Page 31 of Flight of Fate

Nineteen

Ayna

Late afternoon isn’tmy favorite time of the day for an attack, especially when we’re closing in on the enemy from the northeast and the low-hanging sun glares at us with relentless intensity. That’s the other reason Tata is leading her soldiers in from the west. They will have the sun at their backs, and even this thin advantage is one we need to play when we don’t know exactly what we’re going up against.

For most of the hike north, I was fluttering above Myron and Kaira, happy to share their silence as I pondered how I could make myself useful without getting in the way. Herinor was right—I need to stay away from airborne weapons, be it arrows or magic. That’s why I asked Kaira to drop the mind link so she and I could make plans without making Myron’s heart stop.

The forest we’ve reached is a perfect hiding spot from the army, the boots of which I can hear at the seam of the trees a mile ahead. Erina’s forces are making their way south, and we’re letting them. Only once they meet Tata’s units will we strike.

“Are you afraid?”Kaira asks into my mind, adjusting her position on the branch where she’s sitting next to me high up in a tree.

My gaze drifts to Myron, who’s in his bird form, like the rest of the Crows, and is perching on the branch above mine with Royad, Silas, and Herinor flanking him. Recienne is crouching in a nearby tree, surveying the forest with his magic as if he’s been doing exactly that for all his life.

“Afraid is a strong word.”

That teases a soundless chuckle out of Kaira.“Are you concerned we might not survive the day?”

“Again,concernedis a strong word after everything we’ve been through and survived.”I try not to think of being stuck in this form; being proof I’m obviously not immortal and surviving any of it might not matter if I can’t figure out how to fulfill Shaelak’s demand.“But if things do go wrong, please make sure Andraya and Pouly continue to lead the rebels until Tavras is free of Erina. Perhaps take my throne for me. You’re not a Milevishja, but you are my blood.”

Big brown eyes rest on my bird form, surprise, dismay, and a bit of an accusation lingering there.“Stop talking like you’ve already given up.”

“Even if we win today, there’s no guarantee I’ll ever be in anyconditionto sit on my Tavrasian throne.”

Kaira has nothing to say to that, but the dismay vanishes from her gaze.

“Could you link me to Myron for a moment?”I ask instead of pushing for her to accept or promise me something she isn’t ready or willing to give because what I have to tell my mate is a long shot, but it’s the only idea I was able to come up with while the others have been talking battle strategies and gearing up for slaughter.

“I remember your promise, Myron,”I tell him the moment the link hums into place, clamping down on the quiver in my tone—even that of my thoughts. I can feel him still, his presence in my mind unwavering and solid through Kaira’s gift, and whenI speak those next words to him, I need to force myself to ignore that my sister will hear every last one of them.“And I’ve got an idea.”

Kaira pretends not to be listening, and gods bless her for that kindness as I swallow my nervousness and the real reason I am terrified of this battle and how it ends.

Myron can’t speak through this connection the way Kaira and I can, but I feel him hold his breath anyway.

“I promise you, Myron of Winghaven, to become immortal if I survive this battle so we can have a tomorrow and you can fulfill your own promise.”

I’m trying not to think of what that promise entails as I wait for that thread of ancient magic to spool itself out of me and connect with the ball of yarn that seems to be the magic of all bargains and promises made in the past and yet to be made in the future, as I wait for my words to become a true Crow promise and binding.

When I dare face Kaira once more, her eyes are wide, and her mouth stands open like she forgot to close it.

“Don’t tell anyone,”I ask her before I feel the link to Myron’s mind drop and her attention drift to the fading sound of rhythmical footsteps as the last of Erina’s troops passes the forest, disappearing right toward Tata’s and Tori’s waiting units.

For long moments, we wait, listening to the wind sweeping through what’s left of the autumn leaves, to the wildlife scurrying across the ground on efficient paws and claws and hoofs while my stomach folds into a tight knot with every heartbeat this battle draws closer. A dark breeze snakes along the branches, carrying Recienne’s soft voice. “Time to get ready,” he murmurs, and judging by the way the others are twitching, they hear him, too.

Convenient as speaking into someone’s mind, that creepy gift of his.

Without further warning, he disappears from his branch and reappears between Kaira and me, holding out a hand to each of us and gesturing with his chin for the Crows to hop onto his shoulders. The moment Kaira’s hand lays in his and the rest of us have our claws securely dug into his leathers, he spirits us to the edge of the forest from where the army is a stripe of darkness disappearing on the graying horizon. The river is a flaming orange band weaving south right where the forest turns into grassy plains. Recienne can’t have taken us farther than half a mile, but the faint sounds of battle ring in my ears like I’m standing at the center of the melee of clashing blades and battle cries.

A cold shiver creeps along my skin, making my feathers puff up.

So they’ve found Tata’s soldiers, and judging by the noise, they aren’t relying solely on magic.

Recienne crouches behind a tree, the Crows fluttering to the bare branches above while Kaira and I remain on the ground close by the Fairy King’s side. I doubt anyone is paying attention when they’re all bound in battle, but if I’ve learned anything from the encounters with Erina and his allies, it’s to always expect the unexpected. I duck closer behind the tree, claws slithering across the moist leaves. Above me, Myron gives a soft caw, a summoning I don’t follow even when I know my place will be up in the skies soon enough.

Bright light flashes in the distance as Tori and his own troops open their attack across the river, sparks flying high where fire bounces off fairy shields. I wish I was close enough to see what is happening with their magic, if they are being hit by drug-coated arrows or if they can actually use their powers.

It’s the big unknown in this ambush, the one factor that makes it near-impossible to anticipate how many troops we’ll need to take down Erina’s soldiers. If only half of our own are hitwith the drug, we’ll have a unit of shaking and vomiting fairies, useless for battle, easy to pick off one by one by Erina’s men.

“We need to act before it comes to that,”Kaira agrees through our connection as she establishes the mind-link between all of us once more so we can communicate in battle.

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