“What’s happening?” I whisper.
She turns around. “There was a note pinned to the kitchen table this morning. It said,I want back what’s mine. Signed,The Chancellor.”
Her eyes widen in mock surprise.
Shit.
I swallow hard and look around for Kai. He is discussing something with Bo as everyone around continues talking loudly and all at once.
Maddy, who is next to Katura, turns to me. “That’s not all,” she says, a grim look on her face. “They killed all the chickens.”
“Oh,” I mouth.
“Yeah. Oh,” Katura echoes mockingly. “We have to go.”
“Where?” I ask, and my heart starts pounding.
“To the other side!” she snaps. “Before this village is burned down.”
My heart sinks. “No,” I protest.
“Oh, yeah?” Katura smirks. “I assume you spent a night with your boy toy, and now you wanna stay.”
“Whatever.”
“So did Dani, I guess.”
I turn to meet her gaze.
“Yeah.” Katura rolls her eyes.
I shake my head and, despite the thoughts of a different kind that preoccupied me only minutes ago, I push through the crowd to make my way to Kai and Bo.
“Do we need to leave?” I ask straight off the bat, my heart pounding at the words.
Bo shakes his head and looks away.
Please, say no.
But he doesn’t say anything.
“Listen,” Kai says to Bo, “there should be a way. We can send a message.” He rakes his inked fingers through his hair but doesn’t look at me, so I have a moment to study him.
Shirtless. Barefoot. Shorts hanging low on his hips. Gorgeous. And concerned.
I hope that’s what I see.
I should be concerned about other things and not Kai’s body.
“What message?” Bo asks, staring him down.
“I don’t know, Bo. We can ask what he wants instead.”
He.
Archer Crone.
“Oh, yeah? And how do we do that?”