My heart thumps at the memory of Lorcan telling me Bronwen and Giana had gotten Nonna and Mamma away to safety. Did he mean Shabbe?
I wrench my head back and glower at the pewter air.They were brought to Shabbe?
Silence.
Answer me, godsdamnit.Tears sit heavy on my lashes.Answer me!
I told you they were safe.
The tears escape and mingle with the raindrops.In Shabbe, Lore.My voice cracks like my heart.
It was the safest place for them.
Perhaps, but all my hopes and dreams of reuniting with them, of hugging them, of explaining why I left and brought back the Crow King . . . all of them pop like soap bubbles.Did they at leastknowwhere they were being taken?
“Why’s the girl looking at the sky?” one of the sprites exclaims.
“The Crows must’ve stayed. Go check the trees!” Gold-buttons commands. “NOW!”
His entire squadron jolts like a spooked shoal of fish.
“Fucking now,soldati!”
Four sprites crawl higher, complexions as milky-gray as Montelucin stone.
Phoebus squeezes my hand. “Fal, what do you want to do?”
I scrub away the tears. “Right now, I want to yell at Gia and then I want set sail toward Shabbe.”
Thunder growls, then peals through the sky in time with forks of lightning.
You set sail for Shabbe and I will personally see that you’re returned to my home where you’ll stay until the wards collapse.
I gnash my molars at Lore’s threat.I will never go back to your home.Never.I hate your nest and I hate you.
A laugh that raises the waterlogged fine hairs on my arms echoes through the bond.Go see what’s become ofyourhome before you decree my nest so terrible.
Sixteen
Phoebus keeps my hand tucked in his as we trudge across the soggy marshlands, the haze of white sprites pressing around us, thinning the already stifling air. Although he tries to get me to make conversation, my anger and disappointment take up too much space to allow my mind to latch on to any topic.
With a sigh, he drapes his arm around my tight shoulders and hugs me to him, finally growing as quiet as me.
When we reach the dock, I’m soaked to the bone. To the marrow. And although it’s still summer, my body is racked by shivers.
Phoebus holds me tighter, water running over the slight dusting of gold hair plastered to his tanned skin. “I don’t think I’ve been this wet since Dargento tossed me into Mareluce to swim with the serpents.”
My blood heats at the memory of what my friend endured at the hands of the evil commander. My vengeance will be so fucking sweet.
“I hope he’s rotting in Filiaserpens.” The corners of his eyes are crinkled as though he’s remembering the pain and the fear. “Or better yet, in Shabbe.”
Fearing it may panic my friend, I don’t confess that the hateful man’s alive and in Luce. Unfortunately, the sprite nearest us publicizes both.
Phoebus’s grip turns crushing. “What?”
“The brave commander made it home.”
“Brave?” Phoebus chokes out. “The man is a smarmy and scheming brute!”
