The net falls with us, dragging us down, and I can’t breathe or blink, can’t move within its confines. My teeth are clenched, wind whipping at my exposed face, and just when I think I’ll pass out from lack of breath, we slam to the ground.
The net sizzles away, and I suck in a gulp of frantic air. I’m buckled to the saddle, but the timberwing is panicked, wings flapping, trying to buck me off.
All his jerky movements do is nearly knock my skull off my spine, my bones threatening to snap with how hard he’s tossing me around.
There’s nothing I can do but hold on.
Then a blade comes down and slices the strap holding me hostage, and I go flying off the beast’s back. As soon as I do, the timberwing takes flight with a roar, leaving me behind as it flees.
But Judd helps me to my feet, the dagger still in his hand from cutting me free. He smiles, albeit shakily. “See, that’s twice I’ve saved your—”
His body jolts.
We both look down at the same time. Both see the sword stabbed clean through his chest.
Denial pounds in my skull, and my vision tips. That didn’t happen. It isn’t happening…
Judd’s head lifts and his hazel eyes latch onto me. “Shit,” he says, his voice garbled.
“No…”
I hear Luscream. “JUDD!”
Horror blares through me, and the sword sticking through him is suddenly yanked back out. Judd cries out in agony and then hits the ground hard.
I’m so fucking stricken that I nearly don’t react to that blood stained sword now swinging in my direction. Somehow, I manage to yank my blade from my scabbard just in time to meet it before it takes off my head.
But the force of the hit sends me flying backwards.
I land on my back in shock.How strong is this fae?
Around me, I hear other fighting going on. From my peripheral, I see Lu skid in front of Judd. Timberwings roar, and the clash of weapons and shouts erupt all around us.
But my pulse drums even louder.
Judd.Judd. Judd.
All I can see is that sword plunging through his body. The look of shock in his eyes.
And the way Luscreamed…
Stunned fury radiates within me and then a rage-filled battle cry rips from my throat. Judd.
They did that toJudd.
I shove myself upright and pick up my sword from the snow, head whipping up to see the fae is coming for me again, but instead of a battle cry of his own, I hear a sound like grinding rock.
He swings at me, but I duck this time and pivot around. I lift my foot to send a kick to his knee…and nearly break my damn foot. My body jolts.
What the hell?
His sword comes at me and I roll. I hear the hit land in the snow instead. One look to my left, and I see how deep the divot is that he made in the ground. The force he’s swinging with would’ve cleaved me in two.
Fae are strong, but notthatstrong. And his leg didn’t move at all when I kicked him.
The soldier moves stiffly, and I finally have time to get a good look at him. I thought he was just wearing full body armor, more intensive than the other Stone Swords we’ve seen, but no. It isn’t the armor that’s stone. The whole body isstone.
I’m fighting against a godsdamned statue.
