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"Alright, then talk with me," he says, firmly holding my gaze with his. "If we can form a game plan, then maybe we can find a way through this thing."

My calm is returning.

"We go back to the camp," I say. "We speak to Niah, have her move the tribe somewhere safe. It's the first thing we must do."

"Okay. I trust you."

I give him a look. It feels odd to hear him say such a thing to me.

"What?" he says, and scowls at me before turning away. "Just fuckin' saying, man. You've got that big brain."

Jackson and I turn for the gryphs, but Onar and Azin don't move.

"Onar, we have to go," I urge.

"Our presence keeps Shimat here," he says. "We cannot leave."

They're still working their magic on the elemental. Slowing it down.

"Jackson and I will return to the camp," I say. "We'll figure out a way to stop it."

Onar nods. "Shalkek will succeed. I know it."

I mount the gryph, and Jackson, instead of climbing onto the second, grabs my saddle and hauls himself up in front of me.

"If they need to get out of here, they're gonna need that gryph," he says. "So let's go."

"Are you going to be okay with me riding behind you?" I ask him. "You trust me that much?"

"Learn when to stop talking," he mutters to me, and then turns to Azin and Onar. "We're gonna be back and stop this thing. I promise you guys. Whatever it takes."

Jackson

The encampment is solemnly quiet when we arrive near sundown, and the excitement at our return quickly turns to confusion and fear when they realize Onar and Azin are not with us. Niah emerges from the crowd and gathers their attention with a commanding shout, then says some words that bring a fragile calm. I can see in their faces they're close to panic. Omegas are clutching their children close, and the alphas are speaking tensely amongst themselves.

Niah grabs us and pulls us into her tent.

"The Shimat have lost control," she says. "I have felt it."

"Azin and Onar stayed to hold them back," says Airos. "You have to leave. Take everyone and move on from this place."

"We cannot," she replies. "There is nowhere for us to go. Not without water."

"The last well?"

"You see how many of us there are."

"You have to try," I say. "At least you can get some distance?—"

"No. There is no distance we can go where the Shimat will not overcome us, not before my people die under the bright eye." She points up to the sky, to where the sun will be at high noon.

"Niah," Airos pleads, "I can't do anything until my power has fully recovered, and that could take days, even with plenty of sustenance and water. If you start now, at least there's a chance you'll be far away before this thing reaches here."

"We will not move," she says.

"Then people are going to die."

"Goddammit," I snap. "I don't fucking get it. Why not mitigate your losses and at least give us a chance? Azin and Onar are out there right now, and they're going to be the first to go."