Endre’s mossy eyes glimmered. “I am not ashamed of our past.” He spread his arms and looked up at Annalisa. “Just little mementos from our time as ravens.”
Erik’s lip curled as he released my arm. “Try not to get yourself killed.”
Endre shot him a look. “Go brew some tea and let a real swordsman handle things.” He glanced at me. “Come along, ladies. We have a battle to win.”
Brietta and I descended the steps with Endre’s escort. I looked over my shoulder. Erik offered Annalisa his arm, but she blew past him to join us.
Sparkles of pink and gold light broke through the wispy clouds. Morning mist crawled over the grass. The magical tears in the heavy air tickled my cheeks.
Some rain would quell any weaponized fire.
I stopped in the center of the courtyard and spread my hands, forcing my magic to reach out for miles as I awakened thousands of tears in the air.
“What is she doing?” Annalisa hissed.
The tears trembled, ready to listen. I closed my fists and pulled inward.
“Look up!” Brietta cried.
I pulled and pulled, straining under a massive yet invisible weight. All the tears in the sky followed my command, moving over the fortress and pressing together to form heavy clouds.
The clouds were filling with tears, but I needed more. I reached out further, lower in the sky, grabbing every sparkle of magical moisture I could…
“I feel you, sorceress.”
Alastar found me, even through my magic. My stomach dropped, but I gritted my teeth and kept my hold over my power, dragging the tears to the fortress.
“You are almost mine,” he said with a growl. “I can smell you. I can taste you.”
I dropped my power with a gasp and fell into the grass. I looked up and the grey clouds above me were ready to burst open. Rain would fall with just a snap of my fingers.
“Sera!” Riyan rushed over and knelt beside me in the grass. “Are you all right?”
“She is brilliant!” Brietta said with a wide smile. “She just nullified Derrick’s greatest weapon.”
Riyan helped me up. He kissed me on the forehead, his hand lingering over the pearls on top of my head. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
I could not help but smile, even as my fate approached.
“Archers, to your places!” Evereon ordered.
Footsteps scrambled to the wall. The rolling of the cavalry’s hooves echoed up the mountainside.
The Lycaster army had arrived. Derrick was mere paces away.
The pull of my bargain flared through my blood. I could not run from my obligation any longer.
I broke out of Riyan’s grip. My heart ached as he called for me, but I climbed the gate’s steps, winding up and up until my face hit the heavy air.
Legions of cavalry lined up in front of the fortress gates. Grigory Thornebow with fresh burns on his neck led the rows of archers. Carts full of dry hay were positioned near the gate along with soldiers holding torches. The six Barons mounted their horses beneath their House banners. General Hyton wore gleaming brass atop his white horse, positioned right in front of the Barons. Fraleigh stood beside the General’s horse, her golden eyes finding mine as a magical tether connected us.
“I’m sorry, Serafina,” she whispered. “I tried to stop Daigen. I tried to stop them all.”
My eyes traced the gleaming band around her neck that was about to be mine. She tried to defy the will of the Man of the Mountain and let herself suffer just to save me.
No one deserved a collar, but Fraleigh deserved rest.
A slow wave of calm washed through me as I sent a message back: “I am a Ravenwood regardless of what color I wear. I will survive this too.”
