Page 42 of Claws of Death

Herinor prowls up behind her, inclining his head. “I’ll keep you company.” His gaze, however, is on Kaira, who’s curling up against a boulder of cracked marble.

We all look a little worse for wear, but I get Herinor’s attitude. I won’t rest either before my female awakens.

Kaira rolls her eyes. “Your stubborn ass needs a break, too.”

“I’d rather be a stubborn ass than leave your sleep unguarded.” Herinor’s words are sweeter than he makes them sound, and a pinkish tint only true fae eyes can spot in the dark rises in his cheeks.

“I didn’t know you were such a romantic, big bear,” Silas cuts from the side, stretching out his legs and resting his head against a piece of wall that’s still intact.

The laugh Herinor responds with sounds forced enough to make me believe he’s trying too hard. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not because I care so much about the female. It’s because I worry she might slit my throat if I dare close my eyes next to her.”

That costs me a chuckle. I see the twisting of his words untangle even as he is forming them. It’s not because he cares about the female—even though he does. But heisgenuinely concerned she hates him enough to slit his throat. Even with the secret glances Kaira has been stealing at him, he hasn’t realized there is more going on.

It’s almost comical to see a seasoned warrior like him grappling for straws to protect his heart.

“Well, you’ll just need to risk it becauseI’mkeeping first watch with Clio.” I don’t care if he’s tossing all night next to Kaira. His king has spoken.

It takes a while for everyone to settle down and doze off, their slow, deep breaths and soft snores as familiar as my own heartbeat. It comes with spending weeks in captivity with the same people. You get to know them inside out. Literally at times. Trying not to remember the images of blood and gore from our imprisonment in Erina’s dungeon, I focus on Ayna instead, but those pictures are permanently etched into my memory. As will be the pale, cold features that are my mate’s as she lingers in what could be a coma—or hibernation.

Clio has taken up post on a high segment of a broken wall, scanning the surroundings with her fairy vision. With a sigh, I make my way toward her, climbing the set of rocks behind which Ayna sleeps, but it’s a far hike up to the wall. One I assume I won’t be able to make without site-hopping abilities. Unless I use my bird form, of course.

I pull on the curtain of feathers separating my fae self from my crow self, watching it turn into smoke on a wisp of wind. My entire body turns lighter, arms elongating ever so slightly as black feathers eat up my limbs and torso, shaping the hard lines of my body into those of an aerodynamic creature. I used to despise this form, despite the freedom it brings with it, but with Ayna the first Crow female since the gods cursed my people, I’m no longer hopeless.

By the time I make it to the bottom of Clio’s vantage point, I’ve fully changed, my wings beating the night air into submission, and I climb, climb, climb higher until I land on the wreckage of stone Clio is leaning against. The heat of the shift is as familiar as the back of my hand, as is the vulnerability coming with this smaller, softer body, but my magic hums in my chest like a well of liquid silver, ready to propel me back into my fae form and find a target.

“This never ceases to be creepy,” Clio says by way of greeting when I don’t shift back. “Honestly, it’s a special talent to freak out a centuries-old fairy with a parlor trick like that.”

Shrugging, she pushes off the remains of the wall, stepping to the edge of the frazzled piece of floor of the top room in the west tower she’s standing on. I only recognize it because of the carvings adorning the cracked, soot-stained stone.

“It’s not a parlor trick if you can sneak up on your enemies like that.” I shift back into my fae form, feathers retreating from my arms last, and plant my boots next to her by the edge.

We could throw each other over the frazzled corner of this ruin without concern. What with one of us able to turn into a creature bearing wings and the other one defying the laws of time and space with her disjointed mode of transportation. For some reason, neither of us makes an attempt though. We’ve formed a sort of truce.

I’m still staring at the stars above this godsforsaken burnt wasteland when Clio sighs through her nose. “What are you going to do about the bargain you made with Tori?”

Her question takes me by surprise so much I tear my gaze away from the skies. It’s been a while since I made a bargain with Tori, and back then, it was about finding both our mates.Find one, find both.Not a bargain, really, but a promise. “The only deal I made with him is that I’ll take my people and leave Eherea if he works with me to find Ayna and you.”

The gaze Clio gives me tells me she already knows the finer details of it all. “You’ll leave eventually.” It’s not a suggestion, and I am fully aware any objection of mine would be a breaking of my promise.

“Eventually.” Suppressing a sigh of my own, I glance over my shoulder at Ayna’s peaceful face. “I’ll take my people and leave, eventually.”

Clio’s smile is the one reaction I don’t expect. “Good. Because, my brother might be a stubborn ass, but I believe that working together is the only way to save Eherea. We have Erina’s army coming for Askarea. Ephegos’s insane thirst for power. But that’s not all. Those damned Fire Fairies are coming for us left and right, and they’re merely an envoy of this war.”

Raising my brows at her, I rock back on my heels, folding my arms over my chest. “And you’d rather work with the son of the male who wanted to force you into marriage than kick him out of your realm at the next opportunity?”

“Mybrother’srealm. And yes.” She places a small, calloused hand on my shoulder, her grasp almost as strong as my cousin’s, and tilts her head to the side. “Have you forgotten that you helped save Tori? My mate has grown ratherfond of your broody constitution, and I’d rather not be the one to break it to Tori that you’re taking off early.”

Inclining my head at her, I breathe in the fresh, cool air drifting from the skies, savoring the lack of stench it comes with. “I’d hate to disappoint your mate.”

“Only because you know he’d tear your head off.” A grin plays on her lips that’s more feline than human. It’s the first real grin she’s given me, and it feels like I’ve won an uphill battle.

The moment doesn’t demand for more words, so I refrain from searching for any. Tomorrow will be soon enough when we all head out to hunt down what’s left of my court and then follow the same path we’d taken when we set out to find Clio and Ayna—and pay Jeseida a visit about those missing fairies.

Ayna

The sun is risingwhen I come around, my limbs screaming at me with punishing soreness. It’s not like I trained with a sword or did other physical workouts. What is causing my condition is the uncontrolled use of my magic. I remember the blast of power rushing from my veins like lightning. I also remember the wall of fire hitting me.

On instinct, I reach for my face where my skin should be raw.

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