Wrenley’s grip tightens on the bow. Her whole body shakes, gaze faraway. “You don’t understand. I told you and told you! Neither you nor Cas ever listen!”
“That’s a good girl,” Sira purrs. She pets Wrenley’s head. “Now, Rosalina darling, you be a good girl too. There’s no need to make your own sister shoot you, is there?”
Shadows start to lick across the ground toward me. I remember how they tangled up my arms, pinning me to the Tower of Nether Reach the last time Sira imprisoned me. I’ll never be at her mercy again.
But if it comes down to a fight between me, Sira, and the Nightingale, I know one thing for certain.
Whoever has the Nightingale—and that bow—on their side wins.
I let my flame and thorns fall. “Wrenley, listen to me. So much has happened between the two of us. But I want to get to know you. Therealyou. This time, I am listening and I hear how scared you are.”
Sira lets out a mocking laugh, and Wrenley just looks at me, resignation in her eyes.
“There’s another way, Wrenley,” I beg. “Sira would have let you die for that bow. But that’s not how things work in our family. We look after each other, no matter what. Wearefamily.”
“No.” Wrenley’s eyes dart back and forth. “I’ve never been a part of your world. Never can be.”
My voice breaks. “Our mother wants to meet you, Wrenley.Ourmother. We can save her together.”
Wrenley shuts her eyes and grits her teeth. A pained sound emits from her throat, before Sira steps forward. “Foolish words from a fool’s daughter! Be silent or I’ll rip your tongue from your mouth.”
“Get away from her!” a booming voice shouts across the sky. There’s the flap of wings, and I look behind me to see a Pegasus surging toward us, carrying Dayton.
He leaps off its back onto the stone rooftop, tucking into a roll. When he gets to his feet, a bright light flashes in his hand: the Trident of Honor.
His gaze is fiery, set on …
Set on Wrenley.
“I’ve had enough of this warmongering Summer Prince,” Sira says. “I’ll get just as much satisfaction from ripping Summer’s Blessing out of your sister. Now, Wrenley, shoot him.”
“She’s not going to do what you say anymore,” I call. “She doesn’t need you, Sira.”
A smile twitches at the corner of Sira’s mouth. “You petulant child. All you surface folk worship your great Queen. If only you knew how selfish she was. Even the most sanctified are susceptible to the right bargain.” Sira runs a hand through one of Wrenley’s curls. “My darling daughter knows that she was collateral for her first mother. That’s why you’re so well-behaved most of the time, isn’t it? You know I look after you. It’s very rare I have to enact the power I gained through Aurelia’s bargain. But I will do it. Won’t I, daughter?”
Panic laces through my chest. Aurelia made a bargain with the Queen of the Below? No, it can’t be true. “You’re not her mother,” I say.
“Iam,” Sira snarls. “Wrenley,shoot him.”
Wrenley’s chest heaves. “Mother, please. Summer is already lost. There’s no point in killing him.”
I hold my breath. I see it in her gaze—there may yet be some lingering attachment to Dayton. To me. Wrenley won’t do this. There is still good in her. Iknowit.
“I SAID SHOOT HIM!” Sira’s voice explodes through the air with a thundering roar, a voice so terrible, it sounds as if she dredged up all the echoes of the dead to scream with her.
A glazed look crosses Wrenley’s face. Her blue eyes seem to darken before shifting completely to black. Her body tenses, each muscle seeming to move of its own accord. Then she lifts the bow, draws the glowing string, and shoots.
Dayton staggers back, once, twice. The trident falls from his hand and clatters on the ground. He looks down, fingerstentatively prodding at the hole gaping through his stomach. Then, he looks to me.
“Rosie,” he says, and then that’s it.
He collapses to the ground.
Our mate bond goes slack.
CHAPTER 117
Caspian
