He held out his hand.
“Do you trust me?”
I froze.
Did I trust him? Maybe. Did I trust him not to drop me? That was a different question entirely.
But heavy footsteps thundered up the stairs. Voices shouting. Getting closer.
I grabbed his hand. He pulled me against his chest, one arm wrapping tight around my waist.
“Hold on.”
Darius scooped me up, one arm under my knees, the other locked around my back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for my life. Then we launched through the open window.
Cold air slammed into my face. Wind tore at my hair. Behind us, I heard the door crash open—too late.
We were already in the sky.
Below us, Maddenvale shrank to a cluster of flickering lights.
He flew so fast it felt like being strapped to a 747—if a 747 could dodge between clouds and make my stomach drop every few seconds.
I tried to look over his shoulder, but we were moving so fast everything was a blur. Trees, hills, sky—all smeared together like paint.
Angelo Santi could fly—I’d watched him tear across the New Orleans sky like a shadow with wings. He’d been terrifying. Untouchable.
Darius would have left him in the dust.
Cradled against his chest, I could feel Darius’ heartbeat. Steady. Calm. As if this was a leisurely flight and not a desperate escape. Mine was the one that was racing around my ribs.
Darius slowed. We dipped toward the treetops, branches reaching up like grasping fingers.
I looked up at him. “Why are we slowing down? Are you all right?”
“Campfire below.” His eyes narrowed. “Caterpillar is there.”
Cold fingers walked up my spine. “I thought they were taking him to the queen’s castle.”
“So did I.”
He circled lower, his wings barely making a sound. Through the leaves, I caught a flicker of orange light.
Fire coiled in my chest. Fire. It looked like fire.
“What do we do?”
“I need to get you somewhere safe first.” His arm tightened around me. “Then I’ll come back.”
As we drifted closer, the scene below came into focus. At least eight soldiers surrounded Caterpillar. He sat slumped near the fire, smoke still curling lazily from his skin.
“But you could get hurt.” Panic edged into my voice. “There’s too many of them.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you or Caterpillar. But I won’t risk you walking into a trap.”
I couldn't even dress myself without my magic going haywire. What made me think I could help in a fight? But I couldn't just hide in the trees while Darius risked his life.
“I’m not completely helpless, Darius.” I squirmed in his hold. “I could help with my magic.”
