Am I hearing shit now?
“I am speaking through your mind,” it says. “But I can call out to my brothers if you prefer me to vocalize.”
The fuck does that mean—speaking through my mind? It’s in my brain? How?
“We mean no harm,” Aeri says. “The egg was abandoned.”
The amarth moves its head suddenly, more like an eagle than a person. It stares at the egg. “It is not yours to take, Princess Naerium.”
Nope, okay, that’s much worse. How does it know Aeri? Why?
“Your kind are not complicated to know, Royo,” it says. “Son of Snaw.”
My heart lodges in my throat. How the fuck did this get weirder? How does this bird thing know me? Then the name Snaw tears through me like a salted blade. That was my father’s name—the man who walked out when I was a toddler. The man my mom kept a plate for at every dinner table until she died.
What is happening right now?
“We need to take this to the Queen of Khitan,” Aeri says.
Honestly, she’s too calm, considering we’re having a conversation with a seven-foot-tall bird. But I guess that’s the princess part of her—always ready.
“The Queen of Khitan cannot wield the ring,” it says. “You are on a fool’s errand. As are your friends.”
Aeri turns pale, and her eyes shoot over to me. She looks for help, like I’m the one in control of this.
“War of the realms and the rot of death come as fools try to become gods,” it says. “You have your roles to play, especially you and the Son of Vengeance. Leave the egg, and I will allow you to escape with your lives.”
“Perhaps a trade,” she says, gripping her necklace. “For the egg.”
The bird closes its eyes in a way that I somehow know means no.
“Our kind serve the Sky King. We cannot break the treaty of the Dragon Lord. And the bells are useless for another while your heart still beats.”
I have no idea what any of that means, but Aeri looks stunned. My spine stiffens. Whatever it is ain’t good.
“Leave the egg,” it says. “That is your final warning.”
Aeri looks at me, torn. She wants to flee and try to make it, but we both know I can’t run as fast as she can. Which means that even if she could escape, I won’t.
Fuck it. It’s an easy decision.
I shift my weight and put one leg out, dropping into a fighting stance. I’ll keep this bird busy while she gets away. I open my jacket, revealing the throwing knives in my vest just as a gust of wind blows. My heart pumps hot, but I’m steady. I’ve got no nerves at all. The forest and the mountains are beautiful, the air crisp and clean. I’m ready.
There are much worse ways to go than protecting what you love.
Fuck, now I finally get what the priest was saying. Better late than never, I guess.
“No, Royo.” Aeri puts her hand out for me to stop. “No.”
She leans down. She’s going to leave the egg so that we can escape. So thatIcan escape.
I open my mouth to argue, but a shriek comes out of nowhere.
Our time is up.
Chapter Fifty-One
Tiyung
