I hang up and calmly cast my eye about the room. “My father’s plans are advancing. I need to execute the rescue tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow!” Minnie exclaims, throwing a pillow across the room. “Where’s the plan?What’sthe plan?”
“Shush,” Stacey says, clutching Eugene to her chest like a hot water bottle. Henry is perched on her shoulder alongside her own nimpin. “There’s a plan in Lia’s Boneweaver eyes; I’ve seen it growing.”
The rooster has been avoiding eye contact with me, his bejewelled goggles sparkling under the sun’s light. On the other hand, since the Clawson incident and the Jewel of the Jungle incident, Stacey has relegated me to the position of WildGoddess. I love her for it, but I’m not going to let it get to my head. There’s a lot I don’t know, after all. A lot that could still go wrong. She almost died because of me, but I’m trying hard not to think about that.
“I’ll need all the nimpins,” I say. “But otherwise, I’ll be doing this solo.”
Minnie leaps to her feet at the same time Stacey does. Sabrina pushes back her hood and narrows her dark eyes at me. “Absolutely the fuck not!” Minnie exclaims. “Lia, this isnota solo mission. This isn’t the Jewel, where you’re walking on neutral ground. You’re going into herlair,where she has ammunition and guards who can jump high enough to pluck you from the sky. Not to mention her river full of gnarly crocs!”
The backs of my eyes burn as I meet Marduk’s and Yeti’s eyes before looking back at my best friend. “I expected to do this alone, Min. It’s going to be dangerous. I can’t risk more people I love.” I look at them all pointedly.
“Well, you’re people I love too!” Minnie stomps a pink-sandalled foot. “I won’t have it!”
“She has a bloodlust now,” Sabrina says, nodding at our tigress. “She wants more blood on her teeth after the Clawsons, and frankly, so do I. These fuckers have gone on too long with their power unchecked.”
I stare at her. “I can’t ask you tokillpeople, Sabrina.”
“You’ve killed for me,” she replies firmly. “If I get the chance to kill foryou, I will. I have nothing left to lose, Lia.”
“This has all taken a dire turn,” Yeti tries to reason with us. “Who says you’re killing anyone?”
Minnie rushes at me, grabbing my hand and addressing her mates in a tone of great finality. “We’re blood sisters now, Lia and me. I’m going to help get her mates back.”
I sigh, taking a moment to adjust my plans in my head. Itwillbe easier with a team, even I can admit that. “Alright,” I say tomyself. “Alright,” I say to my friends, bringing out the clinking bag. “This is my weapon of choice.” I reach in and show them my prize.
Yeti takes the vial and looks at it. Eyes of the palest blue flick up to me, and he raises a white brow. “Really, Aurelia?”
“What is it?” Minnie says, plucking it out of his hand and reading the label. Her face sobers. “Oh dear.”
“As a result, none of the males can come,” I say firmly. “Even as backup.”
“No males?” shout Yeti and Beak at the same time.
“No males,” I say carefully, watching them pass the vial around. “I’m going to call Hyacinth Dabu and see if she’s willing to help us break them out. Since Savage broke them out of prison, I’m guessing she’ll say yes.”
“You’re going to use this,” Sabrina deadpans as she holds up the vial, “as what, a distraction?”
“Naturally,” Marduk says, though his eyes are glinting at the idea. “This is mad, Lady Boneweaver.”
“Of course it is,” Sabrina says. “That’s why it’s brilliant.”
“Tomorrow night,” I say, clenching the bag in my fist. “We do it tomorrow night.”
When I get ready in my room the next afternoon, I look around the empty space. Their scents are still here, fainter than before. I refused to change the sheets this entire time, sleeping on a different spot every night, burying my nose in each pillow. Their absence has left a hollow yawning at the centre of me.
Soon, Savage’s laugh will fill the space.
Soon, I’ll feel Scythe’s piercing gaze on my skin.
Soon, Lyle will be soothing my legs with Tiger Balm.
Soon, Xander will be moping by the windowsill, casting me longing looks.
But that can only happen if I get this right. Only if I can kill Katerina Crocodylus, The Collector.
My power drapes around me, its wings flicking outward, the tough skin settling firmly in place. I would be bulletproof with my dragon hide, but that doesn’t mean a harpoon won’t bloody hurt.
