Dindi
Dindi had learned how to sneak and spy.
If the Tavaedies practiced inside the kiva, she hid in the storeroom. She reached it by crawling through the air shaft. If they trained outside, in the sequoia forest, things got harder. First, she had to avoid Jensi and the other Initiate girls. Luckily, all non-Tavaedi girls had to fetch water every day. That was her best chance.
But the hardest part was following the Tavaedies without getting caught. She moved like a hunter chasing nervous prey. She even painted her face with stripes and spots to match the colors of the forest.
At first, her heart pounded every time. Her hands got sweaty. She was sure she would be caught and stoned as a hexer. But every day she stayed safe, she relaxed a little more. Bit by bit, she let her guard drop.
Then came the day she made a mistake.
It started with her leaving too early. Jensi asked where she was going. Dindi had to lie and calm her suspicions, which took time. By the time she got away, the Tavaedies had already begun practice, and Dindi had to hurry to find them.
Then the fae started acting strange.
They never bothered her in the kiva, but the forest was different. Usually, she could shoo them away. Some days, they convinced her to skip spying and dance with them instead. But not today.
Today, they were afraid.
A swarm of willawisps flew past her like a hive of angry bees. Dindi raised her hands, afraid they would attack. But they didn't stop. They zoomed by in panic.
Next came pixies, flying fast or riding birds. Their tiny faces were full of fear. After them came sprites and even dryads, running away.
She had only seen the lesser fae act like this once before—when fleeing a forest fire.
But there was no smoke. No flames. Nothing burning.
She felt uneasy, but kept going, still trying to catch up to the Tavaedies.
Then it hit her.
Cold.
Not normal cold. Not winter chill. In Yellow Bear, winters were mild. The cold she felt now was something else. Something deeper. It stung her skin like snow on bare feet. The air itself hurt. Her throat burned. Breathing felt like swallowing sharp splinters.
Her fear became too much to ignore. Dread smothered her. She stopped walking. She didn't know what she feared—only that something was terribly wrong.
That's when she saw him.
A man in black. A mask of skulls covered his face. His clothes were smeared black. He stood with arms crossed, staring at her.
Deathsworn.
Did they know what she had done? Did they know she had broken a taboo? Had they come to claim her?
The forest was silent. The fae had fled. All she could hear was her own heartbeat.
If he came for her, she knew she couldn't run. She couldn't fight.
The Deathsworn tilted his head, just slightly. He knew she had seen him.
Then he turned and walked away, disappearing into the trees.
Dindi's knees gave out. She fell into the pine needles. Her whole body still trembled with fear.
Why am I doing this? she thought. Why can't I just be normal? Obey the rules?
What would she do when they came for her?
Footsteps rustled behind her, through the bushes and past a big rotted tree stump.
Lady Mercy. Was he coming back?
But the cold wasn't as strong now. The frozen feeling had lifted. She could move again.
Dindi jumped to her feet and turned to face whoever was there.
"I know you saw me," she said quietly.
A handsome man stepped out from behind the bush. He wore only legwals, his chest bare. She knew him at once—Zumo, Kavio's cousin. She remembered him from the banquet.
His pale, bone-gray eyes gave her chills. He looked like Kavio—same height, same strength, same rugged features—but something was missing. His face was like a rough copy of Kavio's. Cruder. Meaner.
He looked both angry and confused.
"Who are you?" he asked. "Why are you out here alone?"
Dindi hesitated. Should she lie? Had he seen her following the Tavaedies?
"Ah. I know now." Zumo's voice turned sharp, his gaze insulting. "You're the pretty little servant girl Kavio took to his hut that night."
"I didn't spend the night," Dindi said. She crossed her arms.
He stepped closer. She backed up, but he grabbed her arm.
"You saw something that night, didn't you?" he said. "Something about me."
"Let me go."
"Tell me what you saw."
"Please—"
"It's only fair," he said. "Since you stole my Vision."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can prove it."
He kept one hand gripping her arm. With the other, he lifted his fingers toward her face.
She flinched, afraid he would strike her.
But instead, his fingers brushed her cheek in a soft touch.
And then the world around her shimmered.
The otherlight of a Vision flared.