Page 102 of The Iron Flower

I pull back from Yvan, a flush suffusing my cheeks, his heat sizzling through my lines.

“Ready?” Diana asks as she sidles up next to me, Marina close behind her.

I nod, tempered by Yvan’s fire.

“We’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow,” Andras tells us. “Respectfullyask them to escort you back.” He gives Diana a significant look, but her attention has already turned to the forest before us.

It’s time.

Time to walk across the Spine-bracketed field and over the borderline of dark forest before I lose my nerve.

I hitch my travel sack high on my shoulder and say goodbye to my brothers, Andras, Jarod and Gareth. Then I take one last look at Yvan before starting across the field with Diana and Marina.

We’re about halfway to the border when a line of glowing red runes suddenly bursts into view, and we all flinch back in surprise and freeze. The runes are the size of wagon wheels and hover in a line just above the border.

Diana jerks her head up, then pivots around, nostrils flaring. Her amber eyes suddenly widen and, in a blur, she grabs hold of my arm and roughly yanks me sideways.

I cry out as my back hits the icy ground, and a small, silvery flash whizzes over my head, then another, immediately followed by a volley of glowing-red arrows whistling in from the opposite direction.

Yvan is suddenly hurling his whole body over me, his hands grasping the sides of my head, his forehead pressed tightly to mine.

“Be still,” he hisses, his fire unleashed and strafing through my lines.

Fear hits me with devastating force.

There’s a buzz, and the air takes on a charge, as if an intense thunderstorm is about to blow through.

Heart thundering, I turn my head to see Marina huddling in a ball close to the ground. My brothers, Gareth and Andras encircle us. Trystan is holding up his wand, a translucent golden dome emanating from its tip and encasing all of us save the Lupines. Diana’s crouched just outside Trystan’s Mage-shield, but I don’t see Jarod anywhere.

Then I realize we’re not alone on the field.

Two Vu Trin sorceresses on black horses have appeared to my right. The women are staring straight at me, their eyes merciless, their arms raised and ready to throw more silver stars.

These two women’s garb is different from most Vu Trin sorceresses. Black scarves are wrapped tightly around their heads, and their clothing is deep gray instead of the usual black, marked with glowing blue Noi runes. Crossed swords are strapped to their backs, and lines of gleaming killing stars are fastened diagonally across their chests.

I’m thrust into panicked confusion.

Why are Vu Trin sorceresses firing stars at us? And who’s trying to kill us with glowing arrows?

“Stand down!” a dominant female voice bellows from the direction of the woods we came from.

I whip my head around to see Commander Kam Vin riding out onto the field, coming in like a storm as she vehemently calls out a string of orders in the Noi language.

She’s wearing her military uniform—a black tunic and pants marked with glowing blue runes, curved swords at her sides, a row of silver stars strapped diagonally across her chest. Her sister, Ni Vin, rides in behind her, also clad in her soldier garb.

Ni Vin meets my gaze, her face emotionless, but then her eyes widen when she spots Marina. A memory flashes through my mind of Ni Vin helping us hide Marina’s presence in the North Tower, saving her from being recaptured.

“I’ve got everyone shielded, Yvan,” Trystan says calmly. “You can let Ren go.”

“Nice shield, my brother,” Rafe says in grateful amazement.

“I’ve been practicing,” Trystan replies coolly.

Yvan relaxes his grip on me, looks around, then slowly pulls himself away. He hovers by me, tense and coiled, his heat a violent frenzy.

I force myself into a sitting position and finally spot Jarod, hovering behind one of the women who attacked us with stars, his whole body tensed and ready to spring at them.

“You forget our agreement, Kam Vin,” says the taller of the two gray-clad sorceresses, her eyes set unforgivingly on me. “The girl has made a move for Amaz lands.”

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