Page 82 of Crown of Wings and Whispers

Orion had questioned and tortured Muir witches. How many of them could have recounted Wickham’s own story in which the tunnel had played such a pivotal part?

All.

Even if Orion hadn’t sensed the powers through the earth, he would have suspected Wickham’s hiding place and looked there. Who knew how long Orion had been laughing, allowing the team to collect the powers for him?

There was only one vessel left untouched—a metal whisky flask containing the powers of Wish and Unwish that he’d taken from a tortured witch so long ago. He tucked the flask into his coat pocket to take with him. He had one more place to check, though he held out little hope.

Before Fallon’s ceremony, Persi had pulled him aside. And though she didn’t know where Wickham was storing the jars, she’d pressed upon him that he shouldn’t keep all their eggs in one basket. When he’d taken the pink jar to the tunnel, that warning had nagged at him until he’d ultimately chosen another hiding place. Something nearby but secure.

He popped out of the tunnel, leaving the large shards behind. If Orion came looking, he’d know Wickham had learned his devious secret. But it was too late to consider that.

When he stepped back into Place, his eyes needed more adjusting. Isobelle Ross Dragotti’s empty tomb had no light at all. But his hands found the spot. The last time he’d been there, he’d removed one of the larger stones, wrapped the jar in oiled skin from another century, and pressed it into the hole. In the dim light, it had blended nicely with the surrounding stones. But stone was as good as earth to a fairy.

Wickham’s fingers found the edges and he pried out the package. He located the lid, then ran his hands over the rest of the jar like a blind man.

No holes.

He sucked in a breath and let it leak out of him again.

No holes.

He considered opening the lid and taking the power into himself, but then he remembered watching Fallon toying with the sea and unknowingly toying with her audience’s emotions. He didn’t trust himself. There was no telling how the white power of the Grandfather might react if combined with a Naming Power. So he rewrapped the skin around the jar and pushed it back into place. He’d find a better container later. There was no reason to believe Orion would search Castle Ross. Hopefully, he already had.

Two powers on their side. Hope and Light.

“Please, God, let them be enough.”

29

Bridges And Sighs

Ibraced myself for the violent rending of air. Kivi jumped and strained to build speed. I had no idea what we were fleeing, and I didn't dare look. My concentration, like hers, was on reaching the limits of the wide blue sky.

You must look. I cannot!

She was right. Turning her head would slow us.

I released the grip with my left hand and twisted around, fighting gravity while I searched the sky below us, trusting my golden saddle to keep me secure.

A small, black, riderless dragon was chasing us, struggling like Kivi to pick up speed. When Kivi’s green tail swung again, I could see a second dragon in pursuit. And while I watched...

I felt Kivi's terror as she watched them through my eyes, growing larger as they closed the distance. These were no small dragons.

Kivi, you've got this. We're small. We can maneuver so much faster. We'll smoke their doors!

Her panic ebbed a bit. Her muscles bunched, and we broke right.

The dark dragons changed course, making large, vague movements to do so, slow to pivot, just as I’d hoped. But they were closing faster, growing larger. We could probably perch on one of their shoulders!

Kivi broke left, and just as the others finished their turns, she broke right again. And this time, I saw something small attached to the back of a big neck. I thought it might be a saddle, it wasn't. It was a rider--a man--made tiny by the size of the narrow-snouted monster he was attached to.

They invite us to stay.

You can hear them?

Kivi didn't slow. Neither did they.

They insist we land.Kivi continued to fight for altitude.

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