They didn't stop running until Dain's lungs burned and his legs threatened to give out.

  Prattle led them through alleys Dain didn't know existed, down passages so narrow his shoulders scraped brick, through a building with no roof and out the other side. Finally, he ducked into an abandoned warehouse near the docks.

  The moment they were inside, Dain's fist hit the wall.

  Once.

  Twice.

  A third time that split his knuckles open. Blood smeared on the brick but he didn't care. Didn't stop until Kith's teeth closed gently on his wrist.

  "Enough," she said quietly.

  Dain slid down the wall, pressed his forehead against his bleeding knuckles. A tear tracked down his cheek before he could stop it.

  "She stayed," Cocky said. His voice was barely a whisper. The cockatrice stood in the middle of the empty warehouse floor, looking small despite his size. "She stayed and fought and—" His voice cracked completely. "This is my fault. All of it. My choices. My kingdom. And now Seren—"

  "Just shut up, Cocky." Dain's voice came out raw. Broken. "Just—shut it."

  Cocky flinched like he'd been struck.

  "She made a choice, yeah?" Dain continued, staring at his hands. Hands that should have fought. Should have helped. Should have done something other than run. "She's a warrior—she knew what she was doing, she knew—" His voice cracked. "We ran. Like she told us to. Like bloody cowards."

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  "You're not a coward," Kith said firmly. She moved to sit beside Cocky, who was shaking now, head down, feathers puffed with distress. "None of us are. She was buying us time. That only works if we use it."

  "By doing what?" Pip's voice was small. She sat against the far wall, knees pulled to her chest, tear-streaked face. "We just keep hiding and running and—" Her voice broke. "Seren's gone. We can't get to Benjamin. And Mum—" She couldn't finish, just pressed her face against her knees.

  Silence filled the warehouse.

  Prattle landed on Dain's shoulder, unusually quiet. The jackdaw pressed close to Dain's neck, offering what comfort a bird could give.

  "We survive," Kith said finally. Her voice was firm but Dain could hear the exhaustion underneath. "We survive. That's step one. Seren didn't get captured so we could sit here crying about it. We survive, we plan, and then—we get her back."

  "How?" Cocky's voice was tiny. Defeated. "Theron was waiting for us. He KNEW. Seren's in his hands now. Benjamin's been trapped for weeks. We can't even feed ourselves. How do we fight someone who's always three steps ahead?"

  More silence.

  Dain stared at the wall. Seeing Seren's face as she'd shouted at them to run. Seeing her surrounded. Netted. Dragged away.

  And he'd run.

  Just like she told him to.

  Just like a coward.

  "We need help," he said finally. Voice hollow. "Real help. The kind we don't have."

  "Merren," Cocky whispered. "Merren said he was going to get help. But—"

  "He's been gone for over two weeks already," Kith finished. Her ears were flat against her head. "And we don't know if he even made it to Vyrden or Caladwyth. Don't know if those kingdoms will send help. Don't know when—or if—he's coming back."

  "Could be months." Pip said quietly.

  In the silence that followed, they all understood the same terrible truth.

  They were out of time.

  Out of plans.

  Out of hope.

  And somewhere in the palace, their protector, their warrior, was held in Theron’s talons.

  Alone.

  The warehouse was cold. The floor was hard. They had nothing.

  They huddled together for warmth

  At least they were alive.

  For now.