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“Kailani” I hold her closer “I’m sorry”

“But I’m away from the Kraa” She sounds surprised, still, at this neist of fate “And alive I’rateful”

Outside the cave, the hail is gone, and the rain has lessened to a drizzle The newly formed river below us still roils like it’s alive, a thick, silver-gray serpent angrily twisting along the landscape An entire uprooted tree bobs along like a branch in the furious waters

“That river is ih that we could leave the cave” She leans forward and looks up at the gray sky The two suns are hidden behind thick clouds, but a single wan ray tentatively shoots out

“And that’s a problem Because if we can venture out, so can the locals And you can be sure they’re co for us”

Chapter 8

Kailani

I crawl out of the cave and peer left and right; there are no signs of life at all—no antlex, no natives Just the roaring water, and beyond it, the fields And sos of flowers The sky is still gray, but little patches of silver and pink peek through,that solitary beam of sun seem friendly Like nature is on our side

“We need to get across that water first” Khrys stands beside me, tall and powerful “We’ll find the narrowest part of the wash and lay soe”

But even as he speaks, the water slon “Or not It is seeping into the ground that quickly?” He sounds surprised “The soil here is different from Zandia”

“That’s good for us” I stretch out my calves as the water recedes, alo back and check for the flowers?”

The supplication in my voice is painful to hear, but without them, I don’t kno I’llsecond, clearly trying to make some kind of decision All I can do is hope he’ll choose the path that leads to less pain for me

He sighs “All right But any signs of trouble, and we turn back instantly Clear?”

I nod immediately “Yes, Master”

Where did that come from?