Their era.
Together, just like his visions had promised.
He’d just entered the main halls of the Aviary, his cane clacking on the cold stone floors, when a servant came rushing up to him.
“Sir!”
Kinlear sighed.Gods, no.It was his personal attendant, the poor unfortunate youngling he’d left out in the snow, months ago. To his surprise, the boy hadn’t quit or been scared off by Kinlear’s antics.
He treated him terribly, he knew.
But he hated how the child was a constant reminder of howweakhis father thought him to be.
If only he knew,Kinlear told himself.If only my father could see the truth of the power that lingers in my mind.
He’d kill him if he did.
Kinlear paused a few steps from the golden doors, despite every instinct to ignore the servant. “I certainly hope whatever you’re here for isn’t more important than the steaming hot bath I’m headed to take,” he said with a sigh. “Because if it is, I’d implore you to delay speaking your message, and find?—”
Aboomsuddenly shook the walls.
It was so loud, Kinlear swore he felt it rumble up through the floors and to the handle of his cane. He whirled to look at the stained-glass windows, where the snow was still pouring in buckets. The war had already begun for the night, but...
It couldn’t possibly be that close. The wards kept them safe.
“Sir?” the servant said again. He reached for Kinlear’s arm, his small grip insistent. His eyes were wide as Kinlear looked down to him, surprised at the touch. “Thebeast,” the boy hissed. His eyes were so wide, Kinlear swore they nearly popped out of his head. “Th-they were trying to feed it, and—and it?—”
Perhaps someone had beendismemberedagain. The raphon pup liked to playwith her meat.
“Well?” he asked, twisting his cane the way Magus always had. “Spit it out!”
A secondboomshook the Aviary.
Dust danced down from the ceiling. A few shouts rang out as people looked towards the arched black door with prison bars for a window. The one that led into darkness, deep into the catacombs, where?—
“What happened to her?” Kinlear asked, his blood cold.
The boy’s voice shook in fear. “She escaped.”
Being Veilborne should have come with better perks, for Kinlear certainly hadn’t seenthis.
His raphon, his greatest treasure, the key toeverything...had escaped. And not out the door to the main halls, where all the war eagle tack was kept.
No, whatever godsdamned idiot had fed her last had let her out theotherway. Into the Eagle’s Nest.
Where Arawn was, and Kinlear’s blood went cold his raphon rider.
He’d seen the visions of her having tamed the beast. He trusted it,knewit would come true someday, when it was older,large enough to carry them both with its wings. But gods only knew what it would take to get there first.
No one could enter Six’s cage. No one could even dare try without losing an appendage, and suddenly that wasterrorin Kinlear’s gut. Something he hadn’t felt since his own monster hunted him in his dreams.
It made it harder to breathe, made it harder to hold the cough back from slamming against his lungs.
He couldn’t run, but forher,he would try.
He hobbled across the Aviary, wincing at the pounding of his feet.
Gods,he prayed as he ducked into one of the weapons rooms.Please, don’t let it find her inside.
