In a matter of minutes, we left the camp behind. The faint crackle of the fire and muffled conversations faded into the distance. I kept a safe distance behind the group, my bare feet pressing softly into the dirt.
Oddly, I missed Raze in that moment. Tough as he might be on me, he didn't treat me like an outcast. Cassidy hadn't joined us, much to my relief. Her sharp voice still echoed in my head from earlier that morning, barking orders at me. As far as I could tell, she didn't trust me any more than the others did—maybe even less.
The absence of Yani was no surprise either. She'd made her disdain for me painfully clear with every glare and scoff since I arrived. I knew I would have to watch my back with that one.
However, Kaid had joined the group too. His beetle-like eyes were still unsettling, but at least all I saw in his eyes when I looked at him was curiousity. That was better than what I got from the others.
I kept my distance from the group, trailing behind at a safe pace. They hadn't exactly invited me to join their conversation. I could tell from the quick glances over their shoulders and the way their whispers dropped to murmurs whenever I came too close.
I trailed behind silently, but my hearing was anything but idle. Years of training with Jesse had sharpened my senses to a fine edge, and their whispers were like shouts in the quiet of the forest.
I smiled to myself as we kept walking. They didn't know this, of course. They thought they'd moved far enough ahead to keep their secrets from me. They might be rogue wolves, might have spent all their lives in the forest, but they weren't very smart.
"She shouldn't be here," one of the twins grunted, sharp and low. "She's dead weight. She's a liability."
"She's wearing the Conclave's scent," the other twin agreed. "It clings to her like a second skin. If they come looking, we're all dead."
The twins' identical red hair made them impossible to tell apart, but their voices carried distinct differences—this one sounded calmer, more calculating.
"She's already trouble," came a female's voice. This one's tone was clipped, almost annoyed. "You think the Conclave's going to let her slip through their fingers? If they come looking, we're all screwed."
"I don't trust her," Red One snapped. "Raze should've left her where he found her."
"Raze sees something in her," a new voice countered. I glanced up, recognizing the speaker as Kaid. "And last I checked, he's the one in charge, not you lots."
The sharp tension in their voices didn't escape me. Even among themselves, they weren't completely united. I bit back a grim smile. Maybe that was something I could use to my advantage.
"She's from the Conclave," Red Two said, his voice more skeptical than outright hostile. "That doesn't just go away because she says so."
"I didn't ask to be part of this," I muttered under my breath.
The group suddenly paused, and I froze mid-step. Had they heard me? My heart thundered as Red One turned slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Keep up," he barked at me. "Stop lazing around."
I nodded, lowering my gaze and pretending to adjust my footing. Their distrust was very obvious, and while some seemed open to Raze's decision, others were clearly waiting for an excuse to turn on me.
"Raze is wrong this time," Red One hissed, lowering his voice again as they resumed walking. "She's a risk that we can't afford."
"Raze isn't wrong," Kaid said firmly. "She's not here to betray us. She ran from them—look at her! Does she look like she's still under the Conclave's thumb?"
"That doesn't mean we can trust her," Red One shot back.
"She's weak," the calmer twin murmured. "Even if she wanted to, she couldn't survive on her own out here. Remember when we saw her in that cave? The Conclave wouldn't send someone like her—they'd send an army."
Their words stung more than I cared to admit, but I forced myself to stay silent. They were right about one thing: I couldn't survive alone. Not yet, anyway.
As they moved further ahead, their voices grew quieter. They clearly didn't want me hearing too much, but they underestimated my abilities. I focused, catching fragments of their conversation.
"… not just her father's reputation," one said. "If she's lying—"
"… better off without her…"
"… bring the Conclave down on us…"
I balled my fists, my nails digging into my palms. So many angry words I wished to spit at them, but I kept my peace.
Suddenly, a sharp rustling sound cut through the air. The group stopped abruptly and crouched low.
"Get down!" one of the twins hissed, yanking me down by my arm. I barely managed to catch myself as my knees scraped against the rough ground.
Kaid raised a hand, signaling for silence. His orb-like eyes darted to one of the others, who nodded and moved forward slowly, her steps careful and deliberate. One of the twins shifted closer to Kaid, and I watched his fingers tightening around the hilt of the knife he carried.
I swallowed hard, glancing around warily. Was it a scout from the Conclave? Had they trailed me here? Or was it a predator? Something worse? The forest seemed to hold its breath with us.
Then, suddenly, the bushes parted, and a massive deer burst into the clearing.