Roark and Cyprien join us in the bundle of furs while Kaebl turns and walks toward the exit, his shoulders tense and fist clenched at his side. Before I get the chance to ask where he’s going, he disappears into the shadows, leaving us all confused.

“He’ll be fine,” Malice answers, his glowing red eye piercing me from across the room. “I’ll sleep out there with him tonight.” Seeing the look on my face, he adds, “And every other night after, if that is what you desire.”

As he leaves, a painful throb echoes down the bond, crying out for him to reconsider, ordering me to call him back. If I said the word, I know he would, but I’m still not sure if I trust him enough to sleep next to him.

As I lie back against the furs, I tell myself I’m doing the right thing, that it’s what I must do. But as I do, I know I’m lying and will break for Malice eventually.

But that’s tomorrow's problem.

17. Kaebl

17

Kaebl

I toss and turn for hours, the warmth of the furs doing nothing to assuage the frost seeping beneath my skin, the knowledge that Dagny is in the other room and I cannot touch her. When I can’t take any more, I rise to a sitting position, swiping my palm across my sweat-coated forehead with a silent groan.

I need some fresh air.

I know I shouldn’t, that if I travel to ground level, I’m at risk of running into a horde of arachnyx or any other nocturnal creatures of The Far Place. It’s a risk to my life, yet I can’t stop crawling toward the small tunnel leading to the exit.

As soon as I’m free from the hollowed welwig trunk, I breathe a sigh of relief, the crisp night air flowing down my throat and invigorating the blood in my veins. My wings materialize from the shadows, snapping down in a powerful movement that has me launching into the skies. I freefall for a few seconds, relishing in the violent wind whipping around my head, sucking the air from my lungs.

My wings spread, slowing my descent just before I reach the canopy, allowing me to gain my bearings. My claws extend, wrapping around the twining limb like a vise to gain purchase. A flapping sound breaks the silence as my wings beat the air, keeping me balanced as I settle atop my perch. The crystalline leaves of the welwig rustle in the breeze like wind chimes, filling the night air with a sweet, melodic tinkling.

The branch creaks beneath my weight as I lower my chin into my hand, my eyes lazily scanning the horizon as my mind is tormented with thoughts of the past.