“You cannot escape that way,” Sloane said dryly. “Why do you think I brought you to the uppermost room in the tallest tower? It is not because I prefer heights myself.”
With a smile, she shot him a glance over her shoulder. “You really must consider me a threat to go to such great lengths to confine me. As you said yourself, there are hundreds of warriors inside of this castle.”
The sky outside suddenly darkened, thick black clouds rolling off the sea. Reyna glanced up with a frown. A storm would not be ideal, but she saw no other way. She might never again get this chance. It was her one shot at an escape, and she had to do it now. And she could only save Eislyn if she were free.
Palms slick with nervous sweat, she dug her fingernails into the stone ledge. Her heart raced so fast that she swore it would burst out of her chest. Had she truly gone mad? Could she really do this?
She cast another glance over her shoulder at the former king who planned to destroy them all. And then she launched onto the ledge and jumped. Wind whistled around her as she fell, a cry of fear lodged in her throat. Her hair whipped around her face, twisting strands smacking against her cheeks.
She squeezed her eyes tight and stretched her arms wide, every single part of her screaming in fear. But a small hidden part of her had burst alive. A part that she had never known existed until now. And it truly believed that she could fly.
Wingallock’s talons suddenly curled around her arms. Her body jerked in the air as the owl slowed her fall. She ground her teeth, her heart in her throat. Even though he had snatched her into his claws, they both hurtled toward the ground. Her familiar had slowed her tumble, but the ground still rushed toward them at a terrifying speed.
Arrows whistled past her ears, warriors from the battlements spotting her flight.
“Wingallock!” Reyna screamed.
Magic pulsed between them, charging through her body with white hot electricity. Her owl’s mind locked with hers. She understood at once his every thought. He could not fly her away from the castle. She was too heavy. Only Reyna herself had the ability to steer their flight, by controlling his body as if it were hers. But it took time. And practice. And magic she did not think she had.
Together, theycouldfly, but having never done it before, she did not know how.
He could slow her fall just enough that she would not die when she hit the ground. But he could do no more than that.
Sharp pain ripped through her calf as an arrow struck true. She cried out in pain, writhing in the air. Wingallock hooted in alarm, struggling to hold on to her trembling arms. The ground loomed large below. Flakes of snow drifted down from the sky, and a harsh wind blasted her face.
Suddenly, her arms were ripped from Wingallock’s talons. Crying, she reached out, arms outstretched. The ground slammed hard into her aching body.
59
Reyna
Tears streaming down her face, Reyna stood on her trembling leg. Heavy flakes of snow rained down from above. She tipped back her head and breathed it in, steadying her nerves, forcing away the pain. She had fallen in the courtyard as Wingallock had struggled to keep control of the flight. She had urged him away as soon as she had hit the ground. If he stayed, they would no doubt kill him to prevent another attempted escape.
Gritting her teeth, she grabbed the arrow and yanked it from her leg. Fierce pain wracked her body. So fierce that she let out a guttural scream.
Around a dozen warriors poured into the courtyard, swords raised. Reyna glanced around her, heart pounding. Blood poured from her wound, dripping onto the ground to join the falling snow. But she stood her ground, forcing herself to stay calm and in control.
Sloane stepped through a doorway, and the warriors parted to allow him through. He came to a stop before her, but kept his distance. She could only imagine how she looked. Eyes wild, body trembling from pain. Hair a mess of wind-streaked strands tumbling around her shoulders.
“Well, that was certainly unexpected,” he said with an amused smile. “And I must say quite daring. Unfortunately for you, it was very much a failed effort. Did you truly believe an owl could bear your weight?”
Yes, Reyna thought. She had been certain of it. Indeed, she wasstillcertain it was possible, even if it had not gone as she had hoped. Whatever had driven her out the window had been a strange knowledge deep within her gut. Wingallockcouldcarry her. But just as she had needed to learn swordplay, she could not very well expect to fly without any practice at all.
Snow fell onto her face, mingling with the sweat beading on her forehead. She breathed it in, relishing in the soothing chill it brought with it.
Sloane frowned, glanced up, and wiped the flakes from his face. “I hate the snow. Such annoying things, these white flakes. They quickly turn to dirt-stained mush and get in the way of everything. I do not understand how you and your lot live with this every single day of your lives.”
“Ours doesn’t turn to mush,” she said with a smile.
The wind picked up, gusting the snow through the courtyard.
He scowled. “You still have to trek through it. It makes fighting impossible.”
Indeed, it did. For anyone other than ice fae. It was one of the few advantages they had, and it was likely why Reyna was more valuable alive than dead. It was difficult to defeat the ice fae on their own lands. Snow made everything more difficult, as did the Shard. But ice only made Reyna feel more alive.
Even the blasting wind could not dampen Reyna’s spirits now. The wind swirled through the courtyard, dusting the snow and slamming it against her face. It didn’t sting. It didn’t even get into her eyes. Her entire body just absorbed it all, basking in the storm.
Sloane shielded his eyes and turned toward his warriors, barking orders. “Grab her. This is turning into some sort of blizzard, and we need to get everyone back inside.”
