Wind rushed past my ears, deafening in its intensity. Somehow, Talon’s arms kept hold of me.
And then, powerful claws wrapped around us and snatched us out of the air like we weighed no more than mice. Talon kept his body wrapped around mine as Neo carried us from the palace.
My head spun, and a terrible sensation pressed against my chest, making it difficult to draw breath. The edges of my vision faded. It felt a lot like I was dying.
I could hear Talon calling my name, but I was beyond answering now.
Shazeera,I thought one last time.
33
Talon
I cradled Zara’s limp body close to me as every wingbeat seemed to echo the same thought:Don’t die on me.
How could I have been so spectacularly stupid? I never should have let her risk her life. I should have gone with my first instinct—to get her the hell out of here and damn the consequences. Every time I glanced down at her pale face against my chest, desperation burned through me. The whole mission had been a mistake. Baz, Zamir, and Kestrel—all dead. The suffocating weight of grief pressed down on me, threatening to pull me under. I didn’t even have time to mourn them because Zara so desperately needed my help, but I knew it would hit me powerfully later. I had led three riders—trustworthy and loyal friends—to their deaths. Had I thought because Zara had blown our asses out of the sky that she could take on that demon? Even I hadn’t been prepared for that level of evil.
Did you bring this First Daughter to me as an offering?
The worst of it was that we hadn’t even succeeded. Just before I grabbed Zara and made a run for it, I had seen the Devourer’sbloodred eyes staring back at us menacingly—and still very much alive.
I tried to shake free of the memories as I watched Zara for signs of movement. Her eyes fluttered like she was still struggling to stay conscious, and I wrapped my arm around her tighter to keep her warm. My jaw flexed as I clenched my teeth. I wasn’t sure exactly what the Devourer had done to her, but seeing that silvery-white substance being pulled from her destroyed me. It reminded me of the king of Mistral’s letter:It has only one goal: power. And the means with which it gets it is the most disturbing of all. I dare not even write about it.
Was that what the Devourer had done to Zara? Consumed her power?
I cradled her closer to my body, trying to keep this all-consuming fear at bay.
Before I could think about it more, Zara began to shake violently, her lips turning bluish. The wind roared by, unrepentantly frigid.
Neo, it’s too cold for her! She’ll freeze to death.
There’s a plateau in the distance with some trees—that will provide shelter from the wind.
Go there, then. And quickly.
Neo banked, and I held Zara as tightly against my chest as I could, hoping to impart some warmth. But I could feel the wind snatch it away, weakening her even as she fought whatever the Devourer had done to her.
Hurry,I thought, my jaw clenched so hard my teeth creaked in protest.
I am,Neo thought back, with more than a little irritation in his tone. I hadn’t meant to think it across our bond, but now that I had, I couldn’t stop thinking it.
Every beat of my heart urged me to hurry.
By the skies, if you don’t stop saying that,Neo said, pumping his wings even harder.What can you even do? You’re not a medic.
I only know she can’t endure this cold much longer.
Suddenly, a tremor ran through Neo, and he tightened his grip on us. He let out a deafening shriek—a sound of challenge.
What’s going on?
There’s a wild eagle flanking us.
My blood ran cold. Where had it come from? They were so rare that this was colossally bad luck. Wild eagles could pose a threat, even to a war eagle like Neo. Our eagles were hatched in the palace aerie and so had been at our sides since the moment they emerged from an egg. Livestock were kept solely to feed them so that they didn’t have to hunt to eat or feed their young. They were trained in the art of war and flying with a rider. The wild eagles spoke their own language, were indifferent to the lives and fates of humans, and grew large and powerful thanks to having many different bloodlines to choose from.
They were also extremely aggressive, attacking and killing anyone who flew too close, and asking questions later.
I’m going to need one of my claws,Neo said.Hold on tight to her, and I’ll shift you both to my right one.
