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At the dawn of the world’s birth,

the fire lights were ignited;

An unquenchable flock without number,

piercing the black cloak of the sky.

They shone through the ages,

a lasting gift from the Highest.

The crystalline constellations rested

when the Burning Star drew nigh.

As if her words hold some sort of magic, luminescence crawls out in a steady wave from her fingers until the whole magnificent creature glows once again, as a sola should.

“How do you do that?” My jaw falls slack as I avert my eyes from the blinding heat.

She holds up her hand and turns it over, scrutinizing it. “I don’t know. But I don’t think it comes from me.”

The sola stirs, and I grab Amyrah’s hand and tug her to me as it shudders and draws its legs underneath it.

Still weak and haggard, it manages to find its feet once more. It turns its great head to regard us. Intelligence shines behind its jeweled eyes.

I swallow down a swell of emotion. The stag had looked at me much the same. Will I ever be free from the guilt of having taken a sola’s life?

Like she can read my thoughts, Amyrah leans in and wraps her palms around my arm. “You saved this one, you know.” She squeezes until I angle my chin toward her. “And me.”

With a groan more human than animal, the wolf claws up the sloping sides of the stream and moves away from us with padded footfalls.

“Look,” says Amyrah, her eyes reflecting the dazzling display. “It’s heading north.”

She’s right. The wolf does not veer away into the woods but sticks to the path carved through the forest by the flowing water.

As it fades into the distance, reality sets in.

“Do you want to still stick with the plan?” I ask as we climb up the bank. Stooping to grab my sword, I wipe it as best as possible with a fistful of moss.

Amyrah crosses her arms and stares down at me. “What plan are you talking about?”

Rising, I slip the blade into the sheath buckled to my side. “Finding these nebulous Outlands.”

“Oh.” Amyrah touches a hand to her mouth. Her eyebrows angle upward in the middle. “I probably should mention something.” She grabs a handful of her hair and twirls it nervously around her fingers. “There’s at least one city I know of on the other side of the mountains. Ketsé. My father said it’s where my mother came from.”

I snap up from bending to grab my bow and quiver, which I had thrown off to defend Amyrah. My lips part, and after a moment, I chuckle. “Is there ever going to be a day where you stop surprising me?”

Amyrah’s cheeks flush a soft shade of pink. “That’s not all. Myrzeth told me I’m ... I’m ...” She bites her lip and blinks at me, nervous.

“Go on. Today’s the day for unexpected revelations.”

“I’m of a different race than the valefolk. The Luvesti, I think he called it.”

Luvesti. A strange word I’ve never heard. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

I grab the bow and quiver and swing them over my back. “How are we supposed to find them?”

Amyrah joins me at my side and turns her attention to the north. “Father said a safe passage lies where the water flows through the moun-tains.” She turns her clear eyes on me. “So, if we follow the stream ...”