The wind blew strong and fast, and the light gray clouds above hid the sun away from prying eyes. The coolness of the day was refreshing, and quite welcome, but I could hardly hear anything over the wind's roaring song.

"You don't see anything?" said Belletra, struggling to keep up with me. Her voice was just audible over the wind whipping through my hair.

I shook my head and slowed my rapid flight. My wings beat against the wind as I surveyed the green fields below.

"I'm too high."

"You can't go any closer to the ground if they're there. They'll hurt you."

"Well, I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Do you see Philip at all?"

After swooping down to land in a nearby tree, I scanned the ground once more. No luck. He wasn't anywhere near me.

I closed my eyes and concentrated until I found a spike of energy that I identified as him.

"They're over there," I said, lifting my chin to his direction, just west of us. "Are you ready to head back now?"

Belletra landed on the branch just a little ways above my head and stared at the wood. Her beak fell open, and she shook her wings out. "I guess that's the only thing we can do."

I extended my arm out to her, and she landed on my hand. I brought her close to my face and kissed her head before setting her down in the insides of my jacket. "Hold on, okay?"

"Will do." It's strange how much I missed the sarcastic remark she usually would have had in response. But I suppose the threat that was posed by word that the king was near and looking for us was enough to get to even Belletra.

I used the branch to launch back into the sky and flew back over the deep emerald green fields covered in clovers and grass. It was rather a pretty sight, and it was too bad I couldn't take the time to enjoy it. Maybe, when this is over and if I'm still alive, Alexander and I could take a walk here.

If.

I forced the thought away as I continued to fly, watching the ground the entire time.

Thirty minutes flew by before I hit the ground again.

Lafayette, who was sitting on a large stone, started at my sudden appearance, but he relaxed when he realized that it was me. "Well?"

Philip was leaning against a tree next to Lafayette, and he looked up as well, though he was quiet.

"I didn't see anything, but that doesn't really mean that nothing's out there." I looked over my shoulder. "I think we should go back now."

Lafayette shook his head. "We can't. Not yet. Not until we figure this out." He was rolling a pebble between his fingers, staring down at it as if it would contain all the answers he needed.

I don't know what made me do it. Perhaps it was the daunting thought that my days were limited. I reached out and gently placed my hand on his arm.

"You need to calm down." The remark was softer than it usually would have been.

"I am calm," he said after a moment, surprised by my gesture.

"You are not calm," Philip finally said. He straightened himself and crossed his arms. "What are we going to do?"

"The best thing we can do is go back to Washington and tell him we didn't see anything."

"Do you think we can just do that?"

"We didn't see anything. The others are looking as well. Washington would want us to head back now, wouldn't he?"

"Wait!" chirped Belletra. "Do you hear that?"

"What is it?"

"Listen!"

I did as she instructed. Not too far away, I heard the quiet whispers of a stream accompanied by birdsong. But if I strained past that, I could pick up on something else.

"Shit," I said underneath my breath. "Shit shit." I turned back to them. "You have to go, now."

"What is it?" said Philip.

"I heard something."

"What did you hear?" Lafayette pressed, his fingers curling up around the stone in the palm of his hand.

"We have to get back to the castle as soon as possible. I'll let you know when we're there. Go ahead, I'll meet you guys later."

Without waiting for a response, I flared my wings and shot up into the sky, bursting past branches and leaves. Panic flared in my chest, but I paid it no mind.

"Thomas!" Belletra protested. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Buying time."

"You're an idiot!"

"Maybe so."

I climbed higher and higher into the sky and landed on a cloud, searching the ground below.

"What do you think he wants?" Belletra said quietly, leaving the safety of inside my coat and landing on my shoulder.

"I don't know, and that worries me."

It was him. I don't know how I heard him from so far off, but his voice was as clear as day. He was talking to me, asking for me to come to him. I could hear and understand every word, every syllable when I shouldn't have been able to.

"It's going to be okay," said Belletra quietly, sensing my worry.

"He's talking to me. What am I supposed to do?" Frustration bubbled up in the back of my throat, and it was beginning to burn. "I can't do anything, can I?"

"Thomas, calm down, okay?"

The worst part of it was how attracting his voice was at first. How the need to go to him had almost taken over. It was such a wild and primal feeling, as horrid as the urges to hunt and to kill. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I could hardly resist it.

"Should I go?" I asked. It sounded like such a horrible idea pouring out of my mouth, but what other choice did I have? Maybe it would be better for us all.

"Absolutely not."

"What am I supposed to do?"

I just need somebody to tell me what I should do. I can't do this by myself. This isn't fair. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do?

"Just stay here. He'll stop eventually."

"And if he doesn't?"

Belletra hopped closer to me and buried her small head in the crook of my neck. I scooped her up into my hands and cradled her close to me, humming lightly to myself to block out his whispering, which was only growing in volume. I closed my eyes and listened to her fluttering heartbeat.

"It's gonna be okay, okay?"

"Okay." My words came out barely above a whisper. "Belletra?" I said hesitantly. "Do you think I should go back?"

"Back to where? Avionerra?"

"No. Back to the castle. Back to my friends. Do you think it's worth it?"

Belletra didn't respond right away. "What are you going to do instead? Where would you go?"

"I... I don't know. What if I can't go back to them? What if I only hurt them? Is it worth it?"

"I think, in my honest opinion, that's a horrible idea. They're your friends. They'll understand. And even if you never tell them, do you really think you could just leave Alexander like that?"

"You're right."

We stayed there, up in the clouds, until the sun disappeared behind the hills, and the silent stars were taking their place in the sky.

"They're worried about me."

"Yeah." She paused, thinking it over. "You never really learn your lesson, do you? Alexander's going to be pissed at you."

"Probably."

The whispering hadn't gone away—in fact, it had really only worsened—but I was starting to tune it out as a song stuck itself in my throat. I started humming it at first, but it rose to my mouth and escaped though my voice.

"That's sweet," Belletra commented after a while. "What is it?"

"Just something I'm working on."

"Is it for someone?"

"Just myself."

It was a lie that held some truth to it. I had written it for Alexander, but I knew the song would never reach his ears.

~•~

Sorry for such a short chapter, but I wanted to get something out today. I'll be going on vacation and I don't know how much I'll be able to write. I may get a lot done, or not. Who knows?

I sure don't.