Page 101 of MidKnight
Two of the bears formed a barrier blocking Ryan and Connor from reaching Malia.
Malia shoved Declan toward the third bear, who got on its belly so they could mount easily.
“You don’t have to do this,” Declan spoke quietly as she pushed him toward the bear.
“It’s your family or mine,” Malia said coldly, prodding his back.
“I could protect your family,” Declan offered.
“You have no power there. Soon, you’ll have no power at all.”
“I know djinn who can help. I could get you a wish,” Declan promised recklessly, lying through his teeth to push her into more revelations.
“She’s already killed one of my fathers,” Malia snarled, “And you can’t wish for what you’ve once had. Your djinn could donothingfor me.”
She pushed Declan up onto the beast roughly. They settled onto the bear’s back as everyone else stayed still and silent. The bear’s black wings flapped, rustling the leaves and creating a miniature wind. And then they were airborne, the other two bears lifting off just after.
I watched them rise into the sky. My heart flew off with them.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Once they were gone, I dropped my invisible cloak from my face and stormed into the moonlit clearing. “That’s the stupidest idea you all have ever had! We could have taken her. We could have turned her! Bribed her! We could have used a disguise spell and posed as her—”
“Not fast enough,” Connor shook his head. He tilted his head, studying me in my bodiless state. “What the hell happened to you?”
I ignored him. I didn’t have time for stupid questions. And Connor was wrong. Sarding wrong. I looked at Ryan. My soldier would agree with me. He’d hate this. “And you?”
Ryan bit his lip but shrugged. “We need an advantage. They don’t know that’s Dec. He’s got power. He can protect himself.”
“Not good enough!” I stomped my foot. “We don’t sacrifice each other!”
“Remember, failure is the toll we pay to cross the bridge to success. You must pay the toll or forego your goal.” Donaloo sing-songed at me.
If Quinn hadn’t grabbed onto my invisible waist and held me back, I would have decked the old wizard. Which would have been a mistake. Because we needed him still. The other side had a dragon, some fairy-looking sea-monster bitch, and djinn. And now they had my Declan in their clutches.
“Why the sard aren’t we in the air already?” I growled.
“Just having Quinn tell my men to guard the palace,” Ryan responded.
When Quinn gave a nod that the order had been received, Donaloo clapped his hands and our feet rose, as if we’d each just taken a bottle of Flight.
We rose into the air and scanned the sky. Ryan spotted them first. “There,” he pointed. The bears were flying toward Rasle. Of course.
Blue fluttered next to me as we all turned that direction.
I eyed him. “It might be a long flight, little man. Why don’t you stay behind? No one can hurt you. The castle’s frozen.” I’d deal with that problem later. I’d add it to the ever-growing list of world-ending problems I faced.
Blue shook his head side to side, vehemently protesting my suggestion.
I sighed. But at least one person seemed to understand the concept of sticking together. Of not hanging their fellow knight out to dry.
He’ll be fine, Dove,Quinn said.Dec is tougher than you think.
He’s a scholar!I mind-yelled as I held out a finger for Blue to perch on. Once his claws were wrapped around my index finger, I brought my other hand up out of my cloak to grab him gently. Both my hands curled around him and pulled him into my chest.
Quinn must have decided it wasn’t worth fighting with me, because he simply kicked his legs and started flying after the bears. Everyone else followed, except Ryan.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
