“I think it’s a good idea. We’re going in, right?”
“Of course.”
“Spread the word,” I said to Lord Riis. “Anyone who has ridden a gryphon in battle comes along. If there are extras, choose the best flier and pair them with archers and fae who have range in their magic.”
“Thyra and I will join you with our pegasi.” I was always grateful to Arava, but never more than now. Flying under my own steam would undoubtedly come, but after my injury, I wasn’t sure how agile I’d be on wing.
Lord Riis left to give the command.
“You remain with the ships, Lord Balik,” I said. “They need your guidance.”
He exhaled. “Remember your vow.”
I understood exactly what he meant. Sian and Filip were elite gryphon riders. They’d be among the fliers.
“They’ll each ride with one of our Valkyrja,” I promised. “Close to us at all times.”
“That does not reassure me.” Lord Balik spoke flatly. “You’re prime targets.”
“But the Valkyrja are highly skilled warriors and riders,” Thyra countered. “There are none stronger for them to ride with.”
I did not add that I wished for Sian to be with us because the Shadow King would likely target my sister and me too. Of course, we could fight shadows with shadows, but according to the history books, a limiter was truly the best defense and offense against shadows. If Sian could keep King Érebo’s prodigious powers limited, we might have a better chance.
Thanks to the bond my sister and I were developing with the pegasi, finding our mares was easy. They lay on a cleared portion of the lower deck, resting alongside a group of gryphons.
My hand landed on Arava’s strong neck. I felt guilty that I had to ask this of her after she’d flown for so long to get me here. “I need you again, beauty.”
She stood and tossed her mane as if to say that she was always prepared. Always strong and capable.
I kissed her wet cheek, inhaling her musty scent, and mounted.
As we waited for our ships to close in, the images I’d seen of my mate in the vision continued to haunt me. I was certain that Thyra, too, had been thinking of what she’d seen. Likely, she had regrets over how she’d treated her mate. If we saved Thantrel, I suspected things between them would change.
Others arrived, readied their gryphons, and saddled up. Gryphons from other ships began appearing in the airspace above us, waiting for our word to move forward.
My knees squeezed Arava, and she lifted into the air to join the others. “We fly for the battle when we’re in range of the mage attacks. No sooner. Try to deflect as much magic as you can to give our ships a clearer approach.”
Not only were the ships weapons in their own rights, but they were also safe spaces and areas where the few healers we’d brought with us could work.
The riders gave the signal that they’d heard. As we waited to close in on the mages, I took careful stock of my force.
The Valkyrja were all accounted for, riding with cabal members as their partners. Livia and Bavirra had paired up, and the dwarven princess had her bow and a full quiver of arrows at the ready. Saga rode with Lord Riis, and Bac with Prince Thordur. All good matches.
This will work,I told myself as the sounds of battle, of falling rain, and churning waves grew louder.
Rain pelted us, and in the distance, natural lightning cleaved through the storm, sending shivers down my spine. As if tonight weren’t dangerous enough.
Not that the danger mattered. We were here, in it, and on the attack.
Soon enough I’d save Vale. We’d defeat King Magnus and the Shadow Fae who had wronged us. I told myself those things as if they’d already come true. For me, there was no other option.
The attacks from the mages, and some fae who had longer-reaching magic, continued to plow through the Virtoris fleet. With each blast of wood and each plume of smoke that arose in the air or sails that lit on fire, I thought of Sayyida. Of Vidar. Where were they in that fleet? Were they still alive?
“Get ready to fly!” Lord Riis called out, and I snapped back to the moment to find a mage strike fall into the sea close to the bow of our lead ship. My ship. “Princesses?”
“Go!” Thyra screamed. “Divert and engage whenever possible!”
With my sister’s command, the fliers rose to meet the storm. Thyra and I got into position, spearheading the attack, our thick braids of silver-white and raven-wing black streaming at ourbacks. Behind us were the Valkyrja, each paired with one of our friends. Seen from below, we would be in the shape of an arrow with soldiers from both Riis and Balik camps and a handful of rebels rounding out our retinue.
