"Impressive!" Kozakura stood up from her tacky throne and clapped mockingly. "That was certainly a... unique solution."

"Stay away from me." I scrambled to my feet. "We're leaving. I don't want your help."

"What happened?" Imogen looked back and forth between me and the Matriarch. "Ophelia, what's going on?"

I spat on the branch between me and Kozakura. "She's manipulative and untrustworthy and--"

"I'm a Matriarch," Kozakura drew herself up to her full height--still a ...