I call you Damsel?” Salali Fullstash grinned at him from under the brim of a battered hat. “I’m a neutral party in these games, so you’re not caught.”
“Salali,” he mumbled. “Right. Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”
“Let me have a look,” he repeated with calm authority. “Or the scent of blood will give away your position quicker than a sneeze.”
Was he bleeding? Sinder pressed a hand to the stitch in his side.
“Hold this.” Salali pressed a blue pebble into his hand. “Gent, pass him Merl’s bundle.”
An overlarge blue jay dropped through the pine boughs and hopped sideways along the branch. From his beak dangled a cloth bag. Sinder accepted it with a puzzled nod.
“Eat,” ordered Salali, who was busily unwinding lengths of gauze.
The bundle contained bite-sized squares of dense cake, thick with dried fruit and nuts. Popping one into his mouth, Sinder slowly chewed. And immediately felt better. He hadn’t realized he was hungry. Rookie mistake. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
“Thank Ginkgo.” Salali slowly daubed a greenish paste onto the worst gash. Something antiseptic but laced with spikenard. “He owes me a favor. The goo and goodies are from Merl.”
Sinder mumbled around a mouthful. “As much as I needed a friend in my corner, this feels like cheating.”
“For all we know, the rogue has allies, too.” Salali shifted in midair to doctor a different abrasion. “It could explain why there are glimmers of brilliance in a pattern dominated by baser instincts.”
A second individual, somehow party to the crimes? Did the rogue—like Timur—have a smart partner? Someone with intelligence and influence. That was a chilling thought.
“Can I add that bit of speculation to my next report?” Sinder asked.
“Depends who you’re reporting to.”
“Twineshaft.”
“Tell him,” said Salali. “Tell him everything. Even if it doesn’t seem important. Even if it doesn’t seem related.”
Sinder muttered, “I’ll know.”
“What’ll you know?” countered the squirrel clansman lightly.
“I’ll know if it’s important. I’ll know if it’s related.”
Salali pushed a second crystal into Sinder’s hand like he was bartering for secrets. “Why?”
“Because Twineshaft tells me things.” And it was important for this person to know it.
“Things? Or everything?” With a low chuckle, the squirrel clansman made an impressive leap. “You’re his stash. Smart.”
FORTY-THREE
Lights Out
Lilya held Kyrie’s hand all the way back from movie night. They’d been treated to back-to-back episodes of Dare Together, with hints that special guests would be arriving the following weekend. Rampant speculation pointed toward a visit from Caleb and Josheb Dare … or any number of the cryptids they were so famous for tracking down.
It was long past curfew, but the event wasn’t quite over. All the lights had been switched off, making everyone’s trek back to their cabin a final hurdle. Growls and yelps and nervous laughter came from all sides. Older teens in ward colors lofted crystals, while battlers formed ranks around the younger kids in their cabins.
After all that spooky cryptid footage, every thin howl and slinking shadow took on an aura of menace.
“They are only teasing,” murmured Kyrie.
Lilya tightened her grip on his hand. “Can you see?”
“Quite well. Do you want more light?”
Tempting as that might be, she shook her head. “That would only expose our location.”
Kyrie pulled her into the shelter of the shrubs alongside the path. Up on tiptoe, he whispered in her ear. “We should go the long way around.”
“Danger?” she breathed, placing her hand over his heart. Partly to show she trusted him, partly to see how fast it was beating.
“They are only teasing,” he repeated. “Trust me.”
Even though she was taller now, Kyrie was still many times stronger, so he didn’t so much as stagger when Lilya climbed onto his back and tucked up her long legs. Once her arms folded around his shoulders, he carried her away. And with every giddying leap and swerve through the trees, she tried to stifle her giggles.
“Are we winning?” she whispered.
“I am good at these games.”
“Who’s chasing us?”
“Four dogs, two rabbits, and a monkey,” he reported smugly. Kyrie reached back and touched her hair. “You are especially bright tonight.”
“Am I?”
“Did something happen? Something pleasing?”
“I hope so.” She prodded his side. “I’ll tell you once we’re under covers.”
And just like that Kyrie was done playing games. With more speed than he usually displayed, his turned his darting course toward Zisa, neatly setting Lilya on Waaseyaa’s doorstep before his dark hair had time to settle about his shoulders.
They changed for bed and nestled under the embroidered coverlet in the guest room, Gregor and Rifflet between them.
“I like this blanket,” whispered Kyrie. “It