“If you wish to live for a few more heartbeats, then I suggest you let her go.” The wind carried Kiora’s voice to us.
“The Sparrow Archers have returned?” Soren’s voice was a whisper of disbelief.
Kiora took a few steps on her balcony towards us, the arrow remaining tight and ready to fly at her command. “We never left. Now, release my friend.”
“Kiora, it’s okay. He won’t hurt me,” I said before eyeing the Dunes Clan leader.
“Friend?” Soren stated the word as though it confused him.
“Are you stupid or something?” She snapped at him and glanced at me for clarification.
“Kiora is a Sparrow, and she is my friend. I do not rule the way the Sidhe King does, nor the way my father did,” I answered Soren for he likely could never have imagined a Superior being friendly with those who serve.
Iver reappeared beside Kiora with two others.
Kole and Eisyn stepped onto the balcony, swords drawn, with Iver at their side.
My heart swelled at seeing them.
“How’s it going over there, little Bavadrin?” Iver’s gaze locked with mine.
I offered him a small smile. “I’m okay.”
“You sure? Because it looks like you are swaying where you stand,” Kole stated, his attention then pressed in to Soren. “And who is this termite?”
Iver’s gray eyes moved over me from head to toe before sliding to Soren. “I suggest you release her.” Flames coated the fingers on his hand, simmering there as if in wait. Kole and Eislyn whispered something before disappearing within the room attached to their balcony. Kiora remained, arrow still pointed in our direction.
“Soren, you need to let me go.” I turned to look at him. “I would rather you not get hurt.”
Brown eyes focused on me, yet his hand remained firmly under my arm. He looked to the ground, as though weighing his options, and when he looked up again, there was determination in his eye. “If I release her, she very well may fall off this balcony.”
Instead, he moved me forward, bringing me closer to Kole an Eislyn who re-appeared on our balcony.
A shimmering distortion later, Iver stepped through it and towards me, eyeing Soren for a moment before slipping a hand around my waist and pulling me to him. Soren let go of me, and I leaned into the Lysian prince.
Kole continued to watch Soren with a tense gaze.
“What’s going on with you?” Iver asked, eyeing me.
“Clause forcefully slowed my heart. I can’t conjure, can hardly stand upright.” My gaze drifted to Kole and Eislyn, who remained poised and focused on the threat before them.
Soren took a step towards us and Kiora hissed, stilling him. “You take another step and my arrow will find its way between your conjured markings, Dune.”
“You got an eye on him?” Iver asked.
“Does it seem otherwise?” Kiora snapped.
He grunted yet finally took his eye from the Dunes Clan leader and turned his full attention to me.
“Can you fix it?” Kole asked.
Iver’s lips pulled into a thin line, but he shrugged. “Let’s find out.”
33
ARIANA
Iver slipped a hand around mine and closed his eyes. Seconds passed, leaving the rest of us standing in tense silence. Nothing happened, and then my vision went splotchy, energy leaving me.
