“Don’t,” I say, and grab a vine. I begin to lower myself with shaky hands. It takes everything in my power not to cry.

I move through the trees slowly, and the farther I get from him, the more it feels like someone is strangling my heart. I also can’t help but wonder how much of this Layla knew.

I’m nearing the ground when a twig snaps above me. I look up and can’t see Ash, but I know with certainty that he wouldn’t snap a twig. He’s as silent as I am in trees.

A branch creaks to my right, jolting me with fear. With the dim light and the thick canopy of branches, everything is lost in shadows. I could scream in frustration. All I want to do is walk away so I can process this horror of a night. But if someone else is up there, Ash is alone to confront them. And as angry as I am, I can’t let him fight while I run off.

I pound my fist onto a branch and squeeze my eyes shut. Damn it all. I really hate you, Ash. When I open my eyes again, I scour the trees in the direction the creak came from, searching for any sign of movement.

There isn’t enough of a moon to see well, but there also isn’t wind to mask sounds. I take a breath and focus, listening. For a couple of seconds, there’s nothing but the occasional buzzing of insects in the forest. Then suddenly there’s a thump nearby and the sound of boots hitting bark.

I whip around to my right, and sure enough, I catch a glimpse of a dark figure moving through the trees above me.

I’m creeping silently along the branch when I hear another dull thud, not like boots this time, but the unmistakable sound of a fist connecting with flesh. It’s followed by another thud and a grunt.

I stop abruptly. On a smaller branch above me, I can just make out Ash struggling with the cloaked figure. My stomach bottoms out as I realize he doesn’t have his dagger. I see Ash throw a punch and his opponent jumps out of the way and down two branches. Ash pursues, and once again my view is blocked.

I hustle from branch to branch until I’m near the center of the courtyard, then grab a vine and climb up it so fast that I burn my hands. I catch sight of Ash again just as he lands a kick. I want to yell to him, to tell him that I’m coming, but breaking his concentration in the trees would be the worst thing I could do.

Ash’s opponent recovers his balance and tackles Ash. They collide and slam into the branch below them.