“We need to get off the road,” Cheeyt said grimly as they surveyed the damage. The wagon had burn spots, everyone who had fought was injured, and Nuliyaa’s legs were shaking so much she thought she would collapse every time she tried to take a step. “It’s too easy for them to keep finding us. They have to know we’re returning to Nengmek.”

“You want to abandon the wagon?” Kachaark asked. He sat in the middle of the road, Sinchach hovering at his side as the mage looked at the deep cut that slashed through the meat of the Minotaur’s upper arm. One of his horns was now shorter than the other.

“I think we have to.” Nuliyaa saw pain twist her older sister’s face. She also saw the comforting squeeze Singmij gave to Cheeyt’s arm. What was between them? That was a thought for later.

The wagon had cost a substantial amount of Cheeyt’s savings. Nuliyaa doubted they would be able to replace it if they abandoned it here. And they would need to leave behind so many of their supplies, even if they were able to convince Sinchach to store much of it. How much were his magic pockets even able to store?

“Perhaps we should return to the farmers’ home,” she said. “They might be willing to store the wagon for us until we return.” She looked at Miyt and Tseetsaa. “You two could stay with them until we return.”

“You’re going to leave us here?” Tseetsaa demanded.

Chesfi sighed, hauled herself to her paws, and disappeared into the forest. She hadn’t returned to her housecat size.

Cheeyt and Nuliyaa both almost bolted after her, but Singmij caught Cheeyt’s arm. “I think we need to let her do this.”

“Do you know what she is doing?” Cheeyt demanded.

“No, but she obviously now feels protective of all of us, so she isn’t going to leave us behind.” Nuliyaa thought she heard the woman mutter, “Though I can’t promise she will not do anything foolish.”

They pushed the wagon off the road and set up their camp. Nuliyaa kept pausing to look into the trees, hoping to see a flash of Chesfi’s silvery fur as the malk returned to them. Despite what Singmij had said, part of her was afraid their client had run away. Maybe she thought she would safer on her own.

Maybe she would be safer on her own. She could make herself almost impossible to see, after all.

The way Cheeyt grumbled at everyone as she established the watch and the camp settled for the night told Nuliyaa that her older sister held the same worry. Would they have a company by the time this was done?

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She was laying on her side, staring sightless at the trees when movement caught her eye. She froze, then shouted, “Cheeyt!” as she pushed herself toward the middle of their sleeping arrangement.

“Oh, don’t be silly.” Chesfi strolled into the camp, tail twitching in annoyance. Now she was back in her usual form. “I’m simply returning with our allies.”

Five other beings followed. At first Nuliyaa thought they were other malks because they seemed cat-like. But then one shimmered and stood as a horse, and another took on a human form.

Singmij jumped to her feet and made a complicated hand motion. “Pucas,” she greeted. “What brings you to our hearth?”

“Don’t be so formal,” Chesfi admonished, tail flicking again. “They are my guests.”

“We would prefer it if you informed us of your guests before their arrival,” Nuliyaa said as politely as she could as the fear pounding through her heart shifted to irritation of her own.

“I am the client, am I not?” Chesfi flopped on the ground. “We had a fabulous hunt, so do not feel that you must offer refreshments for my guests.”

In other words, they weren’t really hungry, but they still wanted food. Nuliyaa bit back her worry and began setting out water and tea leaves with bits of dried fish. Miyt wordlessly helped prepare the tea while Cheeyt scowled at everyone, probably angry that they were acting like they were hosting a party rather than forcing information out of Chesfi.

The human-looking Puca picked up a piece of dried fish between two delicate, yet still deadly sharp, claws. “You are generous.”

“Very generous,” Chesfi agreed. “Do you match their generosity, Pucas?” Now her words were a challenge.

Hisses were passed around the circle and Nuliyaa had to fight herself to keep from flinching. What was Chesfi doing? She’d invited the Pucas to their camp and now was insulting them?

The cat- and horse-looking Pucas stared at Chesfi. Their stares made Nuliyaa fight to keep down her shiver again. The Malk seemed unconcerned.

“You wish us to show them our secret ways,” the human-looking Puca said.

“It would be a way to match this pounce’s generosity,” Chesfi said. “And earn the respect of my pounce over the river.”

The Pucas traded looks. Then, at some signal Nuliyaa could not determine, all of the Pucas descended on the food and devoured it. Watching the horse-shaped one eat the dried fish was disconcerting.

“We will return in the morning,” the human-looking Puca said when the food and tea was gone. Then they disappeared back among the trees.

“What—?” Cheeyt started, but Chesfi gave one sharp shake of her head. Cheeyt’s lips pressed flat.

Finally, the Malk rolled to her belly. “You may speak. They will no longer hear you.”

“What was that about?” Cheeyt demanded.

“My presence endangers this pounce,” Chesfi said. “I found a way to lessen the potential for that danger.”

“You should have—”

Nuliyaa motioned her sister to silence, then said, “We would have appreciated being informed of your activities. Your safety is our responsibility.”

Chesfi gave one slow blink before stretching back out across the ground. “The Pucas will want to travel early,” she said. “We will need to wake well before dawn.”

“What are these ‘secret ways’ they are going to show us?” Cheeyt asked, her tone only slightly less demanding.

“You will see.” Chesfi closed her eyes. It was clear she wasn’t going to speak any further.