Page 65 of To Tame An Angel

“She’s attacked the general!” Zaya yelled, purposively tripping other guards as her blood painted them all.

Tannor was behind me, his wings pushing all the others away. They could barely see us as we flittered in and out of visibility, confusing the guards. With our hands clasped, I ran, leading us to one of the upper balconies where we could fly unstopped. Within seconds we heard soldiers shouting, sending orders as their metal clanked throughout the castle. The wounds on my back opened but I ignored them, feeling blood seeping down my dress.

We turned into the hallway across the library and found one guard startled. Without hesitation, I sliced my sword across her face, her blood painting my chest. I jumped over her body when five others came across us, confused because of our cloak but still cognizant enough to shoot an arrow. It came so fast I couldn’t deflect it, but Tannor pulled me to him, and I heard him grunt when the arrow slid into his shoulder. Without pausing he urged me to move, which I did, trying not to panic in the direness of our situation.

They may all be posted soldiers, but this was my childhood home. I knew all the corners and hallways. I stuck to the servant’s passages, running up stairs and encountering a few startled manservants, who stumbled back at the sight of us. One paused, looking at Tannor and me, then pointed to a door, which I knew led to mother’s study.

Tannor kicked the locked door open, and we stepped in, trying to gather our senses. Tannor yanked out the arrow with a grunt and looked at me.

“The window?”

“No, it overlooks the training yards,” I said with my hands already on mother’s bookcases. There was a latch that led to her room, which had a balcony. My fingers trembled as I pawed the volumes, yanking them out, desperate to find the correct one I’d seen her use.

The noises within the castle became deafening, each moment alerted more and more soldiers to our escape. I felt my breath catch when one book finally latched, and I heard a soft click.

I stepped back and we watched as the hidden door slid open. Tannor moved before me, running into the room and searching for the balcony. He went without hesitation, but I paused, taking in my mother’s things. I spotted her chest, which we weren’t allowed to open, and boldly yanked the lid up.

Inside were her favorite instruments, but in the bottom was a small box. I took it and opened it, revealing a small lock of hair, neatly tied. It was dark brown and downy soft. I knew, without doubt, that it was my brother’s hair. I needed to find him, I needed to meet him and fill this life-long gap in my life.

“Nalla! Come,” Tannor had thrown open the balcony.

I took the hair and ran to Tannor, whose wings were already spread and ready for flight. He opened his arms and I clutched him, our faces meeting.

“Are you certain?” he asked and his voice was nearly timid, afraid I would urge him to escape without me.

My grip tightened and I pressed myself closer to him. There was a sense of great loss for the family I left behind. Not knowing if my mother would live. Never being able to see Zaya, Valle, or my little sister Rynn again. Still, I nodded. I wouldn’t make their sacrifice a trifle.

Tannor clutched my waist tightly and his wings moved, sweeping us up to the sky.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

NALLA

For a moment, it seemed like we breathed the fresh air of escape. Like nothing could touch us despite our wounded bodies. Like the laws and the society, which implemented these laws, were far behind us. Tannor turned to the east, his massive wings cutting through the wind, his face was hard and determined to get us there. To wherever there was.

Just as we flew over the forest, over the tangle of brambles covering the land, we heard the zoom of arrows.

I saw them before Tannor, watching in horror over his shoulder as over a dozen of the Queen’s angels chased us with crossbows pointed at us. They were still far away but they weren’t hurt like Tannor nor were they carrying an extra person.

Tannor felt my panic and glanced behind him, yelling and pushing forward with a flap of his wings. I opened my hand to use my magic to deflect them but Tannor dove and maneuvered us.

“Don’t use it until you have to!” He cried.

I gripped his neck, watching in horror as the arrows flew towards us, arching and descending over us. Tannor grunted, ensuring I was under him as he turned and tried to dive between the arrows.

Despite his best efforts, two arrows sliced clean through his wings, and he screamed. It was mania that crept up my neck as blood painted his feathers. He didn’t stop, he kept flying, his eyes hard on the east like a promise. A taste of freedom that he had once and never been allowed to saver again. We were far from my home, I had no notion of where we were, past all the training areas I’d scouted. If we landed here, we would be lost.

The Queen’s soldiers reloaded their crossbows as Tannor dashed forward, ignoring his wounds. They closed in on us and once more, they fired. I screamed as the arrows descended on us and Tannor suddenly tucked his wings and we plummeted into the earth. Most arrows missed us but one caught his thigh and he yelled, opening his wings once more and flapping them. We moved up and up, through the clouds, allowing them to shield us.

“You’re hurt,” I cried into his ear, holding him tightly.

“I’m fine,” he gasped, not relenting and moving forward despite the low visibility.

“Land and let’s hide!” I frantically searched the clouds, trying to discern the shapes of the guards.

“No, I wouldn’t be able to run,” he said, and I heard his breath coming short, his bloodied wings faltering a little.

The desperation birthed a coil of magic in my belly, and I focused on the skies, refusing to allow them the opportunity to hurt Tannor again. We flew for what seemed like an hour and then, to my horror, the clouds cleared, and we were in the stark night, with the stars covering the sky over us.

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