“I’ll tell the new King Fulke about the threat and make sure he readies his army. Then I’ll drop as much magic as I can against the fae. After that, I’m heading straight for the bridge.”
I can see that Lu still doesn’t like the idea of me going alone, but she bites back whatever argument she might have. That’s how I know how exhausted she really is.
“I’ll see you at Ranhold,” I tell her. “Now get some sleep, Captain.”
“Fine,” she relents before turning to Ryatt. “Make sure someone sends for me when it’s nearly time to depart.”
Judd opens his mouth, but without even looking at him, she points at his face and tells Ryatt, “Nothim.”
Judd grins again.
Ryatt smirks, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, I’ll send for you.”
Lu nods and then looks back at me. “Be careful,” she says, dark brown eyes solemn.
“I will be.”
As she walks off, I see her stop and talk to Digby before heading inside. I glance at Judd. “Go let King Thold’s guards know to alert him that I’ll be flying ahead.”
“Will do.” He gives me a salute. “See you in the shitty snow kingdom. Next time, let’s try to have a war on one of the warmer continents, yeah?”
“Sure,” I say dryly.
As I watch Judd lope away, an abrupt pain in my chest makes me grimace, and I press my fingers over my heart. Ryatt’s attention narrows on me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I quickly reply, dropping my hand.
“Slade…”
“I just need to go, Ryatt.”
His lips press together in a hard line, but he nods. “Okay. I’ll get them moving as quickly as possible so they’re right behind you.”
“I know you will.”
My brother walks with me as I head for Argo. He’s easily spotted amongst the other beasts because he’s larger, and he currently has his bark-colored wings shoved out and his face twisted in a snarl. He’s playing a game of dominance, ensuringhe has a twenty-foot radius surrounding him, and snapping at any of the other timberwings who dare set even a single talon too close. Still, he’s a lot friendlier now than he used to be before he nearly died.
“Territorial beast,” I mutter as I stroke him on the side.
He blinks at me unrepentantly. Then he turns his head, and his demeanor changes instantly. Snarl gone, tense form going lax.
I look over to see the little girl, Wynn, skipping up to him. Her sister is right behind her, both of them out of their Second Kingdom religious gray robes and instead wearing colorful dresses.
Wynn tosses her arms around Argo’s neck as soon as she reaches him. He bends his head around her in what I think is a timberwing’s rendition of a hug, nuzzling into her curly black hair.
When she pulls away, she looks up at me. “Does he have to go to war?” she asks, her big brown eyes teary.
I can’t help but feel guilt at her sad tone.
“I’ll keep him safe.”
She sniffs, and her older sister, Shea, places a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Wynn just wanted to say goodbye. She became very attached to Argo while she healed him during our trip here.”
Flicking my gaze up to Argo as he nuzzles against her, I smile. “He’s obviously become quite attached to her as well.”
When I hear Wynn’s sad sniff again, I crouch down in front of her and meet her eyes. “Argo has let me be his rider for a very long time,” I tell her. “He loves flying, and he’s very fast. He’s going to be just fine.”
“He got hurt with you before,” she reminds me, honest accusation in her young face.
