Page 46 of Fate and Fury

Katerina didn’t have time to wonder about the evolution of her Shadow’s gifts. If he was right, and they were a response to the growing demonic threat, then she had even more reason to fear. They all did. She gritted her teeth and drove the spear forward, impaling one demon after another as they closed ranks in front of Gadreel. They screamed in agony, and Niko echoed them, his howl triumphant.

Gadreel roared in rage as his soldiers fell. Niko growled back, advancing toward him—but the demon held his ground, his roar growing louder still. Her concentration shivered, shook. What if he made good on his threat, ripping out Niko’s heart?

Their bond trembled as her resolution faltered. To hell with the Grigori soldiers. All she wanted was to put herself between Niko and the monster, to save him at any cost.

Katerina.His voice rose in her mind, tight with uncertainty.What?—

Gadreel was laughing now, fury transmuted into a victorious, scornful barrage of sound that filled her ears and crawled over her skin, stinging like nettles. He charged Niko, and they met in midair, her Shadow’s teeth grazing the demon’s throat as Niko fought to bring the monster down.

The sight snapped Katerina out of her haze. If Niko were to perish because of her, she would never forgive herself.

Summoning all her strength, she reached for the spark of the rowan-fires, burning a half-mile away. The inferno rose to her call, flaming sticks flying through the night on the back of the wind. Fists clenched with the effort, she guided the missiles to fall amidst the Grigori, where they ignited in a blaze worthy ofpoisoning a thousand demons. The Grigori wailed in agony, and Niko howled again.Victory, my Dimi,he said.

For a single, burning instant, her eyes flickered shut. When she opened them again, Gadreel had vanished. And Niko flung himself forward, shifting from dog to man, grabbing his knives from the ground as he went. He cut through the remaining Grigori like a whirlwind, dodging their blades, giving a ululating battle cry as Katerina’s storm raged higher, a maelstrom of hail and leaves and flame.

She stood where she was, wind and fire whipping into a frenzy around her, watching her Shadow paint the night with demon blood.

26

KATERINA

The Shadows and Dimi scattered throughout the village had slain half the pack of Grigori. Together, Katerina and Niko had killed the rest. Caught between forms, their misshapen, pitch-blackened bodies lay strewn on the ground, run through with her tree-spear or Niko’s blade. Gadreel and the one that had injured Alexei were nowhere to be seen.

“Fled, most likely,” Niko said with disgust as he stood over Alexei’s unconscious body. Katerina had injected her second vial of antivenin as they raced back to Kalach, uttering every healing charm she knew. Niko had carried Alexei back to the surgery, then stood, hands white-knuckled on the counter, as a healer administered a third dose, overseen by Baba herself. Thank the Saints, his heart beat strongly now, though he hadn’t woken up yet. Katerina didn’t think she would have been able to face Ana, otherwise.

Once Baba had assured herself that Alexei would live, she’d left to attend to the other injured. Katerina and Niko had stayed to watch over him as his breath came easier and the color returned to his face. Ana sat on his other side, gripping her Shadow’s hand. Baba hadn’t allowed her to fight, afraid thatwithout Alexei to protect her, she’d be too vulnerable. Since Niko had carried Alexei back, though, she’d refused to leave him.

“You saved his life,” Ana said to them both. “I won’t forget.”

“He’s my brother,” Niko said simply, and laid his hand on Alexei’s shoulder before he and Katerina turned to go.

Outside, the sky had just begun to lighten. She wanted to touch Niko, to bare the skin beneath the gashes in his shirt and make sure he was unharmed. But though the stone courtyard in front of the surgery was empty, she didn’t dare.

She should feel relieved. No one else had been badly wounded, and only one woman had been taken captive: Trinika, the baker who made the pies Niko loved.

It was a miracle they hadn’t lost Alexei. A miracle the Grigori hadn’t stolen the children or slaughtered the adult Vila.

All because Gadreel had wanted Katerina for his own. His hammer, his pet.

Katerina shuddered. She would die before she let a demon use her that way.

“Are you all right?” Niko said quietly. His eyes found hers.

She lifted one shoulder and let it fall.

“He wanted you.” His voice was tight. “He said heknewyou.”

Katerina gave him a small, one-sided smile. “He’s delusional. I’m hardly in the habit of fraternizing with demons.” She let her smile grow into a knife-edged grin. “Perhaps he’s confused me with another Dimi bent on eradicating him from the earth. It must be a familiar experience.”

“You can joke all you want, but I was in your head when he said those things. I know it frightened you.” His teeth sank deep into his lower lip, as if he imagined rending the demon limb from limb. “No matter how great our victory, I wish their leader had been one of the creatures we killed. For the Dark Angel of War will be back, and you know that as well as I.”

“He will,” Katerina agreed, “but not tonight. We destroyed his soldiers. Banished him to the Dark.”

Niko bowed his head. “You were magnificent tonight. I’m honored to be your Shadow. To know that you hold such strength—that you can look evil in the face and burn it to ashes.”

Katerina inhaled, taking in his familiar scent—overlaid now with the reek of rowan-smoke and the residue of demon blood. She opened her mouth to tell him that she was humbled by his courage and his faith in her. That with him by her side, she had the confidence to take risks she wouldn’t otherwise, because she knew he would never fail her. That she’d almost failedhim, and she was sorry for it.

But before she could speak, Elena appeared at the edge of the courtyard, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her face lit at the sight of Niko, whole and unharmed, before her gaze flicked sideways, taking in Katerina next to him. Her smile widened—then dimmed.

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