“Tela should have been back by now,” I reply, feeling increasingly confused by everything that’s going on.
“Sash told us that you and Tela went to the flats,” Larn says. “When you didn’t return, we searched the Barrens in that area but couldn’t find you. The other Travelers and Sash have gone out with me to look for you every morrow since you’ve been missing.”
Sash lets go of my arm. I scuff a foot over the grass and then raise my eyes to Larn.
“After we got our count at the flats,” I say, “we were heading back to the Delta. Tela saw something strange, so we stopped. A tree had its branches tied by rope and spikes were stuck in the trunk with tubes leading to a transport. While we were looking at it, a bunch of Murkovin attacked us.
“We got away,” I continue, “but Tela went over the side of a cliff. She was too badly injured to make it back to the Delta. I didn’t even think she’d live. I found a hidden cavern and stole the transport from the Murkovin. I was able to heal her, but we survived on wild sap.”
“Where is she now?” Larn asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer, immediately deciding to lie about what happened. “We got separated on the way back. A few Murkovin were chasing us, so we split up. They didn’t go after her, but stayed on me. I thought she’d be back by now.”
I glance at Sash. From the accusing look in her eyes, I’m sure she knows I’m lying.
“What was your path?” Larn asks.
“The cave we were in is about ten thousand miles north of the flats. I aimed straight for the Delta. Tela talked about going far north of the Delta and coming back down the river to avoid them, so maybe it’s taking her longer. We have to go find her.”
“You look terrible, Chase,” Sash says to me. “You need to get the wild sap out of your body before you do anything else.”
“We have to find Tela!” I argue.
“You’re in no shape to go back to the Barrens,” Larn counters. “I’ll summon the other Travelers so we can search for her.”
“Let’s get you to our habitat,” Sash says to me.
“I want to see Aven first.”
“She’s at Home,” Sash replies. “I don’t want her to see you this way.”
“That’s not for you to decide!” I blurt out.
Sash kneels to the ground and lays her hand on the grass. “Kyra, please have Aven sleep at Home. I’ll pick her up on the morrow.”
“I want to see my daughter!” I shout.
Glaring at me, Sash stands up. “You need healthy sap and rest before you do anything else.”
“She’s right, Chase,” Larn says. “If you could see what you look like and realize how you’re behaving, you wouldn’t want Aven anywhere near you.”
I glance back and forth between Sash and Larn. Daughter and father are obviously conspiring against me so that I never see Aven again. As my heart races faster and faster, the veins in my neck bulge from my skin. I aim my eyes at Sash.
“You always have to be in control, don’t you? Little miss fucking know-it-all.”
“Please stop, Chase,” she pleads. “You don’t know what you’re saying right now.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying!” I yell, taking a step towards her. “Everything always has to be your way. It’s my turn now. I want to see Aven!”
Larn slides between us and looks down at my face. “You should hold your tongue before you say something you can’t take back.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I snarl, shoving him away from me.
When I turn towards Sash, Larn pummels his fist against the side of my head so hard that I collapse to my knees. With darkness filling my eyes, I fall face-first to the grass. For the second time in one morrow, someone knocks me out cold.
Chapter 22
Shaking like a junkie in need of a fix, I open my eyes. The ceiling of our habitat gradually comes into focus. I’m lying on my back on our bed with my arms pinned underneath me. I try to jump to my feet, but rope cuts into my wrists and ankles. I tumble to the floor.
While I struggle against the restraints, Sash walks across the cavern with a cup in one hand and a pitcher in the other. After setting them down on the floor, she grabs me by the front of my shirt and heaves me back onto the bed. Kneeling in front of me, she pulls me up to a sitting position and then picks up the cup.
“Drink,” she orders, holding the cup to my lips.
After all the energy I spent outrunning the Murkovin, not to mention being cold-cocked twice in one morrow, my craving for sap verges on the maniacal. I don’t want to give in to Sash right now, but my lips clamp to the steel like a leech on warm flesh. Sash tilts the cup up and I swallow everything inside.
“I want to see Aven!” I spew as she pulls the cup away from my lips.
Instead of answering me, Sash refills the cup and pushes it against my mouth again. I drain the second cup and then jerk my face away. The pace of my breathing increases until I’m almost hyperventilating.
“I want to see my daughter!” I demand.
“Two more cups,” she says. “Then you can see Aven.”
Somewhat calmed by Sash’s acquiescence, I guzzle two more cups. When I finish the second one, Sash stands up and returns to the table. With her back to me, she sets down the pitcher and cup.
“You said I could see Aven,” I say.
She turns to me. “After you sleep.”
“You lied to me!” I growl.
I try to rip my hands out of the rope. The more it digs into my skin, the more outraged I become.
“I want to see my daughter right now!” I shriek.
“Go to sleep,” Sash says. “You’ll feel better
