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Bruiser thought fast, flying higher so he could get a better view of the landscape. Except his night vision wasn’t particularly great. “So we keep away from roads and buildings—What about that hilly patch of rocks to the north, between here and Aboris?”

Uriel hesitated. “I’d much rather have my spells with me. And some damn clothes.”

“Do you think we have time to make a quick stop?” Bruiser eyed the distance to the ground. He could do a nose dive, but that was still too close to home. Xenowen could track them there.

“Can Hunner make a delivery?” Uriel gripped Bruiser’s arm. “Fuck, I don’t have my phone.”

“I’ll fly close enough to tell him. Luckily, his hearing is good.”

“To think I was bitching about him eavesdropping on us,” Uriel groaned.

Bruiser huffed. “His hearing is a double-edged sword. Hang tight, I’m taking us down.”

He hugged Uriel securely against his chest, tucked his wings in, and nosedived.

Uriel’s pulse sped up in his ears. “I’ll trust that you won’t turn us into pancakes on the ground.”

“It’s like you think I’m new to flying,” Bruiser shouted over the wind in their ears.

They approached Cartfalls with growing speed. Bruiser kept a sharp eye out for missiles—was that a speck in the distance? “Sweetheart. Is that a bright light or is that another spell?”

Uriel squinted and inhaled sharply. “Fuck. We’ll have to give Cartfalls a miss. It’s headed our way.”

“Can you shoot off some magic to divert it?”

“Slow our fall,” Uriel said. “Let me take care of it higher up in the sky.”

Bruiser threw open his wings to slow them down. Uriel was scribbling spells faster now, his fingers flying through the air in a series of complex runes. Then he fired his spell at the missile.

“Hold us in position until it explodes. Then we go back to giving Hunner instructions.”

Bruiser hated that he had forgotten to bring along his phone. He could only flap his wings and watch as Uriel’s tiny, glowing spell drew closer to the bright white pulse of energy. It seemed like such a small thing against a huge missile.

He held his breath. When the two spells were seconds away from collision, Uriel’s spell expanded like a shimmering net and swallowed Xenowen’s missile, closing around it.

The missile exploded, contained in the confines of Uriel’s web.

Bruiser knew Uriel was good, but— “That was fucking amazing, sweetheart.”

“Thanks.” Uriel’s heart thumped, loud over their breathing. Bruiser gave him a squeeze. Then he held Uriel steady and dove toward home.

They approached Cartfalls quickly, Bruiser making minor adjustments so they headed straight for his lair. At the edge of Hunner’s hearing range, Bruiser threw out his wings to slow their fall. “Hunner!”

“Long Hose Master, sir!”

“Uriel and I are heading into danger. We need supplies but can’t risk drawing Xenowen into Cartfalls. Secure Cassie, see if someone will watch her. I’ll need you to get us some clothes, and Uriel’s spells and broom. We’ll be at the hilly rocks in the north.”

“Aye aye, captain!”

“Be careful,” Bruiser said. Then he beat his wings hard, taking Uriel away from Cartfalls.

“I’m worried about you,” Uriel said quietly as the wind rushed through their hair.

“I’ll be fine.”

“No, you won’t. You’re all soft skin and squishy human—”

“Like you aren’t.”