Gallium is shaking his head. “Asha, no.”
I cast my focus onto him. “Brother, I love you, but I’ve fought and bled and screamed. I’ve kept the Vandawolf alive, and I won’t give up now.”
“Why?” he asks.
“You’ve never touched darkness, brother. Not like the Vandawolf has. Not like I have. His fate is intertwined with mine and I will see this through. No matter what it takes.”
He steps up to me and I don’t flinch.
“Even if you have to go through me?” he asks.
Even without his tools, my brother is bright in my vision. His goodness, his heart, and his honor are untainted.
Take control of the light and the dark.
The impulse is strong.
My response is quiet but absolute. “Even if I have to go through you.”
Chapter12
“Stop!”
The cry comes from Gliss. She leaves the thunderbird’s head and hurries around the stretcher.
“Sister—” She stops in front of Elowynn and starts again more formally. “Commander Dawn, Concord is your thunderbird. You have the final say in this, but Concord is willing to carry Asha Silverspun and the Vandawolf. In fact, sherequeststo do so.” Gliss’s voice lowers. “Which you already know, since you understand Concord’s thoughts as well as your own.”
At Gliss’s speech, the thunderbird shuffles a little, her neck curved, her eyes on Elowynn.
There’s a silence between them.
Then Elowynn’s jaw clenches.
I reevaluate the two dark-haired women. Fae powers are connected to nature, but it seems that they can read this thunderbird’s mind. It’s unsettling that they might be able to read mine, too.
Gliss’s voice lowers to a whisper. “Don’t risk Concord’s life in the name of pride.”
Elowynn’s expression is unreadable. Almost. I’m getting better at interpreting the smallest changes in the mask she wears.
She’s frustrated.
I don’t need to read her mind to know she won’t want her authority undermined, let alone by me.
She spins to me. “You have my permission, Blacksmith, but according to your own request, we will not touch this man. Which means we will not help you move him up to the saddle. You must do that yourself.”
“That’s fine.” I’ve faced more daunting tasks than that today. I’m more concerned about the bird tipping us off once we’re on it, but hopefully, that won’t happen, given the creature’s apparent willingness to carry us.
“Put the stretcher on the ground,” Elowynn orders the four women holding it. They look relieved as they place it on the ground, rubbing their arms as they step away.
My brother is once again at my side. “You’ll only open your wounds lifting him up there.”
“I’m aware of that,” I say, trying to keep my voice low. “But you can’t help me.” I sigh. “Even if I thought you wanted to.”
There’s a war in his expression, but I don’t have time to worry about him.
Hurrying to the Vandawolf, I hook my arms under his shoulders, hauling him upward with a grunt. There’s no point trying to keep my left hand away from him now. All I can do is guard my thoughts and impulses and focus completely on lifting him.
With the force of my effort, I sense my wounds open and feel the fresh flow of blood, but the medallion gives me the strength to ignore it. Stomping my foot down on the stretcher to keep it steady, I heave the Vandawolf off it.
