“The Shadow Prophecy,” she managed. “It’sus!Shite!” Her eyes darted everywhere, searching for the words.“When twilight merges with stone’s crowned dawn…What did you say to me earlier?This most precious gift?Oh, fuck. Fuck!”
‘And something most precious is suddenly gone.’
“Gone. Why would I be gone? Is it Illamiata? Or…”
Brand gathered her hair, trying to smooth it away from her face. “Breathe.What is happening?”
“The Voice. It was the Voice! It all makes sense. Thisisthe Shadow Prophecy happening, Brand. And you and I arenamed in it.She’s been trying to tell me. Trying to guide me. I was too fucking dense to see it!”
His eyes widened, fist digging into his chest where he was no doubt feeling the unshakeable certainty of what she was saying in their bond.
Sheknewit like she knew her own face and his, down to her shaking fucking bones. Stars and arses, how the fuck had she taken so long to realize it?!
“We have to?—”
A rolling rumble shook the tower, dust falling from the rafters. Not a split-second later, a horn blasted through the air with just as much force, the long bass note vibrating beneath her.
“No.”Brand was up before she could ask what was happening. “Dress us, Luna. Now!”
She didn’t question him. Her power flung away from her, gripping the particles of their strewn clothing and wrenching them onto their bodies.
“You can’t fight in a bloody gown,” he bit out, tearing a drawer open and tossing some of his clothes her way.
“Fight?!”She switched them out, sending his gift away to the ether where it would be safe.
Sparring linens, like the ones she’d first worn when Hedda had started training her. She shrank them to fit her frame, scrambling from the bed. Brand was on her in a flash, yanking a belt around her waist and calling his dagger from the ether. “Stay with her,” he hissed, and shoved it into the sheath.
She felt its power thrumming at her hip, and bile rose. It was her turn to ask, “What is happening?”
“An attack. That was the war horn.” He rolled his sleeve back with no calm whatsoever and shoved his arm to her mouth. “Freely offered. Drink. Quickly.”
Again, she obeyed without hesitation, using the time it took to sink her fangs in and partake of his gift to draw from the moons above. There was no doubting the level she should bring it to, filling the well to overflowing, until power was practically spilling from her pores.
She barely had time to heal the puncture wounds on his arm before he was dragging her to the balcony, the war horn still blowing.
“Weeping fucking Sisters.”
His words had to be her own, for there was no such thing as speaking.
The sea heaved with gargantuan bodies, slithering up from the crashing waves. Screams echoed from the city below, the twinkling lantern lights nearest the shore starting to disappear one by one.
“The sea serpents have returned.” He sounded as though he couldn’t believe his own eyes or mouth.
Shite, she couldn’t either.
Something pulled at her center as a thunderous boom sounded, her knees buckling in the aftershock.
“Brand… those aren’t sea serpents. Not entirely.” They were and they weren’t. She couldn’t see them clearly enough to tell, but she could feel it. “Those are dreadbeasts.”
Brandroared as he unleashed his rage. He had no room for horror. No time for thought. The Horned City—his city—was being ravaged.
Those are dreadbeasts.
He scooped Luna up in one arm. “You never leave my side. You never leave my sight. Do you understand?”
She blinked up at him, brow furrowed.
“Do you understand, Luna?No running off to save one person. I’m sorry, but it’s the warriors who will need you this time. Youhaveto understand.”
