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PEREGRINE

Aria was here

Perry followed her scent, ht He kept his stride even as he scanned the darkened woods, though his heart hammered in his chest Roar had told him she was back on the outside, had even delivered a violet with a e as proof, but Perry wouldn’t believe it until he saw her

He reached a rise of boulders and dropped his bow, quiver, and satchel Then he ju from rock to rock until he stood at the top The sky was coated with a thick layer of clouds that glowed softly with Aether light He scanned the rolling hills, his gaze stopping at a barren stretch of land Scorched, silver in color, it was a scar left by the winter’s storms Much of his territory, two days to the west, looked the same

Perry tensed as he spotted the tail of a caht the sust That had to be her She was close

“Anything?” Reef called up He stood solistened on his deep brown skin, running along the scar that reached fro his cheek, and he was breathing heavily Just a few ers Now Reef was the head of his guard, seldo his side

Perry cli snow “She’s due east A mile Maybe less ”

Reef drew a sleeve across his face, pushing his braids away and wiping off sweat Usually he kept up without any effort, but two days at a driving pace had brought out the decade between them “You said she could help us find the Still Blue ”

“She will help,” Perry said “I told you She needs to find it, just as we do ”

Reef strode up, co to within a foot of Perry, and narrowed his eyes “You did tell esture bold and animal He didn’t downplay his Sense like Perry did “But that’s not e’ve come after her,” he said

Perry couldn’t read his own teerness, green and sharp and alive Desire, thick and musky Impossible to miss Reef was a Scire too He knew exactly what Perry felt right now,Aria Scents never lied

“It’s one reason,” Perry said tightly He picked up his things, shouldering the “Camp here with the others I’ll be back by sunup ” He turned to go

“Sunup, Perry? You think the Tides want to lose another Blood Lord?”

Perry froze and then faced hiain “I’ve been out here a hundred times on my own ”