Ember by Mindy Hayes Page A

could have it her way they would be bonded tomorrow. But I didn’t actually think she would be disrespectful to you.”
    They were technically both born Sowers, though Kai was an honorary Keeper now. So did that mean he was required to bond with a Sower or a Keeper? I think I may have just complicated things. I faced her. “I can handle myself.”
    She chuckled. “I can see that. Now I really see what Kai sees in you.”
    “Kai what?”
    “He doesn’t have to say much. I can see that he respects you.”
    I laughed without humor. “He has a funny way of showing respect.”
    “Kai has a funny way of showing any emotion.”
    We shared in our amusement, and I could see that this was going to be the beginning of a solid friendship. She was going to help make this transition a lot easier, and I was going to need all the help I could get.
    “Thank you, Allura.”
    Her laughter died down. “For what?”
    “For not making me feel like an outsider, or worse … some gift from the fates.”
    She began chuckling again. “My friend, you are neither.”
    I chortled. “Thanks.” I lifted my eyes back to the forest and caught sight of my Keepers a few trees away. Kai leaned his shoulder against one side of the trunk with a scowl on his face while Declan stood straight, his arms crossed in front of his chest with a calm expression.
    Though I knew they weren’t going to stay far, it had escaped my mind that they were even close by. I hadn’t thought to filter my words. “Do you think he heard us?” I whispered to Allura.
    “Probably, but I wouldn’t worry too much about what Kai thinks.”
    “I never do,” I lied.
    “Then we will get along even better than I thought.” She winked.
    We leapt over to them. My intention was to steer my eyes away from Kai, but they betrayed me. His scowl had softened, but I couldn’t decipher his expression now.
    “Allura must be giving you a tour,” Declan observed.
    “She was thoughtful enough to, yeah.”
    Kai snorted, and his lips twitched in a smirk. “Yes, the oh so thoughtful Allura. Always thinking of others.”
    “Shut up, Kai.” Allura darted her fist out to punch him in the shoulder, but he grabbed her hand before it struck. He pinned her arm behind her back and reached to pin her other arm, but she spun out of his grip and landed agilely on his back. Her fingers latched into his hair and rubbed back and forth, ruffling up his already disheveled look.
    Declan sighed and turned his back on them. “Is there anywhere in particular you’d like to go next, Calliope?” he asked over Kai and Allura’s scuffle.
    I knew exactly where I wanted to go. “Can we go to the Waking Oak?”
    “Of course.” Declan smiled and hollered over his shoulder. “If you two are done we’re heading to the Oak.”
    Kai laughed and threw Allura from his back. She twirled in the air, gracefully landing on her feet on the limb. “I want to go!”
    Declan took the lead, and Kai held up the rear, soaring beyond the heart of Faylinn. Allura traveled close behind Declan while I got stuck in front of Kai. Knowing he was behind me, watching my every leap and bound made me nervous. I did my best to look graceful and relaxed like I knew exactly what I was doing, as if I had been doing this my whole life. It had never felt unnatural before, but it might have looked that way to other fae who had been traveling this way their entire lives.
    We hadn’t traveled far, maybe a mile, when we reached a large grassy knoll. Declan and Allura steadily wandered up the hill in front of me. Kai stopped at my side and nodded, gesturing with his hand to follow them. Once we reached the top, I peered down and the Waking Oak was nestled serenely in a valley. Though the valley was small, the Oak nearly expanded across the entire basin.
    The four of us slowly walked down the hill into the gorge. Leaves so rich and lush gleamed under the bright sun. The branches stretched so far I couldn’t believe they didn’t drag