Fear for my brother’s life made me thrash and scream and throw my arms around his back. As if I could catch the arrow.
A sickening thud. Fire and ice consumed me, then stopped dead in my veins. Because Frazer was spinning around, unharmed.
Cai had blown Jace back into the stone wall opposite. He was bleeding from a head wound. Dead or unconscious, I didn’t care which.
I hit Frazer’s chest. “Never do that again! D’you hear me?”
Sounds of Cai’s vomit splattering against flagstones traveled over the top of my shouting.
Adrianna silenced me by croaking out, “We need to get to Wilder’s. Now.”
I didn’t like the look of her, her features stretched thin in pain, slumped against Liora who was struggling to support her weight.
“Right, you.” I poked Frazer in the chest. “Let me down, now!”
No objections. He lowered me and went to lift a groaning Cai. I ducked under Adrianna’s arm, propping her up, sharing her weight with Liora. We all lurched forward, running as best we could down the tunnel to the oak door.
Outside was chaos. The human guests were fleeing through the arena gate on foot. They screamed and trampled one another in an effort to escape arrows and the bodies of fallen fae raining down from above.
So much for doubling the sentries. There seemed to be few guards actually fighting back. And those striving to reach the archers atop the walls faced swarms of fae—panicked, stupid fae that didn’t huddle together, but flew off in every direction, making themselves easy targets for arrows.
A veritable bloodbath.
Bile stung my throat as we moved again, sticking close to walls, avoiding open spaces whenever possible. Frazer led us, glancing back every other second to check on me. Cai’s eyes scanned the skies. Probably searching for arrows to stop.
Somehow, we made it to the staff quarters without being impaled. Through one door and then the another.
With the lounge door slammed and locked behind us, Adrianna staggered to a chair, gasping. Frazer set Cai onto his feet; apart from swaying slightly, he remained upright.
A blessed relief.
Mind racing, world askew, I ran into the bedroom.
It was empty. Wilder wasn’t there. A feeble hope, but its loss still burned and ached. I walked back into the lounge, half in a stupor, and found Adrianna struggling to stand. “We should get the bags and go.”
Cai kneeled in front of her. He examined her wing and scowled. “We’re not going anywhere with you like this,” he argued.
“Don’t have a choice,” she pushed out in a rasp.
“Bullshit!” He staggered back up.
Something about the sight had Adrianna collapsing into the cushion.
Cai reeled off orders. “Li, Serena, take her to the kitchen. Wash her wound, get her something to eat and drink. Frazer, gather the quest items and anything we might’ve forgotten. I’ll grab the packs and a medical kit.”
He stopped. A heartbeat passed. Then, everyone did as commanded. Liora and I hauled Adrianna into the fawn-colored kitchen. I scanned the room: four rickety cabinets that held food, and a stone sink for water.
Adrianna pushed us away and slumped to the floor. I moved to keep her upright, but she waved me away. “I just need a moment,” she said, breathless.
Liora set the tap running and filled a bowl. The bloody glove-prints on the wall; the long, bleeding cut in her wing; and that metallic smell staining the air caused a cold sickness to churn in my belly. Keep moving. Don’t think, Auntie’s voice sounded, calling me back from the oblivion that beckoned.
Liora set down a basin, a towel soaking within.
“I’ll wash the wound myself,” Adrianna said while peeling off her soiled gloves.
Liora paced over to the sink, murmuring, “I’ll get you something to drink, then.”
Adrianna forced out, “Not water. Something stronger, to dull the pain.”
“Braka’s second cabinet from the right,” I said, naturally, all too familiar with Wilder’s quarters.
Adrianna hissed through her teeth as she put the soaking towel against the tattered edge of her wing. It made me add, “Liora, grab enough glasses for everyone.”
She didn’t bother to ask why. The reason was obvious. What had just happened—what we’d seen—was too horrible for words.
Frazer appeared with the medical kit while Cai waited in his shadow.
Adrianna looked up and frowned. “You’re going to do it?”
Frazer kneeled beside her. “I’ve got more experience tending to wings. I’ll stitch, and Cai will heal what he can with magic.”
“Cai isn’t using his magic on me,” Adrianna said flatly.
“Don’t be stupid. Of course, I am,” he insisted.
Adrianna and Cai stared each other down while Frazer prepared a curved needle and thread.
“No, you’re not,” Adrianna spoke heavily. “You’ll need every bit of your magic when we flee, and my wing will heal itself in the next few hours anyway, so don’t waste your resources.”
Cai opened his mouth, furious, and she cut him across. “It’s what’s best for all of us.”
That stopped him. Adam’s apple bobbing, he passed a hand over his smarting eyes and rubbed, as if to hide the watery evidence. When his hand dipped, his gaze was clear and pissed. “You are a serious headache, you know that?”
Adrianna answered with a grunt as Frazer dabbed a cleansing paste on her wing. Cole had almost cut clean through the side.
“Adi, down it.” Liora shoved a knuckle’s width of braka into her trembling hands. She then offered one to Frazer, who refused. Liora offered me the braka instead. I downed it in one gulp and my chest caught fire. A bit of life returned to my bones.
The needle met delicate flesh, slipping in and out, binding the wing together. Frazer worked quickly, but I still couldn’t stand to watch. So I maneuvered carefully through the cramped kitchen and set to looking for food.
I pulled out some apples and handed two over to Liora and Cai, who were both nursing their glasses, taking measured sips. “Don’t drink that stuff without filling your belly with something.”
They both reached out to take one with vacant expressions, mumbling their thanks. Adrianna refused to eat anything. Not surprising—she looked ready to throw up. I started in on some crackers. After a minute of silence, Cai muttered, “What now?”
“We run,” Liora answered. She looked more present now, her eyes blazing as she watched Frazer slowly stitch Adrianna back together.
I put the crackers aside. I’d lost my appetite. “What about Wilder?”
No one spoke because no one wanted to suggest it. But their thoughts were clear. “We can’t just leave him,” I said hotly.
Frazer was the one to point out the obvious. “Without Hilda’s and Wilder’s protection, this place has become a giant sprite trap. There’s no one left to help us, and we can’t mount a rescue with no information.”
I wasn’t ready to give up, but I couldn’t think what to do. I was lost.
All was quiet while Frazer tied off Adrianna’s stitches. Then he stood, confronting me. “Serena, Wilder planned for this. He knows where to meet us.”
Ewa.
“He wouldn’t leave me behind,” I rasped.
I knew it with every fiber. He’d hunt me for however long it took—follow me to whatever end. He’d proven that, the second he’d bound his service and life to mine.
“Exactly,” Adrianna said as she lurched to her feet. “He’s strong and devoted, which means he’ll find you. Wherever you go.”
I sounded like a ghost, mumbling, “What if he can’t find me because he’s dead?”
I blinked back tears as Frazer came up beside me to dump the bloody water and wash his hands. “We still have to change over our weapons. Let’s take a minute.”
Any time was a gift. He knew that.
“D’you think we should take our armor?” Cai asked, fiddling with the sleeve of his leather tunic.
Frazer turned to him. “It’s up to you, but the tunics won’t stop sharpened blades, and they’ll feel hot and heavy on the road.”
Cai nodded curtly.
With that settled, Liora left the kitchen. After a beat of hesitation, Cai held out his arm for Adrianna. A subtle offer of support.