Page 65 of Shadow Wings

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“Come on, Dyter,”I said, hefting Tyrrik upright. “We need to leave before the rest of Phaetynville decides to comevisit.”

I pulled the Drae over my shoulder, hunching as I strode into the trees. I didn’t care how or what direction, I was leaving this placeright now. I tried to shift back to my Drae, but my emotions made it impossible tofocus.

“Ryn.”

I looked up to see Kamini staring out from between thetrunks.

“You must leave now,” shesaid.

I tensed, but Kamini was someone the trees had shown me many times. They didn’t see her as a danger to the Phaetyn which meant she wasn’t a danger to me . . . right? “And I suppose you’re going to helpus?”

She tilted her head. “Yes.”

I shook my head once before I remembered my visions from the ashtree.

“Ryn!”

I spun to see Kamoi emerging from therubble.

“If you wish to leave, it must be now,” Kamini said urgently, her eyes flickering toKamoi.

I looked at Kamini, but the Phaetyn girl shook her head. I didn’t know if that meant she didn’t trust Kamoi or if she didn’t want him to overhear thisconversation.

I deliberated. I really didn’t want to linger here or want to trust anyone else, not even with the tree’s assurances, but Dyter and I could wander for hours lost in this place. “Fine,” I said. “Let’sgo.”

We backed into the trees, Kamini leading theway.

We walked for what felt like an eternity to my weary body. As the branches of trees brushed my skin, I caught glimpses of Phaetyn running, hiding in clusters, royal guards giving chase. Dyter walked alongside me, silent as amute.

I cleared my throat, shifting Tyrrik on my shoulders, and asked, “Can we stop for a minute? Are we far enough away from . . . wherever that it’s safe for us to take abreak?”

Kamini turned, the fear on her adult-child face smoothing to an impassiveexpression.

Creepy.

“If we stop now, we might not make it to the border intime.”

“In time?” I demanded. I wanted to scream. “How about if I shift again and carry us all to theborder?”

“Then wedefinitelywon’t make it in time. If they see your Drae form, we’ll have too many visitors for you to tree-talk,” she said. “How long did it take you to get to the center of Zivost when they brought youin?”

“About four hours,” I said. The idea of carrying Tyrrik for another four hours made me want to curl up in aball.

“We’ve been walking for twenty minutes,” Kamini said. “We’ll be to the border in another fiveminutes.”

Wait . . . What?I tried to catch up with the Phaetyn’s plan. Get to the border and tree-talk.Right.

“They do it to confusevisitors.”

I was confusednow. “You get visitors?” I asked, glancing at Dyter, who looked just as baffled asme.

“Not often, but leading newcomers a longer route to our city is protocol,” Kaminisaid.

Seriously, having a conversation with an eight-year-old that sounded like she was thirty was socreepy.

“Why are you helping us?” I asked, helplessly. “I just killed the queen andking.”