“You need a blade that large to get a drink? You have your own rivers to drink from. Trespassing is a punishable offense. But I’m merciful. Get out of here.” She lets the fire in her hand go out and shoves the air. A gust of wind obeys Memi’s command, shoving the Gray off his feet. The trees behind him tip over. He stumbles up but doesn’t flee like I think Memi hoped he would.

I let the fire simmer in my shaky hand and duck down lower. I will be ready if she needs me.

She raises her fist and pulls it back down. The sky darkens and thunder claps answering to the call of her magic. Lightning touching down behind him.

The Gray flinches, his nostrils flaring.

“You think me stupid?” she asks. “Why are you here?” She peers at the water closely.

“To get water.” His lips are a thin line somewhere between anger and scared as he gets up, dusting his pants. “That is all. I was taking a hike.” He pats his pockets and pulls out a container, something like a canteen, and hands it to Memi.

“See for yourself. It’s very refreshing.”

“No!” I step out of the foliage. “Don’t drink that, Memi. He never filled that canteen from the river, I was watching!”

She turns her back to him to face me, her expression wide with fear.

I go cold all over as I realize my mistake.

A blur of metal flashes behind her and Memi grunts in pain, falling to her knees. Red. So much red. I’m frozen, my legs locked in place with terror. Your magic! Do something. But I only manage to blink.

“You should have stayed hidden in the forest, girl,” the Gray says, blade slick and red, held high. Memi is on the ground and she does not move. A cry dies in my throat as I turn to run. I rush through the forest, thorns scratching my legs. My magic. I try to summon it, but fear overcomes whatever bravery I’d thought I’d had and my feet fly across the familiar passageways. The trails I’ve walked with Memi and Tomae year after year. A patch of sunlight peeks through the trees up ahead and my heart flutters.

He won’t catch me. He won’t.

Leaves patter behind me. The Gray’s breath is heavy, louder, closer as he gains on me. My knotted shift catches on a jagged branch, yanking me to a halt. He’s so close I can smell him. I tug and pull, snatching the fabric tethering me to the tree. It rips. Metal overhead blots out the ray of sun.

Berries from my makeshift sack spill, painting the forest floor red.

CHAPTER ONE

THE ENEMY LIES IN wait to bleed my people.

To litter the homeland with our bones.

To bury its secrets.

But first he has to go through me.