Warriors crept through the streets. They melted through cracked doors and half-open windows. The city was alive with activity, but you wouldn’t know it from the clouds above. I hovered in the darkness, my heavy wings beating in time with my thunderous heartbeat. Now and then, I caught the vague suggestion of movement through the mist, but if the gods were watching, they wouldn’t realize we were fleeing this place. They would likely think we were preparing for war.
I tucked my wings and dove toward the castle. As I approached, the true buzz of the night filled my ears. Whispers drifted out from the open doors, and the patter of hurried feet soon followed. When I landed, Nellie was waiting for me. Her pack was on her shoulder, and she looked determined as light.
“This is a good idea, yes? We’re not making a mistake?” she asked.
“How about I answer that after dawn?”
She clutched my arm as I moved toward the door leading back inside the castle. “Are you sure we shouldn’t be fighting them?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “This city is full of innocent people, so of course we should do whatever it takes to keep them safe. If that means evacuating them, then so be it. But a part of me wants to order the warriors to stay behind. There might be enough of us to make a stand. I want to fight the gods, same as you.”
“I would fight them with you.”
“And I love you for it.” With a sigh, I pulled my sister to my chest and hugged her fiercely. Whispering into her hair, I said, “I know this war is stealing everyone’s focus, but don’t think I’ve forgotten you, Nellie, and what you’ve been through. If you need to talk about it, I’m right here.”
Her small arms clutched me tighter. “I know. But there’s not much to say. I turned into a wolf, then I turned back.”
I pulled back, searched her eyes. “Do you know why? Or how?”
“I think it’s always been inside me, and leaving Teine made it come out. I couldn’t control it at first, but when the scorpion knocked the wind out of me, it’s like it knocked something loose. I can transform back into a wolf anytime I need to now.”
“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Why? It’s just a part of me, Tessa.” She smiled. “Just like death is a part of you.”
I winced and looked away, but Nellie stepped in close and wagged her finger in my face. “No, you won’t do that. If I’m going to accept my strange powers, you’re going to accept yours. It’s not a curse. It’s just who we are.”
“You’re so much wiser than most, even the centuries-old fae,” I said, unable to stop myself from smiling back. “And I’m proud to call you my sister.”
“I’mthe proud one.” She pulled the Mortal Blade out from behind her back and placed it in my hands. “You’re going to lead us to victory, Tessa. I’ve never been more certain of anything.”
Surprised, I wound my hand around the hilt, the familiarity of the steel cold and refreshing against my palm. “I thought Gaven hid the gemstones somewhere outside of Endir.”
“That would have taken too much time. Anyway, it was easier if you believed they were somewhere else, just in case the gods were able to scent your lies.”
“Clever.” I slid the blade into my sheath. I’d never removed it, despite no longer carrying the weapon. The weight against my hip grounded me. I’d grown so accustomed to it being there that I felt unsteady without it.
“I still have the other stones in my pocket. Do you want them back?”
Instinctively, I started to reach for the stones, but then thought better of it. “No, you keep them. If the gods come for me, it’s best if I’m not carrying them all.”
She nodded gravely. “I’ll protect them with my life.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but swallowed the words instead. I’d spent too long treating my little sister like she was nothing more than a fragile glass doll that could shatter from so much as a scratch. That was how I’d always seen her, and I understood why now. I’d wanted to be able to protectsomeone, since I’d never been able to protect myself from my father. And because my mind had shut down after everything he’d done, I’d forgotten that Nellie was quite capable of protecting her own damn self.
She was her own person, and I couldn’t control her. I needed to loosen my grip on her. I needed to accept she might take risks I didn’t want her to. And right now, she probably was the best person to be carrying those gemstones. She could damage the gods when no one else could, even me.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get our people into the tunnels. We only have a few hours until dawn.”
* * *
In the depths of the earth, Endir’s dungeons tunneled through the dirt. Gaven carried a torch at the head of the party, and the light illuminated empty cells stained with all manner of grime. Dust motes danced in the flickering beams, and just in front of me, Ruari coughed into his hand. I’d taken it upon myself to extract him from this place. His fate was sealed, but I would not leave him here to face the gods alone.
Nellie walked in front of him so that he was sandwiched between the only two people among us who were immune to his touch. Everyone else gave him a wide berth. Kalen had threatened to execute him if he touched a single other person. Ruari had gladly agreed to the deal.
Behind me, the humans and fae stretched out in a snaking line. The back of our party was rounded out by Toryn and Fenella. Kalen had chosen the middle of the group. He wanted to be amongst the people, to give them hope.
The hours crept by slowly. We left behind the dungeons for cramped tunnels. The fae had to duck to keep moving forward, though the low ceilings weren’t a problem for me and Nellie. It was the spiders and bats that stole my breath and pushed my heart to beat faster. Now and then, dangling webs of vibrant green scratched my arms and face. Insects crawled into my hair. And it was all I could do to hold back my screams.
