“Bellusdeo?”
“Bellusdeo and her Norranir,” Terrano confirmed. “The Norranir are out in force; Teela’s having difficulty hearing because they’ve started their defensive drumming.”
Tiamaris, above, roared. Kaylin didn’t have time to plug her ears; she sped up. Tiamaris sped up as well, his shadow racing past them as he pumped his mighty wings, heading toward the border of Bellusdeo at a speed sprinting on the ground couldn’t match.
Why do things always turn out like this?
Severn said nothing. They could sprint side by side; his stride was longer, and if necessary, he could outpace her. He didn’t.Let’s just get to Bellusdeo before she starts breathing fire.
Squawk.
Damn.
Could this day get any worse?
They ran. Tiamaris could fly above the border zone. It wasn’t the first time in her life she wished she were Aerian; they couldn’t follow. The border zone existed between the fiefs of Tiamaris and Bellusdeo. It existed between all fiefs, except on those streets that now led to the Academia—and those weren’t the streets they were running in. Kaylin sprinted into the faded, washed-out road between Bellusdeo—formerly the fief of Candallar—and Tiamaris.
She skidded to a halt a block in.
Severn slowed instantly—and far more gracefully.
Terrano scudded along, feet touching ground on some other plane Kaylin couldn’t see. It was Terrano who cursed.
“Hope!”
Squawk.
“Just make sure he’s safe!”
The familiar pushed himself off Kaylin’s shoulder, squawking up a storm as he flew toward the transparent Terrano.
What is it?
There’s magic here.
The kind you’re allergic to?
She nodded.
You should have looked through Hope’s wing before you sent him off.
I don’t trust the area, and Terrano didn’t stop.He was right, and she knew it, but Terrano always felt he was safe. He wasn’t; he’d managed to get himself caged or confined before. Nothing could dim his innate arrogance.
Hope exhaled. Terrano swore at him. Particles of silver mist hung in the air, tracing a pattern familiar to the normal version of Terrano—or at least the solid version. Severn caught the Barrani by the shoulder and dragged him back to where Kaylin, arms tingling, stood.
“Look, we’re in a rush, but we can’t just trip every magical bomb or trap laid down by fleeing criminals, okay?” Kaylin glared at him.
“Criminals? The attack happened in the fiefs. Whoever ran this way would never have been under your jurisdiction. Laws of exemption are irrelevant—if you manage to get yourself killed, the Halls of Law can’t use your death as an excuse to threaten the High Halls.”
“Not hers, no,” Severn agreed. “But she’s not the only person here. Tiamaris has experience with the fiefs—but so do I. The Wolves aren’t beholden to the Halls of Law in quite the same fashion the Hawks are.”
“Really?”
“We have pursuit exceptions.”
“Except you’re wearing the Hawk.”
“I am.” Severn grinned. It was not terribly friendly.