I thought of the gargoyles, tucked within their outlets deep beneath the earth, but it would be better if they remained where they were. Freeing them might only guarantee us more misery.
They could kill my father, but there were far too many innocent lives at stake. We couldn’t take the risk of them turning on us.
Usually, there was activity everywhere in the encampment as the occupants went about their chores, practiced their training, cooked over the fires, and returned from hunting trips. Hammers still thudded against nails as, in the distance, they built more tree houses, but it wasn’t with the same enthusiasm as usual. There weren’t as many amsirah working on them today.
Most of the rainmakers were catching up on sleep after their stressful night. The rest of the camp was trying to go about their duties as quietly as possible so as not to wake them.
I was halfway across the clearing when Scarlet emerged from the barn. Her footsteps faltered when she spotted me; then she turned and headed my way.
“Shouldn’t you be resting?” she asked as she stopped a few feet away.
“I will.”
Her red hair shone in the light, and her doe brown eyes were sad as she studied me. “How bad was it?”
I tiredly ran a hand through my hair. I was as exhausted as everyone else, but I had to make sure the camp was ready for something worse to come our way.
“It was bad,” I admitted. “But the poltergeist and other forest creatures helped a lot.”
Scarlet’s mouth parted at this response. “Creatures such as the black dogs?”
“Yes, and some others I hope never to see again.” Like those giant, face-sucking bugs. “I don’t know if the trees somehow called them for protection, or if theyknewthey had to keep the forest from burning to survive. Either way, they helped the poltergeists kill quite a few guards.”
“Wow,” Scarlet breathed.
She glanced around like she was afraid those beasts might come here, but I suspected they were as exhausted as we were. Besides, as the encampment had grown, they’d mostly avoided us in favor of the easier pickings of the smaller numbers of amsirah.
That could change if the woods decided the best way to protect itself was to get rid ofus.
It was a possibility I couldn’t consider. We’d lived in harmony here for a while, but things were changing, and I had no doubt this forest wasfarmore than it revealed.
“How’s Lery?” Scarlet asked.
“Tired. She’s sleeping now.”
“Good. Is there anything you need a hand with?”
“No, I’m just going to check in with the guards before joining her.”
“You don’t have to worry about us. You can rest; we can handle things. Besides, you two will be the first ones I wake if anything happens.”
“Thank you.”
She hesitated as if she were going to say more, but instead, she gave me a small smile before turning on her heel and walking in the direction she’d originally been heading. I continued toward the guards.
After speaking with them, I prowled around the camp a few more times before slipping into the woods to examine the larger perimeter. I didn’t see or hear anything moving through the trees, which was unusual, as animals were always traveling through the forest. Even if they didn’t attack, they were there.
As I examined the area around the tree houses deeper in the forest, not even the birds sang. They continued to flutter between the branches and issued an occasional chirp.
Hearing those small sounds reassured me that nothing lethal was nearby. They would have flown away if something stalked us.
I suspected they smelled the fires and didn’t know what to make of them. Some of the larger species had enjoyed slaughtering the guards, but these smaller birds weren’t built for that kind of mayhem.
After taking another winding pass through the woods and assuring myself we were safe, I gathered the supplies I’d left by the tree and returned to the camp. I paused to survey the guards and other amsirah before returning to the tree house and Ellery.
Settling back on the bed, I enveloped her in my arms and drew her close. She was so exhausted that she didn’t move as her breath tickled my neck.
The fury that festered while I walked through the woods ebbed again as my love for her replaced it.
