He’d tried for years, until his head was ready to burst, and he had tears in his eyes.
Not for the first time, Kinlear wished Magus was still with him, that the stubborn old tutor could help him make sense of his own mind. Magus was the only one who’d ever mentioned the termVeilborne,for there wasn’t a single godsdamned book in the Citadel that covered it. Likely, because his father had them all destroyed.
He flinched as another screech sounded to his right. But it was only a second eagle that landed beside them. The rider on its back was as large as a war bear.
“You know, you could have left him behind,” he said.
Riven, Indriya’s brother, was a powerful Ehvermage tracker. And it was his magic that had alerted him of the attackbehindthe Citadel, instead of on the battlefield in front.
Arawn’s back with the southern recruits,he’d said, as he’d burst into the Aviary, sword in hand, claiming his magic had scented the Crown Prince on the wind.And he’s surrounded by shadow wolves.
Kinlear forced himself upon their rescue attempt, not because he was desperate to help save his brother or be first to see him after his extended leave.
No, he’d done it because formonthsnow, he’d scoured the entire Citadel for the woman in his visions. The raphon rider with scars on her face and shadows in her eyes, who would lead him to becoming the savior of the north.
But she was nowhere to be found, which meant she had to be elsewhere...a recruit, perhaps. And there was only one way to travel north.
“Stay with the eagles,” Indriya said, as she and Riven ran down the hillside.
“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Kinlear said, and sat alone in the saddle with nothing but the sound of the wind.
He waited, considering the raphon.
Things had gone to plan, until they didn’t.
Until someone broke into the catacombs and murdered all but one of the pups. And it just so happened that the survivor, scarred and small, the very same raphon from his dreams...was a bloodthirsty bitch.
And it became even more evident why she needed a Rider. Because, in the months Kinlear had tried, and despite every Eagleminder who’d been willing... none had been able to tame Six.
Please, let my Rider be below,Kinlear prayed to the Five now, his eyes squinted as he looked to the snow-laden sky.And if she is down there...please, let her survive this.
He’d take her in, scars and all.
She’d love him for rescuing her, the handsome Sacred Prince...
And then together they would tame the sixth beast. They would kill the Acolyte, rise to glory...
And she would behis.
He waited until the wolves went silent.
A yelp, cut off short, followed by Riven’s howl of delight—the brute loved the thrill of the hunt. And finally came Indriya’s signal for safety.
There were no more threats.
“And there’s my invitation,” Kinlear said, and pressed a hand to the war eagle’s head. She lowered herself as far as she could to the snow. “Good girl.” He slid down, undid his cane from the straps on the saddle, and sauntered towards the bloodshed, taking care not to fall with the damned limp in his leg.
He paused at the edge of the road.
The wolves had a feast.
There were so many bodies strung across the snow. More than he’d initially realized, from up above.
All of them were centered around a prison wagon, empty of its recruits. The back door was left half-open, several victims face-down and bleeding...as if they’d sought the enclosure of the wagon to get away. But they were all chained together.
No hope of getting away when they ran, especially when the wolves struck. They were deadly with their speed. Impossible to get away from without weapons, and these recruits, from Rendegard, no less, certainly had none.
“Well?” Kinlear asked the others. Indriya was splattered with blood, a smile on her pretty face. Riven was busy cleaning his swords in the snow. He frowned, frustrated, for he always like to keep the blades shimmering.
