The Fire Sisters (Brilliant Darkness 3) by A. G. Henley Read Free Book Online

should be there before nightfall, if not sooner. The anuna have been that far, but not much farther, in their hunts. They don’t need to roam. Animals, like boar and even the rare predator, often come to them, thanks to the pure Myuna.
    “Are you positive you’re okay?” Peree whispers—again. I’ve said repeatedly that I’m not injured, but he doesn't seem to believe me.
    “Other than worrying about the children and wondering if we’re going to catch up with them, you mean?” Every time I think of Kora and the others, it’s like being jabbed with a spear.
    “Not only that. You seem really tense since you fell.”
    I can’t pretend I don’t know what he means. My hand tightens in his. “I hate feeling so… so uncoordinated and helpless .”
    I even hate that word.
    “You aren’t helpless, Fenn. Far from it. That scent you picked up could really help us out. You’re doing great.”
    I half-smile toward him. “Thanks, but the scrapes, bruises, and the echoing sound of laughter sort of convinces me otherwise.”
    “About that… Why did you laugh at yourself? It was a bad fall, and you could have been really hurt. Why did you encourage them?”
    A lump forces its way into my throat. “I guess I wanted to be the first one to laugh instead of the last, you know?”
    He kisses my temple. “Don’t. Stand up to Moray and Kai when they’re being jerks.”
    “Sometimes, I don’t have the energy.”
    But I know he’s right. It took me years to learn to navigate the forest with confidence at home . I was usually covered in cuts and bruises from all my trips and spills. Other children made fun of me, and I worked hard to forget how that felt. Kai and the others are bringing it all back now.
    “What can I do to help? Rough ‘em up?” Peree asks.
    I consider. “Hmm… hunt around for some crampberries, and I’ll put them in their tea tonight.”
    He groans. The god-awful smell of the berries we used to help find our way through the caves is impossible to forget. Accidentally eat one, and you’ll learn the hard way how they got their name.
    “Good plan.” He touches the back of my hand to his stubbly cheek.
    “What is it?” I ask as we pause at the top of  yet another hill.
    “I can see the Restless.”
    I listen hard and taste the breeze blowing into my face. A faint scent of water stands out.
    “It’s only a sliver,” Peree says, “but it’s there. C’mon.”
    He’s quiet as we descend the hill, clearly focused on what's ahead. The rest of the group must see it, too; murmurs of river and water run between them. After a few smaller dips and climbs on the trail, everyone stops again.
    Peree leans close. “We’ve got a good view now. It’s a lot bigger than the Myuna, and even wider than our water hole at home, although I can still see the other side. The water’s muddy, definitely not as clear as the Myuna. And it runs fast.”
    I hear it—a constant rushing sound, like a storm blowing in through the forest, frenzying the leaves. My nostrils flare, catching intriguing new smells now. There’s the mildew I’d expect around any body of water, but also florals, bitter greens, rotting wood, and an unpleasant gassy stench. My nose wrinkles.
    He goes on. “It curves, like… like… a shed snake skin or something. Have you felt a shed before?”
    “I hada little brother, remember?”
    A painful jolt runs through me. Eland brought Aloe and me his finds in the forest all the time: perfectly round birds’ nests lined with a soft, feathery fuzz; live frogs, smooth and still wet from the water hole, their bodies expanding and contracting with each anxious breath; the fragile perfection of an egg; the undigested fur and feathers of owl droppings; fresh greenheart seed pods of all sizes. And snake sheds. He was fascinated by it all.
    I blink back a few tears as we start forward again. “How much of the river can you see?”
    “A good amount. The forest lines both sides, though, so when the