Sylvester flew right next to us, as if trying to show us how it’s done. I didn’t miss the way his eyes tracked us, as worried as I sensed Ryker was.
I could only see him when he slowed down to retrieve another injured warrior. Then he morphed back into a blur.
I grasped the straps with all my might, feeling weightless and too heavy all at once.
When we neared the tops of the pines, I tucked my knees to my chest, fearful my boot laces might catch in the needles.
Down below, I heard Mrs. Thornbrew’s voice, more high-pitched than ever, but very much alive. “Ry, I can walk and I’ve lived a very long life. Go help those young warriors. Honestly!”
I breathed out a sigh of relief, even as my stomach churned and my legs tingled as I stared down. I kept tensing my backagainst Dax, instinctually trying to distance myself from the deadly plummet.
“Allie, you need to relax,” Dax ground out, pained. “Your bow is an inch away from piercing my ribs.”
“Sorry. We’re flying.” I let out a choked laugh. “I hate it.”
“Yeah, I think I’m giving up my wings if we survive this,” Dax said.
“No,” I said darkly. “Wehaveto survive.”
From up above, the mayhem was even more appalling.
The mist covered the streets and snaked through the trees, singeing the barks. Nothing could survive it.
But the mangled, decaying bodies left in its wake…those hadn’t been my people, but they were people. With concerned families waiting for them at home.
So many of them, dead for their leaders’ greed and pride.
Nadya had killed friends and the closest thing to a family she had on someone else’s order.
Younglings had died and many more would.
This wasn’t normal.
This wasn’t what the world could be turned into.
But it would if we didn’t stop it.
“We can’t let this happen again,” I said as the wind brushed through my hair, cooling me down.
“I hope you do manage to mold this world into your vision, Allie.” He stuttered a breath. “But this poison–what good is it that we’re trying to be better, faster, more clever, when they can stop us with a drop? What Nadya did to Vylkor, what these bastards did to their own…without a cure, it’s useless.”
“I have to believe,” I said, eyes tracking the poison’s advance. For a moment, I saw shadows dancing through it. “What in Xamor’s name is that?”
Dax tensed behind me, neck tightening as he leaned forward. I narrowed my eyes, but all I could see were trees and mist–and the roof of the Memory Hall crypt rushing toward us much, much too quickly.
“Dax,” I warned, legs kicking. “Dax!”
“Shit. Hold on!”
My insides dropped as Dax yanked on the pulleys dangling above our heads. The wings turned sharply, swerving us to the right–straight toward the trolls stuck between the incoming fog and the entrance of the Memory Hall.
“Other way, other way!” I yelled.
My lungs slammed against my ribs as the wings swerved in the opposite direction–right toward the jagged stones of the Memory Hall.
We were going to crash.
Suddenly, a blur raced toward the tallest troll.
