I sailed, flying so low, my wings scraped the tips of the grass as I leveled myself, coming too close for comfort to one of the storm fae tents. The material whipped in the wake of my wings. It caught the storm fae’s attention instantly.
Several of them shouted and rushed after me. And so I flew.
For hours, I let them give chase, leading them back across the storm fae lands toward the demolished Gailfean castle. When the crumbling ruins crept into view, I sucked in a breath and raced up toward the clouds once more before doubling back toward the mountain. Surely that would be enough.
Several more hours flew by, but at long last, I spotted a cave at the edge of a cliff. When I landed inside, Kalen was waiting for me. The wind whipped his dark hair around his face, lines of tension bracketing his mouth. I fell to my knees as pain dragged me down like a heavy iron chain. He was beside me in an instant, and his powerful arms lifted me to his chest. As he carried me into the cave, darkness took me.
* * *
Iawoke curled against Kalen’s chest. He’d tucked me close to him, and the solid strength of his body stilled my rising panic. I shifted against him, wincing at the pain in my back, but found the wings…they were gone.
“You’re awake,” he said in a rough voice. “Thank the moon.” I pulled back to meet his gaze. He palmed my face, dropped his forehead to mine, and shuddered. “You were barely breathing.”
I took a moment to inhale the familiar scent of him. He smelled so much like the mists. “I was afraid they wouldn’t take the bait, so I led them very, very far away.”
He let out a low, rumbling growl. “I hated you had to be the bait. In fact, I would take it back if I could.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It was the right thing to do. Has there been any sign of them behind you?”
We both turned to the cave exit, and I noted he hadn’t built a fire this time. Even though the entrance faced north and away from the war camp in the distance, he clearly hadn’t wanted to risk them seeing a hint of light. It would have wasted this entire effort.
“None so far. How far away did you lead them?”
I chuckled, though even that small movement hurt. “Some of them followed me all the way to Gailfean.”
“Gail—no wonder you were gone so long.”
“Sorry if I worried you. I wanted to buy you as much time as I could. How long have I been out?”
“A few hours,” he said quietly.
Alarm flashed through me. “We should go. Now. Before the shadowfiends start climbing up this mountain. We need to help the others.”
He nodded, though his concern throbbed toward me through the bond. “You could really use some rest.”
Sighing, I unwound myself from his embrace and stood on shaky legs. “We don’t have that kind of time.”
“I know.”
Kalen led me to the outcropping outside the cave where the rope hung waiting, just where we’d left it. I tipped back my head and gazed up at the steep cliff. The top of it was impossible to see from here, but we’d only just scaled down, and I could remember exactly how far we had to go. It was a long way back to the top.
“You go first,” Kalen said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Just in case, he didn’t say. Just in case my body gave out on me, and I slipped.
Calling upon the last dredges of my strength, I wrapped my gloved hands around the rope and began to climb. It was harder than I’d expected, even knowing just how exhausted my body was. Every inch felt like a battle. Every pause felt as if it might be my last. My wings were gone, but my back ached with phantom pain, as if they still pushed from my skin, making every movement that much harder.
And still, I climbed, Kalen just below me. Every now and again, I swore I faltered, and then I felt this push, this rush of strength in my bones. I knew he was somehow feeding it into me. I was too tired to call on it myself.
The moments crept by. This was taking far too long. Any moment now, the shadowfiends would hurtle up behind us and rip us from the sky.
But I would not give up. I would never stop trying, even when I wanted to lose myself in the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, just to get relief from the tormenting pain.
When I finally crawled over the lip of the cliff, Kalen only seconds behind me, Toryn stood waiting for us with Boudica perched on his shoulder. He offered me a hand and helped me stand before doing the same to his oldest friend, his fellow king. Before I could thank him, he tugged the both of us into his arms.
“Thank the moon you’re back,” he murmured, and I could have sworn his voice cracked.
“And yet,” Kalen said in a rough voice, “I’m afraid we don’t come bearing good news.”
