Page 135 of Destiny of a King

Her smile faded slightly.

Dravic’s eyes narrowed. “That much?”

She gave him an innocent look that fooled him not at all.

“Bloody hell.”

Adira nearly smiled again.

Dravic caught her hand. “Come. We need to put more distance between us and the village.”

They had barely started forward when Fiora darted through the trees.

“They know you’re gone.”

“How many are following?”

“Enough.”

Fiora flew ahead as Dravic and Adira continued through the forest.

They moved quickly, though Dravic no longer had to divide his attention between watching for danger and making certain Adira understood every command. He could simply speak to her.

“Stay close.”

She did.

“Watch the ground.”

She stepped around a fallen limb.

“Stop.”

Adira stopped instantly when he heard something ahead.

He raised his hand, signaling Fiora to remain where she was, then listened. Nothing followed. After another moment, he started forward again.

Adira suddenly tightened her grip on his hand.

“What is it?” he asked, and listened, thinking he missed a sound.

She pointed toward a tree several feet away.

Dravic followed her gesture.

A symbol had been carved deeply into its trunk. One of the same markings Seger’s men had begun noticing days ago… markings of the Morvane Clan.

He went to it. The carving was old, the edges weathered and darkened with age. Another symbol marked a tree farther ahead, and beyond that he could make out yet another. There were more here than he had seen anywhere along their journey.

Dravic recalled the message from the High Council warning that Morvane carvings were appearing farther into Driochmor. But these markings were old, not freshly made, and that could mean only one thing.

“We are well inside the land these symbols mark.”

Adira continued staring at the nearest one. Something about it troubled her. Then her eyes widened. She released Dravic’s hand and reached into the pocket of her skirt.

He watched her pull out a small pouch, open it, and remove something wrapped inside.

A necklace.