Page 238 of Lady of Ashes

“That is what she calls herself here,” Scarlett said impatiently. “Not important. Whatisimportant is how I am going to kill you this night.”

Shadows rippled around Scarlett, shifting and writhing, but before they could form into anything, Callan gasped as wings erupted from Veda’s back. They were feathered and gold, and he could not even begin to comprehend what he was seeing.

Scarlett, however, had apparently seen such a thing before.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Scarlett cursed, sounding more annoyed than anything. “Here?”

Then the window behind them was shattering. Callan was shielding Tava with his body. They had all thrown themselves to the ?oor, covering their heads.

All but Veda.

Who was leaping from the window and into the sky.

“Where the fuck does she think she’s going?” Scarlett muttered, instantly on her feet and prowling to the window.

“We will ?nd her, Scarlett,” Sorin said, trying to calm the queen.

“I will not lose her,” she snarled, before leaping onto the window ledge, glass crunching under her boots. “If they won’t make the ?rst move, then I will.” Then she stepped off the edge, falling straight down.

“Scarlett!” Tava cried, lurching for the window. Her hands landed on the ledge, blood instantly welling from shards of broken glass cutting into her skin. Callan moved to pull her back, but suddenly she was stumbling back into him.

As a huge dragon made entirely of shadows shot towards the sky. A queen of darkness and shadows and ashes on its back, illuminated only by the light of the full moon.

He could just make out Veda ?apping away from the house, climbing higher into the night sky.

“Godsdammit,” Sorin muttered, pushing past them all and running for the stairs. They all ran after him, sounding like a herd of horses as they all raced down the stairs. Tava’s hand was gripped in his when they cleared the narrow spiral staircase and started down the main steps.

“Finn and Sloan,” Tava gasped, her eyes frantically searching while they ran.

“We’re here,” Finn said when they made it to the main ?oor.

“What the hell is going on?” Sloan demanded, a sword already drawn. His eyes widened when he spotted Sorin and Rayner. “What aretheydoing here?”

The Fae said nothing. They just raced through the main doors, everyone on their heels.

“There,” Rayner said, pointing to the sky.

The moon was so bright they could see everything. No one said a word. No one could.

Well, none of the mortals anyway.

“She is going to be the death of me,” Sorin muttered. “We cannot even fucking help her. The wards are sti?ing our magic.” He cursed again, looking like he wanted to punch something.

Or burn something to the ground, Callan supposed.

“Her shadows will keep her safe,” Rayner said passively, his eyes ?xed on the sky.

Sorin didn’t say anything in response.

They all watched as the shadow dragon ?nally caught up to Veda.

They all watched as Scarlett appeared to be repositioning, as Veda looked back over her shoulder and screamed.

Because that was Scarlett leaping from her shadows and onto Veda’s back. That was moonlight glinting off a sword as it came down. That was a golden wing sliced clean off, falling to the ground. That was blood, appearing black in the night, raining down from the female in the sky, sprinkling onto their skin as they began to fall, Veda unable to keep them aloft with only one wing.

“She is utterly insane,” Drake murmured in shock and disbelief.

The blade was glinting again, slicing off the other wing, and then they were both plummeting to the ground. Veda’s screams were piercing the night.

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