Windburn

Peta swayed on my shoulder, shaking her head. “It is hard to believe one person could cause so much pain.”

I stepped around a downed log and pushed through a small patch of huckleberry bushes. “She’s still alive, Peta. I doubt she’s done causing pain.”

We found Bella in the forest on the west side toward the ocean. She sat with her hands in her lap, carefully holding her belly. Though she was not far along, her tiny waist gave truth to her condition already.

She smiled when she saw me but her lips trembled. “Lark. You heard the news about Vetch?”

I nodded. “Yes. He’s booted you out already?”

Bowing her head, she put a hand to her eyes. “He threatened my baby, Lark. Said all half-breeds should be slaughtered as the curs they are.”

Peta hissed, low and long. I had to agree. I sat on the log beside Bella. “You shouldn’t stay then, Bella. It isn’t safe.”

“Where would I go?”

I took her hand, squeezing her fingers gently. “Finley would take you in until we can straighten this out.”

Bella’s jaw twitched. “You think I could go back there after what Requiem did to me?”

Tightening my grip on her hand, I stared her down. “For the safety of your child, what would you suffer? A light in the darkness was what the mother goddess said. That light will be snuffed if Vetch has his way.”

A sob escaped her. “How could Father do this to us? How could he leave Vetch as his heir?”

I wrapped an arm around her. “I don’t think he did. I know he was not in his right mind—”

“That’s just it. He seemed to be back to his usual self. There were no bouts of anger, no unreasonable demands. No silly frivolities. Fern even said he’d spoken to her about hunting for Cassava. About finally dealing with her. It was the last thing he said before he disappeared.” Sniffling, she lifted her head. “It makes no sense that he would leave us like this.”

Maybe he’d gone to hunt Cassava. But that would mean he was in grave danger, both his mind and body.

“His leaving may not have been his doing,” Peta said. “The power of Spirit can mask much, Bella. If Cassava did as I understand and controlled so many of you, surely you remember the inability to fight her power. The thoughts made you believe the choices were your own.”

Bella closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks to drip onto the edge of her dress. “I remember.”

“Then you know your father very well may have left under compulsion.” The tip of her left ear twitched as she spoke.

“Peta,” I said, “how can that be? Cassava no longer has the ring.”

Peta’s eyes flicked to mine. “There is another who can manipulate Spirit. And his actions thus far have put him solidly in her camp.”

Blackbird. “He had to be here in the Rim, then, to manipulate Father.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Bella tugged on my hand.

“Blackbird, he’s the one in the cloak. The one who worked with Keeda. He carries all five elements, Bella.” I paused and let the words sink in, seeing it in her eyes as they did.

“All five? Are you sure?”

“Yes. He always wears a cloak weaved with his power and so remains hidden. Have there been reports of anyone like that?”

She shook her head. “No, nothing. And I’ve read every report since Father left.”

I stood and held my hand out to her. “We need to get you out of here. And Cactus too.”

“What about you, Lark? You’re a half-breed, and I have no doubt Vetch means to see you dead.” Her words shouldn’t have shocked me. Maybe a small part of me had still hoped my siblings and I could get along. That we could truly be a family one day. Silly Dirt Girl, a family isn’t for you.

Peta leapt from my shoulder and hit the ground in front of us, shifting into her leopard form. “He will have to come through me first.”

“Excellent,” a voice boomed from the left of us. “I never liked cats.”

We spun and I jerked Bella behind me. Vetch stood with his hands on his hips. He was a younger version of our father, stocky and muscular with dark brown hair and green eyes. I suppose he was handsome, but the cruel twist of his mouth made him ugly to me. He had two familiars ranging to either side of him. One was a small brown bear and the other was a husky dog. They were two of my father’s three familiars. The third was a hawk I hadn’t seen in years. Four Rim guards stood behind them with weapons pulled and visors over their mouths.

Peta snarled, baring her teeth. “A dog? That is your familiar? I see why the Rim is thought to be a breeding ground for the weak.”

The husky let out a howl and took a step forward. Vetch kicked to the side with his boot, catching the dog in the ribs. “I told you to wait.”

“Bella.” I reached behind me and she took my hand. “The necklace and the Traveling room. Don’t stop for anyone.”

“I’m not leaving you, Lark.”

Vetch began to draw on his power to the earth, the lines of green running up his arms, a perfect signature of what he planned. The ground would soften below us in less than a few seconds.

“You saved me in the Pit with your strengths. Now it is my turn to save you with mine.” I let her go and pulled my spear, snapping the two pieces into a single long weapon. “Now!”

A whoosh of skirts and Bella was off. One guard broke away to follow her and Vetch snapped his fingers. “We’ll get her later. She’ll be easy. That’s her style. How do you think she got knocked up with an Undine’s brat?”