“What else can we do, Mango?” Jace asked.

“You can run to the northeast,” the cockatiel said. “That leads away from civilization and into some wild, dangerous territory. Plenty of places to get lost that way. Based on the current search pattern, they assume you’re fleeing there.”

Bertram cleared his throat noisily. “If they still want to reach Middlebranch and don’t mind a risk, Brady’s Wilderness would be an option.”

“I’ve heard of that place,” Jace said. “Isn’t it trouble?”

“It’s in the right direction,” Mango said. “Mostly east, a little south. They won’t expect you to risk going that way and won’t be eager to chance it themselves. It has quite a reputation.”

“I’ve heard of it too,” Twitch said. “Seems like you only hear about the really bad places.”

“You don’t hear about the worst places,” Mira said. “Nobody makes it back to spread the rumor. Didn’t a shaper go nova there?”

“ ‘Go nova’?” Cole asked.

“All shapers worry about going nova,” Mira explained. “When gifted shapers overextend themselves, they can lose touch with what is real and what is a semblance. Greed or paranoia or insanity take over, and they shape uncontrollably, usually until they kill themselves in the process. Sometimes it leaves a big mess behind.”

“What do we know about this place?” Cole wondered.

Mira shrugged. “I haven’t heard much.”

“Little is known,” Mango said. “Story has it Brady was a young child who came here from outside. He had a lot of power and a child’s mind. He shaped vividly but without control. This happened about forty years ago, and there has been no word of him since.”

“A shaper that strong doesn’t just disappear,” Mira said. “He must have shaped something that killed him.”

“Have you been there, Mango?” Twitch asked.

“Just the borders,” Mango said. “People don’t go there, so I’ve never monitored the area.”

“Are there still roads?” Twitch inquired.

“Three roads,” Bertram said. Cole noticed that the old semblance spoke with more clarity and authority when travel routes were involved. “Hard to guess their state of repair. We can hope they’re passable. If so, it would prove a clever shortcut to Middlebranch.”

“The soldiers don’t seem to be headed that way?” Mira clarified.

“Not presently,” Mango said. “There is no guarantee they won’t change course.”

“If the nearest soldiers turn toward it, would we arrive before them?” Twitch checked.

“Probably,” Mango said. “Barely.”

“I say we go for it,” Jace said. “We can handle whatever some kid dreamed up.”

“The place has a reputation for a reason,” Twitch pointed out.

“And we’ve all survived some dicey sky castles,” Jace said. “I’m not saying it’ll be easy. But this is more our thing than fighting legionnaires. Think of it as a big castle.”

“I hate the castles,” Twitch said. “Why do you think I ran away?”

“You hate them,” Jace said, “but you survived them. We have better gear than ever. We’ll be working together. The legionnaires won’t follow us in, especially if they have no idea we’re in there.”

“We can’t let the legion find us,” Mira said. “What do you think, Cole?”

Cole paused before answering. He certainly didn’t want to head to deadly shaping grounds that might feel like a giant sky castle. But he wanted to get caught by the legionnaires even less. “Are there other options like Brady’s Wilderness?” Cole asked Mango.

“East of Cloudvale, the brink curves away more toward the north,” Mango said. “So you could go northeast or east. That seems to be where the soldiers are heading, probably because it’s the most sensible place to run. There are no decent hiding places that way unless you head off into the wild on foot. Even if you take the autocoach by the cleverest routes, if the legionnaires continue in that direction, they’ll overtake you by tomorrow.”

“It sounds like we should try the Brady place,” Cole said.

“I don’t love the idea,” Twitch said. “But I agree.”

“All right,” Mira said. “Bertram? Can you take us to Brady’s Wilderness?”

“Brady’s Wilderness,” Bertram said. “Then past there to Middlebranch, I gather?”

“Unless we’re forced to turn aside,” Mira said.

“I know how we’ll go,” Bertram said. “Let’s hope the roads have held together enough for us to pass.”

“I’ll keep scouting,” Mango said. “You’ll hear from me if we need to rethink our maneuvers.”

“Thanks, Mango,” Mira said as the bird leaped from her shoulder, wings flapping, and disappeared out the window.

“Didn’t take long for things to heat up,” Cole grumbled.

“Did you think those legionnaires would disappear?” Jace asked.

“I hoped they’d look in the wrong place,” Cole replied.

“It’s easier to check the right place when you look everywhere,” Twitch said.

They clomped along in silence for a moment. Cole glanced over at Twitch. “You never told us about the wings.”

“Oh yeah,” Jace agreed. “We have time now. You’re from Elloweer? One of the natives?”

“I guess the secret is out,” Twitch said with a nervous laugh. “I’m one of the grinaldi. People call us springers.”

“Never heard of you,” Jace said.

“Plenty of people don’t know about the grinaldi. We’re not numerous. We have wings, but we don’t fly for long distances. The wings are used to enhance our hopping.”

“How does the ring work?” Cole asked. “Did you bring it from Elloweer?”

“No,” Twitch said. “If I had the ring, I doubt I would have been taken as a slave. I found the ring in the supply room at Skyport and chose it as my special item. I’ve never had to use it until yesterday.”

“The ring shows his true form,” Jace explained.

“Why aren’t you always in your true form?” Cole asked.

“I sometimes forget that you’re new here,” Twitch said. “Elloweer is full of unusual beings. Some of them can’t leave Elloweer. They come up against a barrier. Others, like me, change to human form if they leave.”