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His face becomes grim, maybe even a little disappointed. “Yes and no. I’m pretty sure the Foremost kept him in a holding cell.” My fingernails press into his skin. “But someone released him.”

“Oh.” I sigh, despair flaring in my heart.

Why hasn’t he come to find me? Is he hurt somewhere? I let go of Belwyn’s arm and pull my cloak closed with one hand. Pinching my eyes shut, I swallow down the panic and force myself to focus on what is right here in front of me. Who is in front of me.

“What brings you out of the city so late?”

“Is it late?” A look of honest perplexity claims his face as he stares around at the trees. “It’s been hard to keep track lately.” His eyes fall back on me, and he takes a step even closer still. “I came to find you.”

The way his voice lowers makes my insides twist.

“It’s lucky you happened to set off in the right direction, isn’t it?”

He smiles for a moment, and the twisty feeling deepens.

“Well, it only took one look at you to know you do not belong in the city, and you said you didn’t come to Utsanek much.” He lifts his head and arches an eyebrow. “It turns out there aren’t many people who would willingly live outside of Utsanek. None, actually, other than you and your father. So, you weren’t hard to track down.”

My shaking hand casts around for the wayward locks of my hair. When they find one, I weave my fingers into it. “What’s wrong with how I look?”

The smile fades from his lips but stays in his voice. “Absolutely nothing at all.”

Something snaps across the brook again, stealing our attention. I suck in a breath, but I can’t tell what caused the fright which made it necessary—the sound or Belwyn’s eyes?

Not willing to dwell on it, I set down the book and step carefully down the bank, ignoring how he holds out a hand to stop me.

The waters are no longer swollen with the effects of the thaw, and I walk across the stones lining the creek bed without getting my boots wet. My sphere of sight extends far enough to touch the reeds on the other bank.

With a noisy thud—how did he manage to sneak up on me?—Belwyn joins me.

I raise a palm to still him.

We each hold our breath, watching the unmoving foliage for so long, it begins to feel foolish.

A tawny form parts the grass. It steps through on long, lean legs and raises its elegant head toward us. Two large ears fan out to the side, twitching ever so slightly in our direction. Dark eyes latch on to mine. My heart slows its pace.

“See? I told you it was a doe.”

I risk looking behind me at Belwyn, mostly to make sure he isn’t nocking an arrow. As I suspected, he has no interest in hunting today. My attention turns back to the animal.

The deer should have responded to our movement, to Belwyn’s voice, but she hasn’t moved. I stretch out a hand toward her, foolishly hoping she will come closer. Belwyn’s clipped breaths sound softly behind me. He is as enraptured as I am.

For some reason, the doe steps forward. She isn’t afraid. She descends the bank and crosses the water. Without a moment’s hesitation, she reaches forward and sniffs my hand with her soft nose.

“Hello,” I whisper.

Her ears lower, relaxed.

When Belwyn steps from behind me, she lifts her head to full height but doesn’t bolt. She is easily as tall as me—maybe taller.

I glance at him. “Have you ever seen a deer so big?”

A visible shudder runs through him. He licks his lips and stares.

Unsure of what to make of his response, I turn back. I should probably be wary of a wild animal that shows no fear of humans, but I’m only feeling a strange sense of familiarity.

I desperately want to touch her fur. Careful not to startle her, I hold out a shaking hand. She keeps an eye on it but does not back away.

The noise of the bubbling water fades to the background as the space between me and this magnificent creature diminishes. I feel the warm air rushing out between my lips in measured breaths. I see her hide ripple to shake off an insect. My fingers stretch out and—