Terena, on the ground, stared up at the god as if seeing him for the first time.
Taking advantage of everyone’s stupor, Hermes grabbed Terena by the top of her head, his fingers clamping tight enough to make her wince and cry out. Rydon bolted toward her. One ofHermes’s men had a dagger to his throat before he moved two feet.
Hermes crouched, bringing his face within inches of Terena. Croak was shouting like a madman, and when Rydon twisted to look at him, he saw Gabriol and Migela on the ground with more of Hermes’s criminals surrounding them.
The fat cleric whimpered on his knees, the books he’d been holding scattered on the floor. Croak was ashen, looking at his sister with wide, haunted eyes as another one of Hermes’s undesirables held him by the scruff.
“You think you’re indispensable?” Hermes seethed. “I still have your sister. The heir! You forget,niece, I am eternal. And you are still fucking MORTAL!”
He raised his hand to strike her again. Gabriol and Croak shouted and Rydon cried out to Terena as the world went black.
Chapter 38
COLINAS, RAVOS
Croak dropped to the ground as soon as the asshole holding him let go. Blinking against the void, Croak crawled forward, stretching out a hand to keep him from bumping into anyone else.
Especially Hermes.
Croak had no idea what had just happened, except Hermes had hit his sister and no one had done a thing to stop him.
Someone stepped on his hand and Croak slapped his other hand over his mouth to hold his scream in. There was shuffling and Croak sat up in a crouch. This same darkness reminded him of when they’d first met Vassori. And in Agraboda, when he’d found the Shroud of Faybhen.
Magi had attacked after everything went dark.
Croak stood slowly, his arms outstretched. He heard a low growl and some of the men cried out.
Screams erupted from all sides. Croak dropped back down, covering his head as a body fell over him. He hoped he was going in the direction of the stairs where Orry had been but then he doubled back when his hands slid in something wet on the stone.
Croak sat up when he heard Rydon cry out Terena’s name. He shuffled as fast as he could on his knees, keeping his hands up to guard his head. Terena answered and Croak whipped his head in the direction of her voice.
“Ren!”
“Croak!” Her panicked voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere. “Croak, stay where you are. I?—”
Her voice cut off abruptly and Croak swore under his breath. Gathering his courage, he sprang up and ran full speed. He smacked into something solid and grunted as he stumbled back. A voice whispered, overlapping and echoing, the sound building with unintelligible words and the howl of dogs.
Dogs?
Croak rubbed at his face and shook his head to clear it. “Ren! Ren where are you?”
Something bubbled in his belly. Croak laid a hand over it. “I know, buddy. We’ll get food soon. After this fucking family drama is over with.”
As he stepped again, the bubbles became more intense and Croak paused, frowning. His insides fizzed and the sensation was so foreign, Croak smacked his stomach a few times to make it calm down.
Light came back, or rather, the world came back and Croak was no longer in Sydney Hall. He was outside in a courtyard near the stables. Gasping, Croak swung his head and body around, his panting breath squeaking on the inhales.
“What the fuck? What thefuck?”
A moment later, Rydon materialized, followed by Gabriol, crouched down low and holding onto a blubbering Orry. They all exchanged a look before Rydon surged forward, his clunky steps looking like the first steps of a baby learning to walk.
“Ren!”
As his voice died away, Ren rounded a corner with stumbling steps. Breathing raggedly, she sobbed when she saw them and ran. Croak and Rydon shot forward to meet her. Throwing her arms around Croak, Terena cried into his neck. He choked back his own sobs as he tightened his arms around her.
“Terena!”
They all startled as Cassandra came careening around the side of the stables with Migela.
