“Thank the Creator,” Gabe murmured under his breath before dipping down ten feet or so and making his way toward the wall.
Steele didn’t hesitate to follow him as the rest of us watched the slouching guard jump from the battlement and toward the forest before taking off into the air. The guard’s white wings glinted against the sunlight shining brightly above him as he flew toward Alfemir proper. Shaking myself from the trance of the sunlight in the guard’s wings, I turned my attention toward the wall, hearing the rest of the guys following closely behind Steele and me.
“I don’t see any incoming guards, but we need to hurry regardless,” Steele pointed out, easily dropping into his role as commander as we landed on the battlement to regroup and prepare for our flight ahead.
When he placed me down, I felt a momentary loss from his body heat but forcefully ignored it, focusing on pulling my backpack to the front of my body and retrieving the dagger from within instead. Trouble could crop up at any moment, and the jittery feeling of my heart pounding in my chest only added to the air of caution I’d felt from Steele’s words.
The familiar weight of the dagger felt good in my palm, and I realized that training without it up until this point hadn’t beenideal. Considering the influx of memories and knowledge I’d received regarding my powers, I now felt far more competent on how to wield the weapon effectively, utilizing it in a way that harnessed every ounce of its potential.
“Will you show us the way?” Ronan asked Niz.
The wyvern nodded before taking off toward the forest, diving from the wall before flying into the thick brush. My wings unfurled as everyone else moved to the edge of the wall, but the sound of keys jostling caught my attention.
Turning toward the patrol tower, I realized we had grossly miscalculated with our assumption that no one had arrived yet. Rather, it appeared they had arrived early, before even we had.
“Hey! What are you?—”
Before the uniformed individual could even finish his demand, moving on pure instinct as adrenaline coursed through my veins like molten lava, my dagger came up and soared out of my hand and into his chest.
With a thud, it landed right in the center of his chest, shock coloring his face as crimson blossomed from around the weapon. His body collapsed into a pile on the stone and I approached, suddenly filled with anxiety—not so much about the death I’d now caused—but about someone finding the body.
About someone knowing we had been here and potentially searching the area—which would, in turn, also put the Niz’s people in danger.That couldn’t happen.
My magic responded directly to that threat, and as I crouched down next to him, ignoring the calls of my name from behind me and the frantic flutter of Niz’s wings as he returned to the group, the dagger began to glow golden. I felt guilty at the sight of the suffering marring his expression and for my callus analysis of the situation. That is, until I realized I recognized the individual—he was another one of my father’s minions.Recognition flashed in his gaze but when his lips parted, nothing but a slow, rattling breath came out of his sagging mouth.
Runes, that once would have been unknown to me, suddenly appeared on either side of the handle. My heart beat loudly in my ears as the glow began to expand across his body before sinking beneath the surface. It lit every inch of him, an inferno building under his skin and searing his very insides. Then, with a suddenpop,he was incinerated—as if he had fallen into the surface of the sun.
“Impressive, Darling,” Bastian whistled, the space around me coming back into focus as I realized I was crouching over the ashes of the incinerating guard as my men stood behind me. There was nothing resembling a body present anymore, not even the tiniest drop of blood. My magic had acted instinctively to protect us, and when a wind brushed across the battlement, the ashes flew across and disappeared over the side—removing all proof of my transgression.
So why didn’t I feel way more guilty about it?
Picking up the dagger and turning toward the group, I kept my focus on cleaning off the weapon before putting it away, not wanting to see their reactions to what had occurred.
When Gabe finally spoke, a wave of relief rushed through my body, easing my tense shoulders and clenched fists. “We should have checked if anyone was in the patrol tower, we never should have put you in that pos?—”
“Kieran handled it.” Steele’s voice was full of confidence, and my eyes darted up to see him staring at me with pride. I couldn’t deny that his words made me happy and softened the surprise that the others seemed to be exhibiting. Well, except for Bastian, who simply looked thrilled.
Ronan stepped forward and tilted up my chin, examining my face. “Are you okay?”
I knew he was asking more about my emotional state than physical, but if anything, this moment had reinforced the truth of what we would face going forward. I knew what was at stake, and I knew I wouldn’t leave this war with unstained hands. I had accepted that during the battle at the Rebellion camp, but now I was accepting that I couldn’t shy away from it.
“Yes,” I promised him, infusing surety in my voice. I glanced around, nerves jumbling my stomach into an anxious mess. With a tight-lipped nod, I took a deep breath before saying, “We should get moving.”
Niz didn’t hesitate to jump off of Ronan’s shoulder at my suggestion and fly down into the canopy of the trees once more. I followed him immediately, the adrenaline from the incident, causing me to feel almost high as my wings snapped out and I took to the air.
As we began our journey through the Northern Forrest, I noticed that Niz kept us high enough that we could fly to our destination but low enough that guards wouldn’t see us if they came to patrol the area. It was difficult to navigate the forest, the greenery thicker than what existed in the rest of Alfemir, and even the Rebellion camp. At the same time, my difficulty in flying may have hadmoreto do with being distracted by everything that came across our path.
I had overheard stories of the Northern Forrest most of my life. But all of them were tinged with a sense of fear at the wild kingdom where beasts roamed. None of the words spoken did this place an ounce of justice. I felt a sense of awe when looking around, and rather than fear, all I felt was respect for the majestic sights we came across.
The sky above, which normally shone a brilliant blue, couldn’t break through the lush treetops that were shaded a vibrant, emerald green. Notonlyemerald though—amethyst and sapphire as well colored the canopy as well—as if eachtree had sprouted from a precious stone. The trees were most likely ancient, so incredibly tall that some stood higher than the perimeter walls. The ground below us smelled of rich soil—speaking to the life that teemed everywhere within it. Small creatures, some I recognized and others I didn’t showcasing all shades of scales, feathers, and hide, watched us with open interest.
“Hey, Ronan?” I called out, speeding ahead as a question occurred to me. “Where are all the creatures that Beast Tamers work with?”
I had expected to see griffons, phoenixes, pegasuses, and even dragons since I knew they made their home here.
“The area closest to the wall, where the trees thin slightly, on all sides is a neutral territory of sorts that most creatures avoid, as we move deeper you will see a change. Although, my knowledge is based mostly on hearsay—I’m not nearly as familiar with the Northern Forrest as the Southern. I’ve heard, however, that much like humans or angels, the beasts have created their own communities.
“Because of dominance, they tend to adhere to them pretty strictly. As Beast Tamers, we do our best to never remove populations past a certain threshold, only taking what the military deems as necessary…and honestly, usually far less than that. It tends to be an unspoken promise between beast and angel since we are the only individuals that have the power to affect their lives here.”
