TAVRIN
Two heartbeats against my chest.
Wren’s. Steady. Strong. Alive.
Smaller one. Faster. The sister. Elspeth. Ours.
I launched into the dark and the cold hit like mercy. Fever burning. Wings screaming. Didn’t matter. Had them. Had them both.
Wren’s voice in my ear. “You came through the wall.”
Couldn’t answer. Nothing left for words.
Her hand found my face. Traced my jaw. Feathers there now. Hadn’t been feathers there before.
“You held on for fourteen minutes. That’s... Tavrin, that’s...”
Fourteen. Almost fifteen. Almost.
His voice. Calling her. The words he used.
Red.
Everything went red.
Don’t think about it. Fly. Just fly.
The mountain rose ahead. Black against black. Home. Safety. Nest.
Elspeth whimpered. Pressed her face into Wren’s shoulder. First time flying. Terrified.
Wren held her tighter. Murmured something. Comfort sounds. Sister sounds.
I climbed higher. Thermals. Easier than flapping. Save strength.
Strength.
Running out.
Wren felt me falter. Her hand moved to my chest. Over my heart. Pressing.
“Stay with me. We’re almost there.”
Almost.
The Aerie. Lights in windows. The balcony. Landing there. Just had to make it to?—
Wing buckled.
We dropped. Elspeth screamed. Wren didn’t. Wren grabbed my feathers and held on and said my name like a command.
“Tavrin. TAVRIN.”
Caught the air. Barely. Climbing again. Slower now.
Everything narrowing. Just the wingbeats. Just her heartbeat. Just the mountain getting closer.
“Talk to me.” Her voice. “Tell me about the nest. Tell me where you put my books.”
