I smiled—and was greatly relieved when I realized I could, in fact, smile in this form—and looped my devilish tail in front of Florian. It was prehensile.
He chuckled as he gently placed his cane in my tail's grasp, then wrapped both his arms around my neck. "How convenient. Where's west?"
I did not need to check. Cardinal directions seemed to be embedded in my mind. From up this high, I saw the forest stretching out until it slowly dwindled, opening onto empty grassland. The neighboring city was too far to see even from my bird's-eye vantage point. That gave me hope we could make it in time.
"There," I said, turning that way. "Hold on tight, Florian."
He nuzzled his face on my stony collarbone, breathing his warm breath against my cool skin.
19
Florian
Being carriedby Devereaux was a very different experience than riding on Midnight. For one thing, Midnight had a beating heart. Devereaux did not. At least, not one that I felt or heard as my head rested against his chest.
And yet, Devereaux was alive. The man I loved had transformed into a living statue. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
Maybe Pascal was right about wishes coming true.
My chest twisted with anxiety as I thought about Pascal. I hoped he was okay. He must've been so scared alone in that carriage.
As if he knew what I was thinking, Devereaux murmured, "I tried to save him."
"Pascal?"
"Yes. At the time, I did not know it was him. I only knew he was an omega in a bad situation. But when I attempted to stop the kidnappers, they knocked me unconscious."
"Oh, Devereaux," I said. "It's okay. You did your best. It's not your fault you got knocked out."
He made a sound like a disgruntled growl. I didn't know how the ceramic cage of his chest could vibrate like that, but it did. There was a lot to explore when it came to Devereaux's new body but that exploration would have to wait until later.
"I won't make that mistake again," Devereaux said. Glancing down, he asked, "Are you comfortable, Florian?"
I nodded. Being this high up made my heart flip, but I knew Devereaux would never drop me. And flying was a smoother ride on my nerves—both physical and mental—than being on horseback, that was for sure.
"There," Devereaux said suddenly, his voice serious. "I see the carriage."
I gripped him tighter, both because anxiety swirled in my insides and because Devereaux was beginning his descent. My breath caught when the carriage came into view. The horses drawing it ran hard against the path and whinnied as the driver whipped the air above their heads. I winced at the sound of thecrack. If they treated their horses that way, who knew how they were treating Pascal?
"How many men are there?" I asked.
"I counted three," Devereaux replied. "The driver, plus two inside. The biggest one knocked me out."
I had a flash of worry. "What if they try to hurt you? You still feel sensations, right?"
"Yes, though I do not know the extent of it." He smirked, flashing stone gargoyle fangs. "I suppose this will be an excellent opportunity to find out."
My cheeks felt warm. I wasn't used to seeing Devereaux fired up. I liked it. I didn't want him to get hurt, obviously, but there was something nice about seeing an alpha eager to fight on my behalf. It reminded me that Devereaux really loved me, too.
"Hold on," Devereaux said.
After giving me fair warning, Devereaux folded his wings and dove like a falling stone. He flared his wings right before he hit the path. His sudden appearance spooked the horses and they stumbled to a clumsy halt, the carriage wheels creaking as it stopped.
"What the fuck?" the driver cried.
Devereaux put me on the ground and thrust his tail at me to return my cane. "Go hide in the trees. I will come for you when I am finished here."
I bit my lip. I didn't want Devereaux to fight alone, but realistically, would I even be any help? I would probably burden him by hanging around and being an easier target.
