you? The thing is, you’re just like me. We’re both special because of the Iron God. Only you have his blessing, and I don’t. Simple.”

Sylesh went back to eating. Once he’d had enough, he let the badger take the remains and followed him back to his den. Sylesh hesitated at the mouth of the den. What if it were a trap? What if the badger were going to eat him?

“Come on,” said Talin.

Sylesh looked down at his feet and reminded himself that he would win in a fight against the badger if it came to that. His eyes illuminated in the dark den, filling it with a soft red glow. It almost reminded him of Nagienvik’s workshop, with its constant fire and warmth. Then he saw the fox curled up at the back of the den.

Its coat was a gorgeous silver, just as the badger had described, but its body was frail and emaciated. The only sign of life was the slow, faint rise and fall of its chest. Talin went over and coaxed a piece of meat into its mouth. The fox opened his eyes and ate, but his eyes held only a blank, lifeless stare. Something was not right.

Sylesh probed for the fox’s mind, only to find that it was not there. Its mind was somehow outside of its body. The raven looked at the badger. I think I know what the problem is. How long has he been like this?

“Well…since I found him. Many years ago. Not sure how many. I’ve lost count.” Talin fed the fox another morsel. “What do you think is wrong?”

His body is here, but his mind isn’t. To wake him up, we would need to pull his mind back in, said Sylesh. How much do you think he cares about you?

Talin blinked. “What are you asking?”

Sylesh rephrased. Do you think he would wake up if I attacked you?

“Well…um…yeeoowww!” Talin’s voice rose to a horrible scream as Sylesh dug deeper into his mind. The raven would not allow himself a physical attack, not yet. Not until it was time. He knew Nagi would scold him for playing with his food, but there had to be one upside to her not being with him.

After several minutes of it, a different hue of light began to materialize within the den. A ghostly silver fox slunk past them. Then the fox’s body jolted awake. Fully awake. Its cry stopped them both. Sylesh erased Talin’s memory of the past few minutes, then pointed out what had happened. Look, it worked!

The fox tried to stand up, only to fall back down. Sylesh tried to placate him. It’s all right. This isn’t what it looks like.

“What…what’s happening? There’s a Ferash Therall! Wait…you…” The fox looked at the badger. “You’re the one who’s been keeping my body alive. I only catch little glimpses of you. What’s your name? Nightjar?”

“Um…no, that’s…” Talin stammered.

“Nightjar, we have to get that Ferash Therall out of here!” the fox screeched.

Is that how you want to thank me, you little fleabag? Sylesh dug his claws into the dirt. I drew you back into your body. Do you really want to fight me? You know you won’t win.

“Nightjar is what I decided to call you, because I didn’t know your name,” said Talin. “I’m Talin. What’s your real name?”

“I don’t have one,” said the fox. “I’m the Wanderer. But I suppose Nightjar is fine.”

Sylesh croaked a little, startling both of them.

“You haven’t killed us yet.” The fox stared long and hard at the raven. “What do you really want, if not our blood?”

Sylesh thought about it for a moment. He had not wanted anything initially, apart from a distraction. He decided on something. I need a favor in return.

“What is it?” Nightjar asked.

Do you know the whereabouts of a man named Azvalath, by any chance? I need to find him before…before something horrible happens. I would appreciate if someone could show me the way. He said no more.

Nightjar thought about it. “And you won’t hurt us?”

Not if you help me, said Sylesh.

“Fair enough,” said Nightjar. “I was just following him, as it happens. He is here.”

Sylesh received the location from the fox’s memory, and the path back to where they were. All he would have to do was retrace the fox’s steps. Thank you, said Sylesh. I’ll leave you now.

He left the den and took flight once more. Sylesh estimated that it would not be a long flight, which he was grateful for. Once he was high enough above the trees, he barely had to exert himself. The wind was in his favor.

Sylesh soared over the dark, snow-weighted trees for half the night. With no one to talk to, he lost himself in thought. A nagging guilt tugged at him. He knew he should have dispatched those two Razaghal. But they, he reminded himself, were not the ones Vraelen had sent him to find and deal with. And he doubted they were going anywhere, so there was nothing to stop him from getting them on his way back home.

Still, he didn’t want to. He hated that it had to be this way. Then he wondered, what if it didn’t? What if there were another way? He tried to push the notion from his head, but he could not dismiss it completely.

A loud screech jarred him back to his senses. In the distance, he saw something else flying. Something much larger than he was. He watched it descend toward a lake below. Lightning cracked across the water, then it swooped to grab something off the surface. A lightningfisher at work, he realized. He remembered an old chant about lightningfishers that he had seen written on the wall in the Pause.

Roar, roar, the thunder of eternal sky

Her song is the song of infernal storms.

Shadow of dark wings, strength and power

Cower, o feeble prey.

The lightning whip cracks on the face of the earth

Cower, o feeble prey

Beneath the thunder of eternal sky.

Then he remembered something else. Something far more disturbing.

I cannot sleep, but I scream to wake up. Teacher, where are you? Teacher, I need you. I need you, but you’re not here. Am I so disgusting? Teacher, you said you cared, yet you ran away like I was a monster.

Kolo

That name – Kolo – was fresh on his mind when he landed. The clan had set up a temporary camp, and they seemed to all be asleep. Most of the humans were asleep, at least. He was sure there were some keeping watch, but he hoped none would pay too much attention to a bird.

He turned his head and examined his surroundings. Closest to him was a cluster of picketed horses. It was too dark to distinguish their colors effectively, and he dared not let his eyes illuminate, but he could tell that at least one of them recognized him in some way. In addition, he could tell that at least one of them was a Razaghal, but he couldn’t tell which one. Something was blurring his mind. He had the nagging sense that someone was interfering.

He followed the pull to the best of his ability and found one he thought was a Razaghal. It wasn’t a horse after all, but a cow. It lay in the snow and looked at him drowsily. That couldn’t be right, he thought. Sylesh imagined the animals were taunting him somehow. They had confused him into perilous uncertainty, and they were all to big for him to take down without help.

Sylesh stiffened. Someone or something was creeping up behind him. He turned around and saw what it was. It was a dog whose grin nearly paralyzed him with fear.

Two days after the Grinner arrives…

His time was running out. Sylesh thought frantically about what to do. He probed at the creature’s mind. Garbled nonsense was all he picked up at first. Finally, something coherent came through.

I am Sulinnadar…hungry…need to eat…I feel…she…

It all melted to incomprehensible white noise. No one’s mind had ever been so impenetrable, Sylesh thought. Whatever this creature was, he knew he had good reason to be afraid.

The dog broke away and ran without warning. Then Sylesh heard footsteps approaching. He made Azvalath stop before he could draw his sword, then asked him the first question he could think of. Does the name ‘Kolo’ mean anything to you?

“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” said Azvalath. He managed one step forward before Sylesh halted him again.

You’re lying. He probed Azvalath’s memories. It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the Kai’rei who used to teach her. What happened?

Azvalath’s face turned red with rage. “You don’t get to know that.”

Vraelen will give the order in two days, said Sylesh. Will you obey?

“No.” Azvalath didn’t hesitate for a second. “Now leave.”

Sylesh spread his wings and took flight. As he flew away, he told Azvalath one more thing. You have doomed them either way. There will be no escape. Not this time.