Cassiel laughed. “Brilliant.”
Dyna flashed him a grin. “I’m glad you should think so.”
They reached the alley and jumped into the cage fastened to Fair’s saddle.
“Go!” Rawn barked as he leaped inside after them.
Lucenna whipped the reins. Fair galloped away, Zev sprinting alongside them. Cassiel looked out at the end of the alley, the chaos and screams growing distant as the market fell out of view.
God of Urn, what happened?
“Your father,” Dyna said, probably feeling his shock. “When you didn’t arrive in Hermon Ridge …”
“He ordered my uncle to find me,” Cassiel finished. He didn’t expect his father to care enough to risk the Four Realms.
At the command, Lord Jophiel would have immediately sent out his Valkyrie. The wanted notices told them exactly where to search.
He pressed his forehead against the bars. Oh, his father would scourge him for this if he wasn’t exile him first. It would be impossible to hide the existence of Celestials now. The Azure King would surely have something to say about the butchery of his people. This could mean war.
Rawn handed Cassiel his enchanted coat. “Forgive us for not coming sooner.”
“I’m grateful you came at all.” Cassiel immediately slipped it on, relieved to have his wings out of sight.
Dyna glowered at him. “You gave up your life.”
“I did it for you.”
She shook her head, closing her eyes as the distant cries reached them. “I am not worth this, Cassiel.”
People died because he exposed himself for her. This would change everything. But … he didn’t care. Dyna was his to protect. When it came between her and the world, he would always choose her.
Dyna removed the chain with his mother’s ring from her jacket and placed it around his neck. “You have a reason to keep going.”
He yanked her into an embrace, holding her close to his heart. She tightened her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. He laid his head over hers, and a sigh of relief as peace spread over him like a wave. Tendrils of their bond coiled between them and became stronger, as if her presence alone fortified its strength.
“You came back for me.”
“Did you truly believe I could live with myself if I left you behind?” Her voice broke. “I’ll always come for you, Cassiel. I meant what I said on the ship.”
I want to stay. No matter the consequences, I want to stay with you.
There were no words for what that did to him. For most of his life, he had thought his existence didn’t matter in the world. That no one would care if he disappeared. For her to say she wanted to stay with him couldn’t be right. It had to be a dream, for who could want such a thing?
The cage shook as they raced through the cobblestone streets. Aware of Rawn’s presence, he reluctantly let Dyna go. They held onto the bars and watched the streets of the Port of Azure roll past in a blur. It would be the last time they would ever return.
The sorceress headed north, and she didn’t slow down. They raced through northern city gates, oddly not manned by any guards. Travelers leaped out of their way as they sped past, eliciting a cloud of dust on the road. The sun lowered in the sky when they finally came to a stop on a soaring cliff miles away.
“Freedom!” Cassiel burst out of the cage onto solid ground. He never thought he would be so overjoyed to stand on grass.
Zev shifted into his human form and laughed. He quickly dressed with clothes Rawn tossed to him. “Did you see the poacher’s face when Lucenna dropped the spell? I’ll never forget it.”
Rawn chuckled as he exited the cage next. “I’m astounded we carried out such a tremendous scheme.”
Cassiel took Dyna’s hand, helping her down. “How did you plan this?”
“She thought it best to disguise us as poachers to gain Draven’s trust,” Zev said. “And Lucenna used an illusion spell to turn me into a Celestial.” He puffed his chest with pride. “I made a quite handsome one too, didn’t I?”
Cassiel smiled and shook his head. “Thank you. I was certain it was the end for me.”
