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“They’re staring because you’re the first Shade in more than a decade to be welcomed into the Mongrel village, the last being Doctor Raf. And they feel how much power you and Ada have.” Rin wobbles her head. “And they think I’m escorting the two of you for protection.”
“You got all that without looking beyond our table?” Madigan asks, suspicion tinting her tone.
Rin grins devilishly. “I’m not on the queen’s guard because of my stellar looks, Madi.”
I nod my agreement. “Seeing you here, us together, will give them hope that the turmoil between our tribes is going to end. Maybe some will be more fearful, but having you here means more to them than it does to you.”
“They fear Nesta, too?” she whispers, scanning the crowd with a new understanding.
“They fear all Shades because of Nesta,” Rinya explains. “This is the first positive encounter they’ve had in decades.”
“You’re helping them see that not all Shades are the same,” I add.
Madi shakes her head. “I’m not like her. I won’t be like her.”
“I know,” I assure her. “It might feel daunting, but you’re doing the right thing. This is how peace begins. With you. And me. And letting them see we can work together. I’m guessing Nesta never did that for her people, either. When we’re ready, I’ll show the Shades that the Mongrels are a laid-back bunch.”
“Peace between us is one thing…” Madi stops, frowning at me. “Have you met the Howlers or the Dwellers, though?”
“Not yet,” I quietly admit.
“How do you think they’ll feel about this upcoming battle?” she inquires.
I frown, but once again, my words carry the conviction of a goddess. “It won’t be a battle, Madi. It will be a war. They might not like it, but we come from a time when we all wanted to coexist. That’s part of the reason we’re here. To show the people it’s possible. To fight for them and the peace they deserve.”
She sighs as if I’m asking the world of her, though she straightens her shoulders and smiles at the crowd. “I really missed you and your disgusting amount of optimism.”
“Welcome home,” I tease. “Consider your guest room in the palace a summer home in the Hamptons.”
10
ECAERIS
DAY SIXTY
I pace through the dried leaves beneath the forest’s canopy, trying to release some of the tension in my posture. It’s not helping as much as I’d like, but I now have a new understanding of why Ada insists on stepping on them. The crunch beneath my boot gives me an odd sense of satisfaction.
“Is that the signal?” Connak asks, his sarcasm thick. “They’re to follow the crunch of leaves to find us?”
“No,” I grumble. “This isn’t the signal. We’re listening for the crane.”
“Then stop stepping on the leaves,” he snaps, always wanting silence while in the forest.
“Have you tried it?” I inquire. “I never understood why Ada did this, but I think I get it now.”
Talodus sighs, leaning the back of his head against a tree. “I’ve never seen Ada step on leaves like that.”
“She does,” I tell them.
“To annoy you,” Connak points out. “You think she’s loud in the forest, so she does that to piss you off... Which is something I now understand better because you are pissing me off.”
“She is loud,” I argue.
“No, she’s not,” Talodus informs me. “She’s quieter on her feet than you are.”
I snort. “I’ve heard her—Oh.”
Connak chuckles. “Yeah. Just you. She doesn’t do that with us or Imy.”
