Kaye crept out of the hut for the first time later that day. She felt like someone had beat her with a large stick and she moved slow. Timin sat on the sand watching the waves crash on the shore. She eased next to him and he glanced at her before turning back to the ocean.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I should have told you about Bryant coming here."

He didn't reply, just stared at the water.

"I should have told you I was leaving too, but I didn’t decide to until you both left, and I knew if I said anything you would tell me it was too dangerous."

"It was." His voice held none of his usual warmth. He sounded like Bryant.

"I know." She wrapped her arms around her knees and winced as her muscles complained. "I just want to go home, whatever happens to me. I miss my sister, my tribe. I may not have long if I'm sent to Fie Obsid and I want to spend as much time with Kindra as possible."

There was no way to know if Obsid still wanted her or if he would attack the Seven Tribes and take her anyway. Either way, Kaye knew she didn't have long to live happily in Fie Eoin. Assuming she had any time at all.

"I thought," Timin stopped as his voice gave out. He took a deep breath and tried again. "I thought we could become your family."

"I can't stay here. It's too dangerous." Her wings were uncomfortable and itchy under the heavy cloak, but she couldn’t risk scratching them. Every day she was more afraid that she would be found out by the Gaerloms.

He looked at her and took her hand. "I know. I'd rather you were safe in the Faye lands. I’m sorry I ruined that for you.”

She bit her lips together and looked south to the river that would take her home come spring. Timin didn’t know about Aleda and Her message.

A group of Gaerlom men walked up the shore, spears held at attention like warriors instead of fishermen, and Kaye sat up straighter to get a better look. There was a group of gaunt-looking men and women behind them. It looked like a small tribe’s worth of people.

“Who are they?”

Timin shrugged as if the sight was normal. “Nomads. They wander the coastline south of here looking for food, always moving as they exhaust the supply. They say there’s a famine in the south—they came north to find help.”

“Will they stay?”

“Only for a night, I think. We’ll give them what we can, and they will continue north. We can’t afford to feed another tribe for moons.”

“If they go north they’ll be in Obsidian territory, and they’re not a generous tribe.” Kaye shook her head, wondering if she should tell one of the Nomads.

“They seem to be aware of that. They have someone with them who knows the Obsidians.”

“Good. I would hate to send them north unawares.” Kaye shivered at the memory of Fie Obsid and tucked her cloak tighter around her. Timin was looking at her from the corner of his eyes, but he didn’t say anything as the sun finally dipped beneath the water, turning it a vibrant orange that was quickly swallowed by dark blue.

Loud footsteps crunched across the shell-laden sand as the Nomads were led toward the village. Kaye ignored them as they passed, until one of them stopped and looked down at her.

“Well well, if it isn’t the Fairy Flutter herself. Is this where you’ve been hiding all winter, little priestess?”

Kaye's heart contracted and she looked up in disbelief. “Jorsen?” She scrambled to her feet as she recognized him in the near-dark. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled and it made her skin crawl. “I could ask you the same, Flutter Kaye. Last I knew you were headed for a wedding in Fie Obsid.” He looked Timin over like he was sizing up an opponent, then turned back to Kaye, his grin returning. “Wouldn’t Fie Eoin welcome me back if I brought their priestess with me? I daresay I’d be a hero like Ian Odion. Why don’t we take a little trip together, Fairy Flutter?” He leaned in. “Just the two of us.”

Kaye backed into Timin, who stood and put his hand on her shoulder protectively. “And who might you be?” he asked.

Pike’s cold gaze left Kaye and she was relieved. “Well, I’d guess by now I’m either her brother, or her sister’s murderer. I didn’t stay long enough to find out.”

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“What?" Kaye stepped forward. "What did you do to Kindra?”

“Relax,” he said as his eyes drifted over her, “when I left she was still alive.” He chuckled at Kaye’s clenched hands. “She was so devastated when you left that she tried to follow you. As a warrior it was my duty to stop her. I do wonder if she can use that arm though.”

Kaye shoved him, wanting to hurt him for her sister’s sake although she knew it was futile. His eyes widened in surprise, but he caught himself and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her until she cried out in pain.

“Hey!” Timin took a step forward but stopped as Pike twisted again, making Kaye whimper and bite her lips together to stay silent.

“Now now, Flutter Kaye. Why so violent?” He leaned close, his breath warm on her ear. “You should know better than to attack men bigger and stronger than you. Or maybe you like it rough, is that it?” He released her arm but grabbed her wing instead and Kaye shut her eyes and tried not to cry. If he didn’t rip her wing off someone else in Gaerlom would.

“You know,” he said as he backed away a little, “I find the weather here much milder than in the mountains. Warm even. I wonder how you can be so cold that you need this heavy cloak?”

Kaye whimpered. “Please, Jor. Don’t.”

He tugged on her wing and she yelped and fell into him. “My name is Pike now,” he growled. “Remember it, bitch.”

“I’m sorry, Pike,” she said, the fear palpable in her voice. “Please let me go.”

“What if I don’t?” He tugged again, just a little bit, but she didn’t cry out this time. “Is your boyfriend going to hurt me? A weaponless fisher against a Warrior of Eoin?”

“You’re no warrior of Eoin’s,” Kaye said, her voice quiet but full of venom. “He wouldn’t claim a man like you.”

Pike’s hand turned and a fresh jolt of pain ripped through Kaye’s wing. She couldn’t keep the tears in any longer and they ran down her face and dropped on her chest, darkening the fabric.

“No, priestess. It was me the God chose to mark and name. You and your bitch sister are the ones he chose to forsake.”

He pushed her then, onto her hands and knees on the ground, her cloak falling away to reveal her wings, one already beginning to bleed from the small rip he’d made. Kaye’s heart sank at Timin’s gasp and she knew she had to get out of Gaerlom as quickly as she could. She wrapped the cloak about her, wincing at the pain in her wing, and waited as Pike’s feet crunched away on the sand. Without a word to Timin she ran back to the hut.

“Kaye?” Timin followed and blocked the doorway as she shoved her clothes into the bag. “Kaye stop.”

“He's going to tell them.” She ran her hands through her hair before facing Timin. "They’ll kill me." All of the emotion flooded out of Kaye and she sat heavily on the bed and began to cry. Was this the sign from Aleda? This was not the way she wanted to leave Gaerlom or Timin. This was not how she wanted to start her new life in the Faye-land.

Timin sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, holding her as she cried. “I’m sorry Kaye, I should have stopped him.”

She shook her head. “There was nothing you could do. Pike’s dangerous.” She remembered when he was annoying, always wanting attention, always trying to flirt with her. He’d become more and more angry over the years, and now—now he was dangerous.

“Are you hurt bad?”

“I don’t think so.” It hurt, but not like last time. Already the pain was fading and the blood probably clotting. She untied her cloak and held her wing out, although it hurt to move it. There was a small rip near the base, but nothing Celeste couldn’t fix.

Timin's eyes were huge. He'd seen her wings once before, but only for a moment, and not up close. She shivered as his fingers ran over her wing.

“Please don’t,” she whispered and tucked it against her back.

He looked up, worried. “I'm sorry. Did it hurt?”

“No.” Actually it felt good. Much too good. She thought it might be the same as running your finger over a warrior’s mark, but at least it made the pain fade a bit.

Kaye took a deep breath and looked at the door. She should go. Pike could come back any minute and expose her to the rest of the tribe, and then she’d never make it to the Faye. But she didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye to Abigail, at least.

“How are you going to get home?” Timin interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to him. “I'm not going home. Not yet. This is a sign from Aleda. I’m to live with the Faye.”

Timin's brow creased and he looked at his hands. “But they won't let you.”

A small smile tugged at her lips and she took his hand in hers. “They will. The Mother came to me in the avalanche and said I was to go there. That she would send me a sign. This must be it.”

“Aye.” His thumb ran over the back of her hand. Even at the end of winter his skin was dark with the sun and dry from the salt of the ocean. “I’ll probably never see you again.”

Kaye swallowed a fresh set of tears and answered softly. “I’d be too scared to come back, and they won’t let you come to Aleda.”

He nodded and looked up as his parents came inside and stopped at the sight of them. “What happened?” Abigail asked.

Kaye told them a short version as Abigail bound the cut part of the wing, listening with a frown. “We need to tell the Chief. If this young man is travelling with the Nomads, he needs to be punished.”

“No.” Kaye shook her head and grabbed Abigail’s wrist. “That will only provoke him; he’ll tell everyone about me. I’m going to go to Aleda.”

Abigail sighed, but nodded. “That would be best, I think.” She looked to Gabe, who nodded his agreement. “We’ll pack you some things and send you in the morning.”

“I’ve already got my things. I’m leaving now.”

“No, you’re not,” Timin said. “He won’t come in here tonight, and it will be safer to leave in the morning when we can watch for people between the trees.”

“But…”

“He’s right,” Gabe said. “He could follow you tonight without your knowing it. You can’t let him know where the Faye are. Timin can take you in the morning, and scout the area to make sure you weren’t followed. It’s much safer that way, for everyone.”

Kaye sighed and bit her lips together. She was scared to stay overnight, but they were right—it was better for the Faye if she waited until morning. “First light then?”

They nodded and everyone settled for a restless night.