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"They sound very alike" Aria couldn’t believe she’d said that aloud It had to be the effect of the Luster, loosening her tongue

White teeth appeared in the dark "They are, but thankfully not in every way"

"Did you go to Lone Tree?"

"I did By the tione"

Aria let out a slow breath Though she felt sorry for Roar, this was exactly what she’d needed A break froet for a fewLue to reach for Roar’s hand She would have, if they’d been in the Realers deeper into the fur of her sleeves

"What are you going to do, Roar?" she asked

"What can I do but keep looking?"

Chapter 20

PEREGRINE

Having Roar along changed everything They walked through the ht any traces of the Croven, he knew they weren’t clear of danger It worried him that they hadn’t been confronted yet, but with Roar’s help, they could er Perry missed with his pine-dulled nose, Roar would catch with his ears

Aria hadn’t spoken to hi back allwith Roar Perry had strained to hear what they were saying Even found hi he was an Aud That had been a first When Perry heard her laugh at soh and pulled out of earshot In the span of a few hours, Roar had spoken with her more than he had in days

Cinder kept his distance, but Perry kneas there The kid was so weak that he walked in noisy, dragging steps It didn’t take being an Aud to hear hi about the boy’s scent had set the back of Perry’s nose thru, just as it did when the Aether becaitated, but when Perry had looked up, he hadn’t seen the sky churning Just the wispy streaks that still held above He wondered if the Luster hadwith his Sense

He hadn’t had any trouble picking up the boy’s teht throw Roar and Aria off, but Perry knew the truth The icy fog of fear clung to hiuessed hier Why was he on his own? Whatever the reason, Perry knew it couldn’t be good

Aroundenough to cut through his stunted nose He headed downhill, then he told Roar the best path for driving the animal to where he waited

They had hunted this way their whole lives Roar could hear Perry’s directions clearly from that far, but it wasnatural sounds came easily to Auds, so over the years they had adapted the calls of birds, turning it into a language between the hiht into the boar’s neck and then another into its heart after it fell As he knelt and retrieved his arrows, it struck him that this was the purest use of his abilities He’dit well But his satisfaction didn’t last As soon as Roar jogged up, Perry knew so was off

Roar was nor off and clailanced at the boar and then closed his eyes Angled his head in quick, sharpbefore he spoke

"The Croven, Perry A whole piss barrel of them"

"How far?"

"Hard to tell Seven miles or so on the wind"

"Could be more on land,at half a day’s lead at best"

Perry cut the boar into strips and seared theitated rivers Setting off the sting in the back of his nose A stors He ate with Aria and Roar, the three of theth of a meal in their stomachs to outrun the Croven Marron’s compound was still two days away, and he knew they couldn’t stop until they reached it

He built up the fire before they set off, adding a stack of green wood Smoke would help mask their scents for a while Then he staked a cut of meat he’d set aside with a stick and told Aria and Roar he’d catch up

He found Cinder curled against the root of a tree Dappled light shifted across the boy’s dirty face as he twitched in fitful sleep He looked s look on his face Perry pinched the bridge of his nose as the stinging sensation flared "Cinder"

He shot up, disoriented, blinking and rubbing at his eyes When he finally focused on Perry, panic flashed across his face

"Leave me alone, Scire"

"Steady," Perry said "It’s all right" He held the stick out Cinder glanced at it, his Ada as he sed He wouldn’t take it, so Perry wedged the stick into the ground He backed away a few steps "It’s yours"

Cinder snatched it up and sank his teeth into the ut clenched at the desperation in the boy’s face This was nothing like the h with Aria and Roar This was true hunger Fierce as any fight for life Perry reht He realized the boy had just been hiding the depth of his need

He should tell Cinder what he had to say and leave Perry didn’t want Cinder pulled into the lanced east, toward Marron’s Roar and Aria wouldn’t get too far ahead He could spare a few moments Perry slid his bow off his shoulder and sat