Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
SHOUTS RANG OUT. A WALL OF BODIES JUST VISIBLE THROUGH THE trees marched closer. Thia stared, shocked into immobility, unable to tear her eyes away as another arrow flew over her head.
She was dimly aware of the sound of her name. A pack was shoved into her hands. A tug on her arm sent her flying into motion as her senses rushed in.
Dess had taken her hand and was pulling her behind him deeper into the trees. He dropped it when he realized she was present again, and she lengthened her stride until they were side by side.
The arrows stopped. They slowed, glancing behind them. The woods were silent. To Thia’s relief, Mavrel appeared, settling on a branch just above them. When it became apparent that they were no longer in immediate danger, Thia spun.
“Very stealthy?” she demanded.
Dess shrugged. “They may have in fact seen me take the map and were already chasing me when I left town….”
She let out an unintelligible groan. “Of all the stupid—” Now was not the time. The damage was done. She forced her emotions back under control. “Where are the others?”
He shook his head. “They took off.” He saw the look on her face. “Don’t worry, we’ll find them. What do you think? Back to the camp?”
She bit her lip. “Too dangerous.” She could tell that didn’t deter him, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea. She whistled. “Mavrel!” The bird floated down from the tree and settled on the arm she raised to him. “Can you find the others for us? Oskaren and Thran?”
Mavrel fluffed his feathers. She planted a kiss on his tiny head, and he took off for the trees.
“What now?” Dess asked.
“We wait.”
He dropped the pack from his shoulders, and after a moment she did the same. Together they settled onto the soft ground.
Thia said nothing, annoyed that his careless thievery was the cause of their current concerns.
She knew he could sense it; he kept opening his mouth, but she pointedly watched the trees, not trusting herself to swallow another snap.
Silence lapsed and stayed that way until a glint of silver flashed through the trees.
Mavrel had returned. And he was not alone. Stumbling after the bird through the underbrush was Thran, coming into view just as Mavrel settled on Thia’s shoulder.
“You’re alright!” Thia said, standing to greet the man.
“Aye,” he said, stopping in front of her. He was panting lightly, sweat gleaming on his brow.
“Oskaren?”
When he wouldn’t meet her gaze, she knew. But she let him say it anyway.
“They took her.”
The pronouncement settled over her like ice.
If any of the rest of them had been captured, they might have been okay.
But Oskaren? Thia didn’t know how famous a criminal the girl was, but if they had any kind of bureaucracy in this place, it was only a matter of time before she was recognized. And when she was….
Thia refused to be the one to have to tell Sorscha that her daughter was dead. They would get her out. For Sorscha.
Or so she told herself, because there was another image swimming before her that she tried and failed to shove away.
Ren?
Say it again.
She squared her shoulders. “We have to go after her.”
Thran’s mouth twisted in sympathy, and Dess kicked his foot against the ground.
“Thia. There’s only three of us. And you don’t know how to fight.”
He wasn’t wrong, but it still stung. “It’s your fault she was taken,” she reminded him, and he winced. Her stomach clenched.
“Do you think I want this? I hate that—” He cut himself off, hands forming fists. “She’d leave us there, if one of us was taken.”
He knew Oskaren better than she did. But Thia couldn’t live with herself if she abandoned someone, even if it was her. Especially if it was her. “I’m going,” she told him. “Will you help me or not?”
He continued scuffing that shoe, hard enough to leave a hole in the ground. He took so long to speak, she really thought he was going to let his grudge win out. But then he sighed. “I’ll do it for you. And for Sorscha. Not for her.”
She expelled a breath. “Thank you. Thran?”
He looked between them, resigned. “Do you have a plan?”