“You expect me to follow her into the forests?” Arden asked, waving an exasperated hand in my face.

“We don’t have much choice, Arden. It is either her or we convince Dankworth and I’d much rather traverse The Four with Crux than a whining man-child.” Arden’s face crumbles into something like compliance as Feya steps forth and for the first time I see her be something more than unruly and unjust, I see her seem almost human.

“Feya,” Arden’s voice is woven with question, “Are you truly willing to risk it? For an untaught Phthalo? For her?”

Feya is silent as she looks between Arden and me. I fight the sneer curling my lip at the contempt they project, mellowing and masking for something more pleasant, more convincing. Feya finally speaks, voice as gravely as always, “Yes.”

Arden stares, unblinking. Her eyes flash that inhuman colour, luminescent yellow flecked with a rich gold and Feya’s glow right back, a deep monstrous blue, bright and unforgiving. Arden spits, “Fine.”