Dawn Carver (3)

17

Casimir

I lie awake, staring at the roof of the cave, restless as the night ticks away. After speaking with Trina, I caught Killian and Sanaa up on the plan. Killian was adamant we should leave for Dadun straight away, but Sanaa managed to convince him waiting another night was the better option.

With the cloud, avoiding nights of travel was the safer option.

Eventually, I get up, going to the end of the tunnel. To my surprise, Killian is already outside, strapping a knife to his ankle. I raise a brow.

"Running away in the middle of the night?"

"I'll leave the deserting for you."

"What're you doing?"

"Sleep is particularly hard when there are three grown men staring down at you."

Trina had assigned each of us guards to watch us while sleeping. Mine were old friends, and mostly left me be. It seems Killian wasn't that lucky.

"Don't tell me you're going to Dadun by yourself."

"No," he says.

"Then where are you going?"

Killian leans back. "The hyacerite doesn't work. It has no power. Up on that mountain, it glowed purple. It had power. I think we both know where that power now sits."

Freya.

"Nobody knew that was possible," he says. "I'd quite like to know what that means. Wouldn't you?"

"So you're what? Going for a thinking walk?"

He smiles. "I think it's time we pay Myers a visit."

-

Freya

Hours after Alaric brought me back after finding me spying, Lei sneaks through the window. She doesn't bother checking if I'm awake before she starts talking. Lucky for her, I haven't slept a wink since I got back, watching the moon travel through the sky, get swallowed by the clouds.

"I know what we could do," she says, expression more animated than I've seen since being in Dadun.

I swing my legs over and get into a sitting position. No part of her appearance gives any indication that she was slinking through the forest just moments earlier.

"What did you hear?"

"They were talking about you, at first," she says. "But that stopped pretty soon after we were within ear shot."

I remember what Alaric had said, about sensing me in the forest, and wonder if that's why they stopped.

"Look, there's a slim chance we can break the forcefield."

"How?"

"Tonight, after he left, Harris and Hana were talking about him. That he seemed... weaker. They mentioned this is the longest he's had to hold up a forcefield for."

I think it over.

"When you two were training," she says, "you asked him whether it was a conscious effort to hold up the forcefield."

"He said it was."

"Even while sleeping."

"What're you thinking, Lei?" I ask, leaning forward.

"Is he training you to conjure the cloud?"

"That's the end goal, I guess."

"Then you need to damn well learn." When I don't respond, she continues. "No one is completely immune to the cloud."