One of the soldiers—who mustn’t be a soldier, or at least, not one of mine—raises a shiny weapon and levels it at my forehead.
I stare down the barrel, then pastitandhim, at the flashing, leaden immensity beyond. Are Isla or Aodhan on their way? I suddenly pray they aren’t, for if Imogen has been unresponsive, then that means Ksenia and her accomplices have found a way to neutralize Crows.
The distinct sizzle of a bullet is the last sound I hear before pain detonates behind my eyes and sweeps me under.
44
ISLA
Mestyla’s human head pokes out of the tempestuous surf. She blinks wildly at Vance, who snatched her around the neck the instant he realized that the girl couldn’t swim in this form. I hover my talons over their heads. Once he’s clutched one, I beat my wings to carry them up.
I jerk when my body bumps into another.Aodhan?I hiss.What are you doing here?
Kostya sent me.He glides over me, keeping the hail from clubbing my body.
Go back!I whirl on myself, trying to spot the hill with Konstantin’s sleigh, but the air is so white I can’t discern north from south.Where is he? Do you see anything?
No, but I left him with soldiers.
You left him with Ksenia!Panic crisps my larynx.
He isn’t weak, Isla.
She fucking isn’t either. We need to go back!I growl.Where is the hill?
Follow me.His tone is flat. Either I’ve wounded his pride, or he’s just grasped his mistake.
As we carve through the worsening weather, I say into the pack link:It’s done. Mestyla shifted.
Has she talked?both my father and Jaytair ask at the very same time.
Not yet,I say.We’re flying back to the castle. Any news from Imogen?
I just heard back. She’s fine. Inspecting the cargo. Tell Vance not to worry andnotto leave your side, all right?Like earlier, my father’s voice shakes with nerves, unsettling me.
The current weather conditions wouldn’t be of your making by any chance?Though Aodhan shields me from hailstones, he cannot shield me from the lashing wind.
No.
Shame. I was going to ask you to tone it down a few notches.
I will. As soon as I’m near enough, I will.Except he won’t be near enough for several more hours, having only left Luce when Aodhan broadcasted the stabbing.
As I fly against the tempest, I say, to no one in particular,Do you know how certain I was that Salom had harmed Imogen with obsidian?
So was I…Aodhan murmurs.
A bloom of red develops against the white beneath me. We’ve reached the hill.
Where’s the sleigh?I ask.Do you see it?
No.When he growls a deep fuck, my heart bangs.
What?
Two of Kostya’s guards…
What about them?
