THE JOURNEY TURNED back to the woods; back to the same trail that had taken them to what they had believed was Nahtaia’s best chance at redemption and Kale’s best chance of restoration. Dread hovered over the heads of the three. No one spoke for a while and Nahtaia had withdrawn into her own thoughts.
What would Moriel say? Would he really go so far as to execute her for all the trouble she caused? He’d threatened it in the past and this problem was by far the worst in her lifetime. She was a troublemaker, a hindrance to the city and its people. She couldn’t expect to be accepted any longer.
Oren noticed her withdrawal and slowed to walk in step beside her. She let out a subtle gasp at his touch on the small of her back and looked up to meet concerned eyes.
“What is it?” she asked innoc
