Two more tail twitches.
No.
‘It comes from the sky, Six. Where you belong.’
No.
‘We aren’t going back inside.’
Six promptly used her tail to send a wave of snow soaring towards Ezer’s face. It was cold and wet and utterly humiliating.
‘Stop it!’ Ezer hissed.
Behind her, the others were laughing. Even Arawn, who never dared smile. Ezer felt the stone in her pocket warm.
Is this really the time?She sighed into Arawn’s mind.
Just making an observation,he thought back, a smile on his words.She reminds me of someone else during her own training …
Why don’t you come over here right now,Ezer thought back,and let me borrow that very sharp, shiny sword of yours, Prince?
His answering chuckle was all she got before the stone went cold.
‘Six,’ Ezer hissed, her attention back on the raphon. ‘Pull yourself together.’
The beast turned away, ready to go back to the darkness. To the bars of her cell. Fury roiled in Ezer’s belly. All the work she’d done, all the time they’d spent bonding so Six could understand what it was like to befree …
‘You aren’t meant for a cage,’ she growled. ‘And neither am I.’
Because if she failed in this mission, she feared Six wouldnevertaste freedom again. The king wouldn’t free her. He would have her killed.
‘It’s time for me to ride, likeyourequested,’ Ezer spat. ‘Now lower yourself to that pretty little kneeling position, just like you did yesterday, so I can climb aboard.’
Six only flicked more snow at her.
So Ezer cursed at her, the runed cloak suddenly too hot on her skin. Her blood roared in her ears, and then she did something she never thought she’d do.
She bent over, picked up a handful of snow, packed it tight…
‘Two can play at this game,’ Ezer growled.
And launched a snowball at the raphon.
It hit Six right between her tucked wings. White exploded against her fur, enough that Ezer winced.
Even Kinlear gasped.
Arawn’s jaw fell open.
Six snapped out her wings, as if to shake the snow away. But suddenly the wind picked up, furious as it came from beyond the cliff. It was so fast it whistled, a wild gust that had Six’s eyes turning wide. Her feathers ruffled as snow danced between her and Ezer, a wall of white.
‘Ezer,’it whispered, not a warning but a hello as it arrived.
And Ezer swore …
Six cocked her head towards it.
As if she heard the whisper on the wind, too.
