Around him, the forest was empty, with no sign of the Demon Riders except for the one cat that guarded him. There was something about the beast that made Tristam’s hair stand on end. The cat watched him through intelligent eyes, and when it circled Tristam, he swore it was examining the rope for weaknesses. It was more than a well-trained pet.

Midway through the night, a Demon Rider brought him raw meat and allowed him to relieve himself before tying him up again. Tristam only managed to choke down a single piece of meat, but it didn’t take him long to realize he should have forced himself to eat more. By morning, his throat was parched and his stomach ached with hunger. He pulled against his ropes in the vain hope that they had loosened during the night, but they didn’t budge. All the while, his feline guard watched his efforts through half-closed eyes.

The sun climbed overhead, passing the halfway mark and sucking any remaining moisture from his skin. Some time in midafternoon, his guard suddenly sprang to its feet, staring into the forest at a shape that took Tristam longer to make out.

It was Kyra.

She approached slowly, with a bag in one hand and a flask in the other. She was dressed in the same leather tunic the other Demon Riders had worn. Her cheeks were flushed from the crisp breeze, and she maintained an aura of forced calm. The cat growled in warning and blocked her way.

“I’m bringing water and food. Leyus wants me to talk to him,” she said, addressing the cat as if it were a man. It didn’t budge.

“I won’t untie him.”

The cat moved aside, still watching her movements carefully. It made Tristam uneasy, how human these cats were.

“Are you thirsty?” Kyra asked.

He nodded, mouth too dry to speak.

She lifted the flask halfway. “I’m going to have to feed you.”

Her obvious discomfort wasn’t a good sign. If she had been scared or defeated, he might have held out some hope of a misunderstanding. But instead, she looked ashamed.

She lifted the flask to his lips and slowly let it pour into his mouth. It was easily the most refreshing drink he’d had in his life. For a moment, he was grateful despite her betrayal. When he’d had enough, Kyra put the flask down.

“The meat’s hard to get used to,” she said quietly. “I brought some berries.”

“You’re in better shape than I expected.” He made no effort to mask the bitterness in his voice.

Her eyes flickered briefly to his before she busied herself with sorting the berries. “A lot has happened,” she said.

“Is that all you’re going to tell me?” He struggled to control his anger. “The last I heard, you were being carried into the forest by Demon Riders.”