It had been a bittersweet realization. Father survived; the kingdom would carry on. Her sisters still had time to uncover and defeat the heir.

Even so, Father would never see Zofi again. Her banishment would continue. She’d never get the chance to prove she was more than the murderer he thought.

But when the stormwing carried on past their camp, and when she spotted a second and a third, Zofi realized something was happening.

“Mother?” She interrupted Deena’s lunch with some locals to point at the sky.

By then, a few others in the band had begun to gaze upward, as well. A fourth stormwing passed, and on its tail raced a flurry of other birds, flying much lower. Macaws and pigeons and the tiny songbirds popular out here in the marshlands for short-distance messages. She even caught the brilliant red flash of a scarlet—a royal messenger.

A minute later, a deafening screech had the entire band on its feet. Vidal, who’d been eating by himself, leaped upright. “Birdy!” He raised his arm, fingers splayed to summon the massive creature.

Zofi stifled a smirk. Only Vidal would name his stormwing, the largest and most fearsome raptor in the world… Birdy.

The creature landed in a tornado of wingbeats, which sent cups and plates flying. Zofi held on to the scarf wrapped around her poor hair. Mother had spent the better part of last night browbeating it back into semidecent shape. This would likely ruin it again.

A few curious Travelers crowded the stormwing. More strayed to the edge of the gathering area warily. Zofi followed Vidal to its side. The creature still gave her the chills, but she was getting used to it. “More news from Akeylah?”

Vidal unscrewed something from its leg, and shook his head. “It’s from my commander. The higher-ups carry special horns so they can summon their troops’ stormwings in case of…” Vidal’s words faltered as he unrolled the letter.

Unease fluttered in her stomach. “What is it?”

Slowly, he raised his eyes to hers. “I’m so sorry, Zofi.”

The pit of her stomach dropped. Her mind raced to the worst possibilities. “My sisters.”

“They’re safe.” Vidal glanced over his shoulder at the other band members, who’d crept closer now, curiousity overriding their fear. “It’s your father. He… he’s gone.”

Zofi’s mouth went dry. “Akeylah said he was better.” Her head shook, side-to-side. “No. No. I did everything right. Found Mother, sent the cure in time. It was supposed to work.”

“I think it did,” Vidal murmured. “This reads like something else.”

“What does it say?” Mother stepped in, her voice steady, posture straight. She was always impossible to shake.

Zofi wished she could channel some of that strength. Right now, she felt weak. Weak, useless, and worlds away from the sisters who needed her.