Chapter 14: Wister
It’s about a day’s walk from Alyris to Wister. Once they’ve made it far enough past the defense lines that Byrin feels confident they won’t be discovered—which is a good half mile past where Gywnfor and Selmas thought they should stop—the three of them scale the trees to spend the night in the branches. Gwynfor calls the first sleeping shift, sprawling on a thick branch and passing out almost immediately, which, considering the day she’s had, is justified.
Byrin and Selmas sit together. Selmas has his back pressed up against the trunk, almost like he can squeeze himself into it if he tries hard enough. The new sword is across his lap; he keeps rubbing his fingers over the leather sheath, trying not to shiver in the night air.