He looked warily around at his world with new eyes. All that he’d taken for granted: no longer safe. A humid mist blurred the edges of the huge leaves, each one the size of a fully grown man. Above, below, behind, and in front, branch lines and highways were woven and cantilevered together with rope, scaffolding, and a million wooden nails. Trunks of massive girth, large enough to support the hundreds of houses, businesses, and hostelries carved into the hollow depths, punctuated the sprawling treescape. Ark had always believed that, despite its turbulent history, this vast island of Arborium was the safest place on earth, lifted up and spread out as it was through the canopy of trees, a mile above the dirty ground. Not anymore.

“Oi!” The shout cut sharply into his thoughts. There! Only yards away, one of his pursuers was hurtling straight toward him. The branded emblem on his tabard gave him away: the cruel-beaked hawk of the Councillor’s household. Of course, the guards weren’t that stupid. Wait long enough and every mouse pops out of its hole.

Ark cursed himself as the man lunged and made a grab for his wrist. Ark jumped back and twisted away, but not quickly enough. The man’s grip landed and tightened. Although he was almost as skinny as Ark, his muscles were strong as oak.

“Let me go!” screamed Ark.

“Don’t think so, squit-features.” Viselike fingers squeezed closer, forcing tears of pain from Ark’s eyes. “You’re a month’s bonus, you are!” He smiled menacingly, revealing a set of teeth like rotting fungus, with breath to match.

Ark stopped struggling as cold fury overtook him. What right did they have? His father had always told him he could think his way out of any situation. But what good was thought against brute strength? As his mind tried to focus, pure instinct kicked in — after flight comes fight. It was like watching himself from outside his body … his right hand was still free. In one perfect curve of movement, Ark reached down, slipped the heavy wrench from the plumbing belt, and swung it up and around with all his might.

The guard was expecting a cowering youth. What he got was a well-aimed weapon and a sickening crunch for a punch line. The man’s eyes went wide and he slowly folded to the ground.