“Apparently, Konstantin has been trying to convince Salom of letting non-pure-bloods enlist for a while now. She assumed Salom had finally conceded.”
I suddenly hope that Ksenia also concocted the news Ilya received. Although I wish for Yuri to make a full recovery, if Milana’s letter was fabricated, that means that Ksenia hasn’t completely lost her heart.
May she have sent Izolda away…
Maybe that’s why Aodhan rushed out! Because Izolda was headed somewhere.
“You still haven’t told us why you rushed here, Miss Patchenkov,” Vance says.
“Because my mother asked Milana if it was true that Ksenia was having an affair with Bohdan. My sister had no clue, butKonstantin’s damn bargain compelled me to journey to the capital to pass on the information, which I truly hope is a rumor. Though I suppose that vile, manipulative man would seduce his son’s ex-girlfriend.” Her nose rumples with disgust.
I maneuver toward the footboard and hop off. The instant my boots hit snow, I reappear. Of course I messed up my invisibility sigil.
“Isla, where are you going?” Vance hisses in Serpent.
“I’ll fly her to my room. It’s warded. She’ll be safe there.” I’ve spent so much time around the Serpent recently that I can taste his disapproval on the air. “Then I’ll come right back here. Promise.” In Glacin, I say, “Climb onto my back, Sofiya.”
“When Shabbe freezes over…” she snipes back.
I tilt my head. “You prefer facing off with bloodthirsty, pure-blood haters than being flown to safety?”
Her features twitch. “You’re offering to fly me home?”
“No. I’m offering to fly you to safety.”
“Where is this safe place?”
“My bedroom.”
“How is your bedroom safe?” she yelps. “You just said the castle is under siege!”
“My bedroom is warded.”
“Lock her in your closet and paint a sleep sigil over her brow for good measure,” Vance murmurs in his tongue.
“She’ll love that.” My voice drips with sarcasm.
“She’ll love it more than being beheaded or gouged with an iron bullet.” Vance’s humorless tone slashes through a peal of thunder.
“Look, Sofiya. In one second, I’m out of here. Either you climb onto my back, or?—”
“Surely there must be some other way than flying?”
“I suppose I could make you invisible. You do know where my bedroom is after all.”
“You’d walk with me?”
“No. You’d be on your own. I only offered to fly you because I want to check Konstantin’s quarters in case Ksenia took him there. Or you can hang out here on the sleigh with my Serpent friend?—”
“I’ll come with you!” Could she grimace any wider?
After I shift, I learn that she can, for when she climbs atop my extended wing, the skin around her mouth rucks with revulsion.
“Wait,” Vance calls out. A hand suddenly strokes over my beak, gusting the scent of blood into my nostrils. Once I’ve winked out of existence, his hand drops. “Try to reach Immy?”
I take off, calling out to her through the bond. Silence echoes between my temples but not against my ears. As we gain altitude, Sofiya squeals and plasters herself against my back, strangling me.
Hailstones come at us as though batted from the heavens. I’m filled with such adrenaline and fury that I barely flinch as they sock my wings and spine, each thwack feeling no more painful than an insect nibble. They must hurt Sofiya, though, because she swaps her squeals for creative curse words.
