The prince’s hand found hers. He pried the Sparrow witch-tooth loose. “Don’t let them see me.”
And before she could say another word, he slid down her robe-rope and dropped from the tree.
Tavin reappeared at her side for a split second as the Sparrow witch-tooth strained to cover them all. Then, mercifully, Pa kindled a third tooth. The Hawk didn’t vanish, but Fie found her eyes glazing right over him. Pa must’ve felt Fie’s own Sparrow tooth drop.
Even better, Tavin hadn’t yet kenned that Jasimir was gone. Instead, his hand settled on Fie’s shoulder. Whether he meant to comfort or restrain her, she couldn’t say.
Fie twisted the witch-tooth’s spark so she alone could see the prince. To his credit, he had landed with scarce a sound; his mother had trained him well before she died. Not a single Oleander looked his way, still hunting the dark for any sign of Crows.
Barf’s mews climbed to a frantic howl.
Jasimir plucked his dagger from the ground, and the Sparrow tooth’s range shrank even farther. Relief near brought tears to Fie’s eyes.
The prince’s bare feet were useful after all; he left nary a track as he picked a path across patches of moss and grass. But closer to the wagon, there was only open dirt. And two Oleanders idled nearby, their horses’ eyes rolling at Barf’s shrieks.
Fie studied Jasimir’s options from above: He could try to weave round the Oleanders. Or he could inch across the dirt and chance the horses startling at his scent. Both would take precious time.
Barf went quiet.
Prince Jasimir stiffened, then smacked one of the horses on the rump.
The horse whinnied and reared, its rider swearing. Jasimir darted across the dirt, ducking flying hooves, and rounded the wagon until it stood betwixt himself and the Oleanders. Fie had to allow that he’d been clever there: from that angle, the riders couldn’t see the side panel crack open.
Jasimir’s arm vanished into the flames, then reappeared with a fist around the scruff of Barf’s neck. He yanked her out swift and stepped back from the fire. Barf wriggled and buried her face in the crook of his arm.
And not a single soul had witnessed it save Fie.
“Get your beast under control,” the Peacock lord barked.
The rider who’d near been bucked off patted his horse’s neck. “Apologies, m’lord. She’ll settle once we’re away from the fire.”
Another man gave a shout, waving his torch to the road. “Tracks over here. Nail-marks on ’em, like their sandals. Headed south.”
The Oleander lord stared at the burning wagon. Jasimir took another step back. Sparrow witch-tooth or no, he wasn’t accustomed to going unnoticed. But the sandpine mask only turned to the road and then back to the camp.
“YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED,” he thundered, loud enough that Fie flinched. “LONG REIGN THE WHITE PHOENIX.”
Tavin’s fingers tightened on her shoulder again. This time she knew it had naught to do with her.
The Oleander Gentry spooled from the clearing like a weft of burning wool, all white and dust and flame.
Once the hoofbeats sank from earshot, Pa let his own Sparrow teeth go and whistled the all-clear signal. Crows rained from the trees, flocking to put out the burning wagon.
“I’m sorry about your cat,” Tavin said, and let her go.
Fie smirked up at him, a little jump-drunk from swinging betwixt fear and relief. “Well, I’m not.”
She cut her Sparrow witch-tooth free, and Tavin’s eyes flashed with panic as he realized the prince was gone. Then a muffled cheer rose from the Crows below, drawing his attention to where Jasimir stood, still cradling the groggy tabby.
“His idea,” Fie said, smug. “Royal command, even. Can’t disobey that.”
Tavin studied the prince for a long, long moment, a muscle jumping in his jaw. Then he crouched to better look Fie in the eye, face inches from hers.
“Jas is a good person.” His voice was a dangerous breed of quiet. “He’s going to be a good king. Better than the one we have. And by every dead god, I will do whatever it takes for him to sit on that throne.” His eyes narrowed. “I would have been sorry about your cat. But you would have been sorrier if anything had happened to my king.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Call it what you want. But you’re going to be a chief, and he”—Tavin jabbed a finger at the prince—“is the Crows’onlyhope at not reliving this night,everynight, for the rest of what will consequently be a very short life.”
