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Rohan stood upon the slender bridge that hung between dwellings and stared out at the horizon where the sky met the ocean. There was more land out there. He was certain of it. Convincing everyone else of that was more difficult. No one wanted to leave what they knew to face uncertainty and unknown dangers. People preferred stability. They knew they could live in relative peace—as they had for generations. Even the increase in abductions didn’t seem to persuade them to leave.

Even Kalyani protested his suggestion to find a new home. She clung to the hope that Lata and the others would return. As long as she held on to that, she wouldn’t go anywhere.

But freedom from magic and the kidnappings was just over the horizon for him. He could set out on his own. He’d even considered it a time or two. In the end, however, he decided he couldn’t leave his family. So , he was stuck in a place he both loved and hated.

Shecrish was beautiful and offered much, but his kind would always be second-class as long as the elves outnumbered the humans. Looked down upon. Denied the same rights and opportunities. He was tired of being treated as if his life meant less than an elf’s. He was responsible for Siguk and those who lived there. It wasn’t a position he wanted, but a responsibility placed upon him. And he took it seriously.

Generations ago, a small group of humans had struck out on their own after unsuccessfully trying to find a place among the elves. They traveled all over Shecrish , looking for a spot of their own before heading south. They built their homes along the southern cliffs of the mesa, far from the troubles throughout Shecrish , and cut themselves off from everyone—even for trade.

His people had struggled. They had nearly starved before learning how to take what the ocean provided. When they couldn’t live atop the mesa or along the shore, they carved out spots within the cliffs and built homes.

That labor had continued. They had good years and bad ones. The winter storms that came were destructive, some forcing them to rebuild homes—and burn their dead. But they had never yielded. Many saw his wish to leave as giving up. The first Siguks hadn’t quit when they searched for a new place. This generation didn’t want to, either.

Kalyani’s approach yanked Rohan from his thoughts. He looked at her as she came to stand beside him. She remained silent, her gaze focused out over the water. When they were younger, it was all their father could do to keep her out of the ocean. They had teased her that she should’ve been born a Sea Elf .

“ She won’t willingly help,” Kalyani said.

Rohan drew in a breath and released it. Whether to leave or not was once more cast aside as he focused on thoughts of the Wood Elf . “ As I figured.”

“ I don’t know how I feel about this. She’ll double-cross you.”

“ It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

Kalyani turned her head to him. “ You’re all I have left. I can’t lose you, too.”

He put an arm around her and pulled her against his side. “ I don’t know what else to do. We can’t fight the abductors when we’ve not heard or seen anyone. One moment, our people were here. The next, they were gone. I don’t have magic, Kal . But I do have a few other skills I can use.”

“ I know.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “ All the empty huts are a constant reminder of those missing.”

“ At the rate our people are being taken, we won’t last until next year.”

“ I don’t understand why . Who needs that many enslaved people?”

He squeezed her against him. “ They must be selling them to others outside of Shecrish .”

She lifted her head to look at him. “ You don’t think it’s for the dragons, do you?”

“ Nay ,” he said, scrunching up his face. “ What do they need with humans? They’re dragons. They can’t communicate.”

Kalyani lifted her face to the sun and closed her eyes. He watched her for a long moment. How long until they took her, too? How long until they came for him? Would he even be able to carry out his wild plan before then? Their village had been hit so hard that there weren’t enough people left to keep sentries on patrol. And that left them vulnerable.

“ They’re going to return soon to take more of us,” Kalyani said.

Rohan watched a sunhead with its distinctive white feathers and bright yellow head dive from the sky into the ocean, before resurfacing with its meal. “ What do you want to do?”

“ Live in peace, but that isn’t an option.” She opened her eyes and lowered her head. “ We either remain and wait to be taken, or we leave as you’ve wanted to for years. The third option is fighting back.”

“ I don’t want you anywhere near a battle.”

She shrugged and shifted to face him. “ Too bad. If you’re in this, then so am I .”

Rohan dropped his arm to his side. He knew it was pointless to argue with her when she had made up her mind. It was easier to accept the new turn of events and try to find a way to keep Kalyani out of harm’s way.

She observed him, her dark eyes daring him to deny her. She knew him as well as he knew her. She was just as capable of leading their people—more so, in his opinion. She should’ve taken over after their father.

“ Let’s finish our discussion about Farah ,” Kalyani stated.

Rohan glanced at the door to the hut containing the elf. “ What did she say?”

“ Not much. I asked her to help, and she said she couldn’t. She’s still weak, but with the fever now broken, she should be back on her feet soon.”

“ We can’t wait.”

Kalyani’s brow furrowed. “ You want to head out before she’s fully healed?”

“ I wasn’t supposed to leave Mortham so quickly. Her injury forced my hand.”

“ They’ll be on high alert now.”

“ The elf will get us in.”

Kalyani’s lips twisted. “ If she isn’t healed, travel will be more difficult.”

“ It won’t matter when we leave or what we do. She’s going to make things as difficult as possible. Besides , if she’s concentrating on her injury, maybe she won’t be looking for a way to recharge her magic.”

“ Good point. She’ll need clothes.”

Unbidden , the image of Farah’s bare back flashed in his mind. He hadn’t meant to look when Kalyani helped her into bed, but his gaze lingered anyway. As long as he didn’t see her pointed ears, he could almost imagine her as a human. Almost .

Between being soaked with blood and cut away so he could tend to her wound, her clothes hadn’t been salvageable. He had burned them, erasing any evidence that she was with them. He doubted anyone would look for her She was one of many at the compound.

“ I’m sure we can find some,” he answered.

Kalyani nodded. “ I’ll take care of it. How are you going to convince her to help us?”

“ I have a way.”

“ I take it you won’t share it with me?”

Rohan tore his eyes from her and looked at the ocean, begging to be explored. “ That’s right.”

“ There’s no way you can travel without entering the rainwood. And that will return her magic.”

“ Sadly , there’s no getting around that.”

Kalyani gaped at him. “ Once she has her magic, she definitely won’t help.”

“ Leave that to me.”

“ Please don’t turn into the thing you’re fighting against.”

He would do whatever was necessary to return those who’d been taken. Even if it meant becoming that which he loathed. “ I won’t,” he lied.

“ I see this was pointless. I’m going to find some clothes for Farah . She needs to at least be able to sit up if we’re leaving soon.”

“ We ?” he repeated.

“ What did you think I meant when I said we’re in this together?”

“ Kalyani ,” he began.

She simply skirted past him on the narrow gangplank and strode away. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the rope. His plan was reckless, but when backed into a corner, the only way out was to strike. He’d already landed his first blow. The Masters and their followers were chasing their tails right now. If he had been able to remain in Mortham , he might have located Lata by now.

But his pivot could still work. No one had dared what he had. Yet he hadn’t done it alone. Not that he was worried his ally would turn on him. His associate’s help was over, however. Whatever else Rohan planned would have to be done alone.

He looked at the door again. He didn’t relish going inside and trying to tend to Farah’s wound. If he didn’t need her to walk, he wouldn’t bother trying. He sighed as he looked down at the empty huts around him. The dwellings hung in the middle of the cliff and expanded outward in either direction.

Few came south of the mesa. Fewer dared to look down and notice the huts if they visited. They only saw the occasional Sea Elf , and they paid them no mind. The Siguks weren’t hidden. They could be found. Yet so few knew of them or their location. Perhaps that’s what made abducting them so easy. Who would complain?

Rohan straightened and ran a hand down his face. He’d spent sleepless nights, the same thoughts going around and around. He couldn’t find an answer. There probably wasn’t one—at least none that he liked. And while he hadn’t said it, he didn’t expect to make the journey back. There would be casualties in this mission.

Just not Kalyani . She would lead their people when all this was finished.

He squared his shoulders and walked to the door of his hut. His hand rested on the handle for a long moment as he readied himself to face the enemy. The lives of his people—their very futures—rested on him. He wouldn’t let them down.

Rohan opened the door and stepped inside. Farah was up on one elbow, looking out the window. She didn’t seem to hear him enter, which allowed him to see her enjoying the same ocean he had been staring at. He wondered what could have forced her to leave her home. What had sent her away from the Wood Elves and into the bowels of the earth to mingle with the most abhorrent of them all?

He wouldn’t ask.

She wouldn’t answer even if he did.

And it didn’t matter. He had a plan for the elf. It was the only reason she was still alive. He closed the door hard to announce himself. She jumped but didn’t look at him. She kept an arm over her chest as if fearing the blanket would slip down. He almost told her she had nothing he wanted. Kalyani expected him to be charming to persuade her, but he didn’t need to be. He had knowledge about her that she wouldn’t want getting out.