They were on her side, she reminded herself severely, but she still couldn’t shake her lingering concerns. She had absolute trust and faith in Braith, in his ability to succeed, she had grown to like Ashby, had forged a small amount of trust in Gideon, and there was something about Xavier that intrigued her. But even so, she didn’t really know these vampires, and she sure as hell didn’t know the thousands following behind them.
There were too many of them and she knew it. They couldn’t continue on like this without being caught. Her people knew these woods, they moved through them with ease but this mass would never make it through unnoticed if they continued to stomp through the woods like a herd of elephants.
Braith seemed to sense this as he turned to her. “How long do you think it will be before you are able to find your father?”
“Stay here.”
Braith lurched for her, but she was already scrambling up the closest tree. It was the only way she knew he wasn’t going to be able stop her. She imagined it would be amusing to watch him attempt to chase her through the trees, but she doubted she’d ever get the chance. She wasn’t at all surprised to see him following her as she leapt, jumped, ran, and swung easily from limb to limb.
Climbing steadily higher, she swiftly made her way up a small hill where she paused to skirt to the top of a large maple. She hoped she was near one of the areas she used to communicate with her father when they were separated, or that he had even moved through this region. There was a chance she’d have to go a couple miles to the west before finding another place that would help her. It could take days before she located one of his markers; she hoped that she would get lucky now.
“Arianna!” Even though the snarl had been low pitched it drifted up to her.
She didn’t look down, she didn’t have to. She knew his look of displeasure and annoyance well. The thinner branches bowed beneath her weight, but she’d done this since she was a child, she knew exactly how far she could go before the tree wouldn’t support her weight. Pausing, she spread her legs, bracing her feet against two branches that bent to the side. Between the two of them she was able to distribute her weight without snapping them as she poked her head over the top of the leaves.
She moved slightly, adjusting so that she could see the forest from different angles. It spread out before her, an endless array of shimmering leaves, deep green conifers, and a spattering of red maple groves that added sporadic color to the landscape. For a brief moment she allowed herself to savor in the view.
Then she spotted it, a small glimmer halfway up a tree about two miles away. Her father didn’t climb as high as she did, but he could also navigate the trees well. Smiling with satisfaction and relief, she was about to shimmy back down the tree when something to the right snapped her head around. Eyes narrowing, her hands dropped down to grab the two branches supporting her weight. She brought them sharply together, lifting herself higher and earning an angry hiss from Braith.
She didn’t care though. She didn’t even care that she was pushing her luck as she scooted another foot higher. Only about a mile away there was a movement in the woods that was not made by any animal, but she couldn’t be certain if it was human, or something else, until a break in the trees revealed the group of men. Though they were too far away to discern much about them, they were all wearing the royal colors of the king.
Aria’s heart leapt into her throat, panic flared through her body as two of the men turned to scan the horizon. She didn’t move, didn’t even breathe. They turned in a complete circle, seemingly oblivious to the brim of her head over the tree as they bent to confer again.
They had more soldiers on their side right now, but if things went wrong, and one of the king’s men happened to escape back to the palace, everything they had worked for would be ruined. They needed to stay hidden until Braith decided it was time to make their presence known. But that would be impossible with the herd following them.
With their attention distracted, Aria plunged rapidly out of the tree, dropping from branch to branch until she released the final limb and plummeted toward the ground. She would have been fine if she’d hit the ground, but she didn’t mind at all when Braith’s arms wrapped around her. He held her for a brief moment, cradling her within his embrace. She allowed herself to relax, to feel the strength of his body beneath her hand before he set her smoothly on her feet.
Ashby was gaping at her, his bright green eyes astonished as he looked from her to the top of the tree. Behind him Gideon and William were watching her anxiously. “Dad?” asked William.
“That way, about two miles there’s a marker.” Taking a steadying breath, she turned slowly and pointed to the west. “That way about a mile, are the king’s men.”
Braith’s hand stilled in the hollow of her back, his eyebrows drew sharply together over the bridge of his nose as his nostrils flared. “Are you certain?” Gideon asked.
“They’re wearing his colors.”
“What the hell are we going to do?” Ashby demanded.
“There are caves.” William inhaled sharply at her words, his eyes darted uncertainly toward her. She stared hard at her brother, understanding his trepidation and hesitance. But it was too late for that, they had brought these vampires into their world, there was no turning back now. William looked hesitant for a moment more before he nodded slowly. “Less than a mile from here. They’re large enough to hold everyone but with so many it will be cramped.”
“They’re not going to like being forced into those caves.” Aria started in surprise as Xavier separated from the shadows of the trees. She hadn’t seen him standing there, but Braith seemed to have known as he didn’t react to Xavier’s sudden appearance. She was even more surprised when Braith didn’t remove his hand from her back, didn’t separate himself from her. A tremor of trepidation shuddered down her spine as Xavier pinned her with his dark, knowing eyes.