“You have an interest in women’s riding gloves and books?” I ask sweetly.
“Of course not,” he chuckles, “why would a man like me have any interest in such trivial things? But you and I both know those are not what I’m referencing…”
Stormfall shifts on my shoulder again.
“I can’t say I do, Your Highness.”
“I’m sure,” he smiles with sarcasm, moving his horse closer still, “though it really is a simple ask. I just want to see what you have learned from your travels…”
The Prince’s hands extend to the riders beside him, “my companions and I will not be leaving until then.”
The weight of his words settle into the night as a new and heavy tension. The Prince’s intention becomes clear- He and his men won’t be leaving us alone until they get a look at Storm.
I glance at Lord Daniel and see he’s poised and ready for sudden action. His face is hard and determined, as if he knows we’re not going to be riding away without an altercation with the Leviathans. Cal has the same look on his face, his own hands shining with hidden blades that are waiting at the ready. Both of them are prepared to fight, there’s no doubt about it, but with our small group outnumbered five to three, is that truly the only way out of this?
A deafening silence starts to build as the Prince looks at the three of us in more expectance. His eyebrows quirk from atop his horse, his features wondering just as I am if Daniel and Cal are actually willing to attack. I shift in my seat and grip my blade harder, feeling as Stormfall moves on my shoulder as well. His talons pierce my skin hard enough to draw blood, nearly making me wince, but it’s not until his beak nips sharp against my neck that I take an involuntary inhale to quell the pain.
Fuck me.
This isn’t the time, Storm.
The Bird of Ash nips again, almost as if he’s trying to tell me something.
Hmm.
I straighten my shoulders and look directly at the Prince of Livyatan, truly gambling at this point. If Cal and Daniel are prepared to get us out of this situation by means of a fight, then I might as well give them a distraction to do so.
“I’ll show one of you the fruit of my travels,Prince…”
Yiannis lifts his eyes in surprise.
“But it will not be you.”
The Prince smiles in amusement. “Grigori!” he exclaims, never taking his eyes off me.
The man on our far left moves his horse forward.
“Greet the Human Reborn,” Yiannis commands, “I’d like to see what she has gained in Pyre.”
I nod my head in agreement before peering towards Daniel and Cal, willing them to be ready for what’s about to happen. Cal’s eyes catch mine, also nodding in understanding, but Daniel looks on with a slight hint of confusion. He wasn’t with us in the meeting room when we discussed Hirovale’s Bird of Ash and his powers, so he’s about to be as surprised as the rest of the Leviathans.
I reach for the hood of my cloak and pull it back slowly, giving Daniel another look that begs he be ready. The Leviathan, Grigori, moves his horse next to Millie and eyes the bruises on my face. He smiles at the sight of them, then begins laughing outright when I scowl.
“Any day now, Lady,” the Prince chuckles.
I situate Millie’s reins around the horn of my saddle, freeing the hand to bring it up to my face. My other hand still rests on the blade near my waist, my fingers gripping it tightly as Stormfall’s talons grip me.
“Tell me, Prince Yiannis…” I look at the man solemnly, “do you value the life of this man next to me?”
The Prince’s brown eyes dart across my face before he shrugs, “not particularly.”
Grigori turns his head in confusion but is only received with a small nod from Yiannis. His Prince urges him forward as I angle my shoulder away from the rest of the group, giving them my back before slowly pulling my hair away from my face. My heart beats rapidly as I watch Grigori’s hazel eyes dip down my neck to find Storm, his gaze immediately widening just as Stormfall’s talons push off my shoulder.
“It’s a beast!” he announces to his group.
Within a breath of the words leaving his lips, chaos erupts.
“Take her!” the Prince yells, kicking his horse towards me as Lord Daniel’s hand darts up to the sky. The ground rumbles below us as a solid rock wall quickly cascades in front of the four remaining men and blocks their movements. Stormfall leaps from my shoulder at the same time, his wings extending forward and aimed straight at Grigori who is now reaching for Millie’s reins. Storm quickly lands on the Leviathan’s neck and pierces the skin with a tight grip, his wings folding around the man’s head and smothering him from the nose down.
