Page 92 of Between Soul and Vessel
He breathed in, his chest rising. “Excitement. Urgency. Fear . . . Pain.”
A piercing caw sounded from above.Kaleb.
My wings sprung from my back, and I shot from the ground up through the trees.
Kaleb flew to me, shouting, “Trouble! Over there!”
To the south, under the gaze of the moon, warriors riding winged horses tracked toward us. Over half of them were archers. Their arrows were nocked, ready to shoot at the creature flying ahead of them. It had the head of an eagle, but the body of a lion. A gryphon. Something was wrong with its left wing, making it struggle to stay in the air. On its back, were two riders. One of them—
“Sage!” I roared, the might of my voice striking themountains, causing the world to tremble as I tore through the air, trying to get to her.
“Von!” she screamed, her voice wild with fear—lighting every protective, predatory cell within my body on fire. She had one arm reaching behind her, steadying the other rider, her free hand gripping the reins.
“Fire!” shouted the warrior at the front of the pack, the metal of her blade catching on the light as she dropped her arm.
“No!” The word shredded through my throat as they releasedtheir arrowsonmy mate. Power, ancient and brutal and unforgiving, charged through my veins before it erupted from my hand in the form of a howling, vicious wind. When it passed by Sage, it softly caressed her skin, but when it met the arrows, it stopped them dead.
For a brief second, they hovered in the air, subdued by my power.
I rotated my hand, causing the arrows to turn, and then I fired them back at the warriors who dared to harm my female. When the arrows found their marks, the sky exploded with splotches of ichor and blood—like mini fireworks painting the night.
The labored gryphon let out a pained roar as it tried desperately to stay upright. It gave one last flap of its wings—
It’s going down!
Panic lashed at me, spurring me into action. I moved as fast as my wings could carry me, pushing them harder than I ever had before.
I reached for Sage as she reached for me, her other arm still tucked around the rider.
Our fingers weresoclose—
But a horse barreled into me, knocking me backwards.
“Von!” Sage let out a piercing cry.
My wings flared out, biting into the air, anchoring me in place.
The gryphon gave up its fight and it began to fall, taking them with it.
In my peripheral—a glint of steel.
I swung toward it, Death Weaver emerging in my hand just in time to answer the call of the warrior’s sword, slicing straight through it. Before the top half of the blade could slide off, I shoved my palm forward, using my powerful winds to blast her right out of her saddle. She and her mount went careening backwards, flying through the air.
I peered down, searching for Sage.There!Spiraling toward the ground.
Wings tucking in, my sword dissolved, and I dove for her.
She tried desperately to hold onto the other rider, but a current of air fractured them apart.
Folkoln!I yelled through our private channel.
I got her,came his reply as he flew about thirty feet below. He caught the other rider while I flew for Sage. This time, when we reached for one another, we connected.
Swiftly, I pulled her into the safety of my arms. Relief flooded me.
“The gryphon can’t die!” she yelled at me, her blueeyes filled with worry. “My sister. Their lives are connected. Von, you have to—”
I kissed her.
