Chavis rubbed her forehead. “It’s not fair. She’s just a child.”
Prenny rested her hand on the Head of Water’s shoulder. “We’re not going to let her die.”
Die? Senna held her hand to her mouth to keep from gasping and alerting the Heads to her presence.
Prenny seemed to shake herself. She reached for her cloak. “I have a potion to tend to.”
The four women rose to their feet.
Senna backed away from the door, her mind numb with shock. Knowing they would come out at any moment, she pivoted and ran down the smooth steps two at a time.
“Brusenna?” Mistin called as she shot past the secretary’s desk. “What’s wrong?”
Senna didn’t pause. Didn’t even turn around. She just threw open the door and sprinted across the now-deserted Ring of Power.
5. Traveling
Lightning flashed, dressing the island in white. Stinging rain pounded against Senna’s face. She crossed the Ring of Power and shot inside the trees again.
Spared? Dying? By the Creators, what had the Heads meant? What was happening to her?
Senna wanted to run straight out of Haven and hide. She darted off the path, into the dense foliage. Gasping, she collapsed against a tree. With her forehead pressed up against its moist bark, she tried to slow her galloping heart. Her injured hand pounded in rhythm to the blood pumping through her.
Suddenly she stiffened and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. Someone was watching her. She stole a look around, but saw nothing besides shadows skulking from the light.
Was it one of the attackers from the other night? She shouldn’t have wandered off alone again. All the trees around the Ring of Power were inhabited. But in her desperation to get away, she’d left the inhabited quarter. She was alone now, in the dark forest.
She saw no movement, no hint of anything. She cursed herself for leaving her seed belt in her tree house, but she hadn’t wanted to risk getting the seeds wet. Unable to bear it anymore, Senna backed deeper into the foliage. The plants in front of her suddenly shivered. She opened her mouth, a scream on her lips.
“Senna?”
She let out all her breath in a rush. “Joshen?”
He was breathing hard, as if he’d run to catch up to her. “What happened? Why did Drenelle haul you into the Council Tree?”
“How did you know about that?”
He shifted his feet uncomfortably. “Reden and I both disagree with the Heads. Merely guarding the entrance to the island isn’t enough. You’ll be watched by one of us at all times.”
She gaped at him, partially horrified by the lack of privacy, partly relieved she wasn’t alone.
Before she decided which emotion was stronger, Joshen wet his lips and stepped closer. “Was that earth tremor—was that really you?”
Hugging herself, Senna nodded. “I heard music.”
He pulled her deeper into the buttressed roots of the tree and put his hands on both sides of her to shield her from the rain. “You think this has to do with Espen giving you her song?”
The cold had settled so deep in Senna’s bones she wasn’t sure she’d ever be warm again. She tugged up Josh’s shirt and pressed her cold hands against the hard muscles of his stomach. She heard his sharp intake of breath, but he didn’t push away. She snuggled her cold nose against the crook of his neck.
When she didn’t answer, he tipped her face up. “Senna?”
She met his gaze as the rain splashed off his hood onto her face. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She told him everything—well, almost. She glossed over the part where she’d overheard the Heads saying she would die. Joshen was unbearable when he was worried. “All my life I’ve been surrounded by secrets, forced to hide while the world falls apart around me.”
When he didn’t respond, she pulled back. Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating his face. His brow was drawn. “What secrets?”
She wiped away a rivulet of rainwater dripping from her nose. “All I know is the Heads are hiding something from me. I plan to unearth those secrets, and then I’m going to save Tarten.”
Joshen closed his eyes as if he were in pain. “How?”
The enormity of the task nearly crushed her. “I don’t know yet.”
He was silent for a time. “It’s late. I need to get you home. Come on, I’ll see you there safely.”
He walked with her toward the inhabited quarter.
From off to the side, Senna saw a flash of movement between the trees. “Joshen, did you see that?”
He glanced up sharply and stepped in front of her. “What?”
She studied the shadows. Joshen couldn’t have been the one watching her earlier, because he’d been chasing after her. “Just before you came, I thought someone was watching me.”