Page 36 of Shadow Wings
All we can.“Can’t you teach meeverything?”
Kamoi shifted in his saddle, facing back to the front, but not before I caught sight of hisfrown.
“Can’t you?” Ipressed.
His voice was tight as his words floated back to me. “I’m afraid only time will tell usthat.”
* * *
The airin the middle of the Zivost forest smelled of mint, pine, and citrus; the scent calming and clean. The clearing looked like a cross-section of the Market Circuit back in Verald—stalls of produce were interspersed with artisan crafts: ceramic bowls, tapestries, woven baskets, and bolts of fabrics in naturalhues.
The Phaetyn varied in size and shape, but none appeared sickly or wan. Their pale skin practically glowed, and their glistening silver hair hung straight and lustrous; most of the men wore their hair pulled back at the napes of their necks while the women wore their locksloose.
As we passed, the murmur of their voices followed. Despite the melodic sound, there was a clipped edge to their whispered conversations. Many violet eyes widened as Kamoi escorted us toward a large tree in the center of the clearing in Zivost, or Phaetynville—as I’d dubbedit.
“What are they saying?” I asked Dyter. As if he wouldknow.
He rolled his eyes at me, and I responded with a one-shouldered shrug. I couldn’t help my instinct to ask him. Until recently, I’d always assumed Dyter knew everything in the realm. In reality, he probably still knew way more thanme.
I shifted Tyrrik’s body again. Despite his leanness, the Drae was heavy and his weight was putting my legs tosleep.
I met the gaze of a female Phaetyn around my age, but she broke off our shared stare and walked away. I tried the same thing with another Phaetyn, and another, yet as soon as I caught someone’s eye, they averted theirgaze.
“Do I have something on my face, Dyter?” Iasked.
Stupid question. I was a mess. My aketon was torn and bloody, both with Tyrrik’s black blood and my blue. I had an unconscious Drae draped across me, who wasalsoa bloody mess, not to mention he was their sworn enemy. Could they tell what he was just by looking at him? To me, he’d never looked ‘of this world,’ too handsome, too world-weary, too fond of black clothing. But could theytell?
“Kamoi spoke with the elders as we neared,” Dyter told me in awhisper.
“How?”
“Through the trees.” The old man shrugged. I had to admire his ability to adapt. The girl he’d known from early childhood was both a Phaetyn and a Drae, and we were walking through a forest of sentient trees, and Dyter looked as calm as if he was serving stew and ale on a Thursdaynight.
“It’s likely word has spread about what you are. I’m sure they are just as curious about you as you are about them,” headded.
I was a mess and a novelty. Excellent. Great.Best news ever. And why was he whispering if they already knew? Alarm bells rang in my head, and my skin crawled as the Phaetyn’s eyes continued to avert upon landing on me, like I’d stepped in horse turd and no one wanted to tell me. “But we’re safe here,right?”
As if in response, a high-pitched whistle buzzed in my right ear, and I instinctively leaned forward, covering Tyrrik with mybody.
A sharp pinch in my side made me gasp. Warmth spread from the area, and with it came a jolt of energy that made my heart race.What thehay?
I reached around my torso, and my hand brushed a feathered shaft . . . stuck in my body.In my body. Which would’ve been Tyrrik’s body if I hadn’t covered him.Mistress moons! That made me furious. Did they not know how much effort it took to savehim?
I yanked the dart out and stared at the three inch needle. I could feel my skin knit back together. My simmering anger turned to rage in a heartbeat, and scales exploded up the sides of my neck. I hadnotgone through all that trouble to save Tyrrik only to have him killedhere.
“Kamoi,” I said. Except a harsh growl came out instead, resounding through theclearing.
Someone screamed, and more erupted. Several Phaetyn darted out of the clearing and into thetrees.
The gorgeous Phaetyn prince turned in his saddle, and I threw the dart at him. “You bloody well better not be intentionally betraying me, or I’ll personally make sure the Phaetyn areextinct.”
I breathed hard, trying not to Drae-out completely. That would be a bad thing, especially forTyrrik.
Kamoi’s eyes widened, and his skin paled. “Leoleo, laina i luga,” he barked. “Taofi ia saogalemu, aemaise lefafine.”
A dozen male Phaetyn appeared, each with a spear in one hand and an expansive shield in the other. These men looked nothing like the civilians in the marketplace, obvious by their muscular bodies, their matching purple aketons, and the way they carried themselves. They wore fierce expressions, and their corded arms were sleeved in winding and intricate tattoos. They surrounded our party in a protectivecircle.
Kamoi faced me, his violet eyes glowing. “I’m so sorry,Kealani.”