Aria’s gaze flicked to the crow man, who’d begun to come forward, moving with total silence. As frightened as she was of Rat and Trip, the crow man scared her more. Rat and Trip went still as he approached.
The crow man stood well over six feet tall. He had to look down to see her. The mask was terrifying, the beak angular and pointed, made of leather that had been pulled and stretched over a frame. The smooth parts were the color of skin, but a dirty inky color stained the creases. She could see his eyes through the holes in the mask. They were blue and clear as glass.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Aria. ” She answered because there was no way she couldn’t.
“Where are you heading, Aria?”
“Home. ”
“Of course. ” The crow man tipped his head to the side. “I’m sorry. This must frighten you. ” He removed the mask, letting it hang by a leather cord that he twisted so it fell over his back. He was younger than she expected. Only a few years older than she was, with dark hair and those clear blue eyes. She realized how much calmer she felt now that she could see his face.
He smiled. “That helped, didn’t it? My people bring in the night with ceremony. We use masks to scare off spirits of darkness. My friends aren’t initiated yet, or they’d be wearing them too. I’m called Harris. It’s good to meet you, Aria. ”
His voice was a beautiful, smoky baritone. He sent Trip and Rat a pointed look.
“Yes. Good to meet you,” they said, tipping their heads and setting the bells ringing again.
“Bells are another part of our ceremony,” Harris said, following her gaze.
“Ancient cultures used bells,” she said, hating herself for knowing stupid things and for not being able to keep quiet when she was nervous.
“I’ve heard that Tibetans did. ”
“Yes. They did. ” Aria couldn’t believe he knew that. A Savage who knew more than just digging holes and starting fires. A spark of hope lit inside her. “They believed bells represented the wisdom of emptiness. ”
“I’ve known a few people with empty minds, but I wouldn’t call them wise. ” Harris smiled, his eyes flicking to Trip. “To us, bells are noises of lightness and good. Are you alone, Aria?”
“No. I’m with an Outsider. ”
It was darker now, but by the soft light of the Aether, she saw his eyebrows furrow.
“I meant one of you,” she said, realizing they wouldn’t call themselves Outsiders.
“Ah . . . that’s good. This is dangerous land. I’m sure your companion told you. ”
“Yes. He did. ”
Trip snorted. “Nearly soiled myself when I heard you sneaking up on us. ”
Rat lifted his big nose and sniffed the air. He shoved Trip in the shoulder. “Nearly?”
Harris smiled apologetically. “We have enough food to share and a fire going. Why don’t you and your companion join us tonight? If you think you can put up with these two. ”
“I don’t think so. But thank you. ” She realized she was gripping the handle of the knife so tight her knuckles throbbed. Why did she have a knife? She lowered it. As frightening as he’d looked with the mask on, Harris seemed friendly now. Far more than her Outsider, whose name she didn’t even know. And Harris talked.
“Well,” she said, reconsidering. “I could see what he says. ”
“I say no. ”
They all turned sharply toward the voice uphill. It was her Outsider. He was barely visible in the faint light of dusk.
Aria was just going to call out to him when she heard a sound like a wet slap, followed by the ringing of bells. Rat tripped and fell backward. At least, this was what Aria thought until she saw a stick—no, an arrow—lodged in his throat.
She didn’t think. She spun and ran. Trip caught her arm and trapped it, twisting the knife from her fingers. Then he laid the blade on her neck
and thrust her arm behind her. Aria gasped at the burst of pain in her shoulder. His stench brought a sickening roll to her stomach.