29
THE RUMBLE FROM the first kingdom reached the animals’ encampment. There were cheers coming from the bird-men and the bull-men outside.
“What’s happening?” Ladi asked and sat up.
The beastie in the cage next to her squeaked out an answer.
“The battle is won.”
Ladi shook her head. “That’s impossible. There’s no way they took the first kingdom.”
She tilted her head and tried to listen but couldn’t distinguish their words. Then she heard it.
“Adalu has fallen!”
Ladi didn’t want to believe it. If the palace was destroyed, then they’d lost. Rasha would never let that happen. Where were Jak and Ebere? Had they returned from Wilds yet? Was anyone in the palace when it was destroyed? Ladi kicked at the door several times before she moved to the corner of her cage and buried her head in
