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Ferro kept their fast movement from displacing the air around them. He ensured the same with his energy, as did the other ancients. Knowing exactly what could trigger the ever-starving webs made it much easier to do the things necessary to speed through the trees. Elisabeta directing their way so they didn’t have to worry about when the pattern was changing increased their ability and would give them an advantage if they made it out of the forest and could double back on those pursuing them. He was careful to keep that thought from his lifemate, knowing it would distress her unnecessarily.

You are at the very edge of the forest. This is where you go up, Ferro, but there is only one way out or in here, unless you can open the path through the webs. If you do that, Sergey will know immediately. There is a thin, scraggly tree between two much larger ones. The trunks of the larger ones are twisted and blackened. You must be extremely careful. Servants sleep beneath them. The roots are tangled and looped above the ground. Look to your right.

He saw the trees. All three were covered completely in the gray webs. The thick threads draped artfully over every branch, and stuck in the sticky centers were decomposing birds, squirrels and various other rodents. There were bones, feathers, leaves and twigs caught in the gray veils as well. Below, on the ground, the root system was blackened and formed cages. Human skulls and bones were strewn inside the twin cages.

I see them, minan piŋe sarnanak.

Without touching the web, go straight up the scrawny tree and out into the sky. Use it like you might go up a chimney. A guideline only. Do not touch a branch, a leaf, a twig. Nothing at all can brush against any of the three trees or those webs. The entrance at the top is small. She sent the image to the five of them, showing the vampires ascending to the sky from the forest floor, moving straight up in mist form, but no more than an arrow of molecules.

Elisabeta’s anxiety was higher than ever in spite of him calling her his little songbird. Normally, the familiarity of his loving name for her kept her very connected and calm, but this last trap had to be very deadly for her to be so filled with terror when they were this close to being free of the forest.

We will take extra care, sívamet. Gary will lead the way out. Sandu, Petru and Benedek will follow. I will bring up the rear. Stay merged with all of us and allow us to see the images so we make no mistakes.

Ferro felt that as long as she was actively aiding them, Elisabeta would keep from succumbing to the mind-numbing panic. The fact that she seemed to know exactly where Sergey was at all times would be extremely helpful. He wanted to know how she knew. He turned that puzzle over and over in his mind. He was merged with her, and yet he hadn’t found anything to signal an alarm, nor had any of the others.

The five ancients couldn’t wait to be out in the open, where they could turn the tables on the master vampires, so smug in their belief that they were safe in their numbers and with their army of servants hidden beneath the forest. They might only be five, but they were ancient hunters, and they had more battle experience than any of the vampires could conceive.

The moment Ferro was in the clear sky, he turned back to streak toward the lake.

How is it we felt overwhelming sorrow when we are ancient hunters and have no emotion, Elisabeta? Sandu asked.

Ferro could almost see his lifemate wringing her hands anxiously. He surrounded her with warmth. You can answer me and I will relay the information, or just answer all of us, piŋe sarnanak, he said gently, more to remind the ancients that she was fighting centuries of submission to Sergey, of never speaking to any being other than the vampire.