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“This has to lead up, back to the compound, right?”

Ryatuv pokes his head through the crack then pulls back and shrugs.

“It looks like it might,” he says with a heavy sigh. He shakes his head and shrugs, looking at Z’leni. “We have traveled a long ways. I am not familiar with these tunnels.”

“I am not sure,” Z’leni says, grimacing when he tries to stand and puts pressure on his leg. “Gada.”

I rush to his side, trying to help, but his weight is more than I can handle. My knees buckle before I can lock them. Ryatuv doesn’t run, he leaps, wings open and lands in a half-crouch next to us with a hiss.

“Here,” Ryatuv says, taking Z’leni’s weight off of me. He lowers Z’leni back to the ground. “Fool.”

“When one looks in a reflective pool,” Z’leni mutters.

“What does that mean?” I ask and Z’leni grins.

“You see what you know,” Z’leni says.

I frown, shaking my head in confusion. “Huh?”

“He means that I am a fool,” Ryatuv huffs, dropping Z’leni that last couple of inches to the floor and stepping back. Z’leni huffs, shakes his head and then he laughs. Ryatuv frowns, shakes his head, then he laughs too. “I must be.”

I blink, not understanding either one of them. A cool breeze brushes over my face, pulling my attention back to the crack in the wall. Something flickers on the other side.

“What?” I mutter, carefully making my way back to it.

The flicker happens again. It looks like… firelight. But not the magma type, like a torch.

“Stay back,” Z’leni barks.

“What is that?” Ryatuv asks, then he is at my side. He looks down as he puts his arm across my chest, blocking me from going forward. “Let me look. Please.”

He adds the last as my face turns sour. I frown then shrug. He’s being protective and though it irks me the way he went about it, I also understand and a part of me kind of likes it.

Ryatuv goes to the crack. He turns sideways and forces his way inside until only his tail remains on our side of it. My heart beats faster and faster, wondering if he’s stuck or what it is he sees, but he says nothing.

“Ha!” he yells and I jump.

“What?” I yelp.

Z’leni is on his feet and at my side, despite his injured leg. He stands a step in front of me, both hands balled into fists, ready to fight.

“Brothers!” Ryatuv yells.

“Gada,” Z’leni curses, then he looks over his shoulder to me.

His face pales as he frowns so deep his tusks turn in and touch the sides of his nose. He drops to the ground with a defeated look on his face. He lowers his head and stares at the ground.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

He looks up and gives me a half-smile with a shrug.

“That’s Zmaj,” he says, shaking his head. “I know what comes next.”

I lower myself to my knees in front of him. The defeat in his voice is as clear as anything I’ve ever heard. I reach out and touch his face, trailing my fingers over his cheek.

“I won’t let them hurt you,” I say.

“Thank you,” he says but the sadness remains. “But you won’t have a choice. It is fine.” He inhales deeply then his smile becomes more genuine. “I have done many things wrong in my life, but know this Elara…”