I can’t tell what he means, but the sadness in his tone turns my heart heavy.
He clears his throat. “We should pause in that crevice ahead. It’s making me twitchy that I can’t get a reading on Raiden. I know he’s good—but he’s not this good.”
We ease into the crack—which is much cozier than it looked from the outside—and I end up pressed rather tightly against Vane.
“Sorry,” he whispers, trying to find somewhere to put his arms.
“It’s okay,” I tell him, pulling his hands to rest on my hips. “I don’t mind.”
A teasing glint sparks to life in his eyes, but it’s gone just as fast, and he turns his face away, eyes on the ground.
I want to grab his chin and force him to look at me—talk to me. Explain his complicated mixed signals.
But time is never on our side.
“Is anyone getting anything?” Aston whispers. “Though I should probably limit the question to Solana since you lovebirds clearly have your minds other places.”
His raised eyebrows fuel my blush, and I close my eyes and listen to the sky. “Everything feels empty.”
“That’s what I’m sensing too,” Solana agrees.
“Everything is empty,” a new voice says, and my brain screams, NOT AGAIN!
We all look up to find my mother standing over our crevice with one of her loyal crows perched on her shoulder.
“You can’t sense Raiden,” she says, “because he’s not here.”
CHAPTER 43
VANE
What do you mean Raiden’s not here?” I ask as I scramble out of the crack we’ve been hiding in—trying not to bruise Audra in the process.
“I thought the statement was self-explanatory.” Arella reaches up to stroke her ugly crow, and I wish it would bite her. “Raiden’s not here—and I don’t just mean on this rock. Apparently he’s skipping this whole battle.”
“How do we know this isn’t another one of your tricks?” Audra asks, jumping out of the crack and pointing her windslicer at her mother’s heart.
Arella rolls her eyes. “Your senses are giving you the same message, aren’t they? It seems Raiden elected to let his army handle the matter for him.”
“That doesn’t sound like him,” Aston says as he hefts himself out of the crevice and helps Solana climb out with her weak ankle. “Maybe for a quick snatch-and-grab mission. But he sent his entire force.”
“That was my thought as well,” Arella says. “And why I’ve circled every inch of the battlefield. I even called on a bird to be my eyes when the sky grew too treacherous.”
The crow caws, making me jump.
Freaking birds.
“Do you think he’s waiting for something before he arrives?” Solana asks. “Trying to catch us off guard?”
“Or maybe he knew he’d lose this time, so he’s cowering at Brezengarde,” I say, trying to think positive.
“I suppose both are possible,” Aston says, “though the latter seems unlikely—especially since the Gales aren’t exactly triumphing out there.”
He’s right.
The sound of the fight keeps echoing this way, and . . . it doesn’t sound good.
I kick the ground so hard it showers us in bits of rock and dirt. “Sorry.”
It’s just . . .
Raiden not being here ruins our whole plan—which is probably the real reason he’s playing hooky. And if he’s holed up in Brezengarde, I . . . can’t go back there.
I know we escaped once. But I can feel it deep in my gut. We’ll never beat Raiden on his home turf.
And God—does this mean all those people are still snowed in at that hotel?
I kick the ground again, and Audra places her hand on my shoulder to calm me.
“So what do we do?” I ask.
“Maybe we should circle back and fight with the Gales,” Audra says. “They could definitely use some backup.”
We all turn to study the battle. The Gales are outnumbered five to one—and soon it’ll be six or seven to one, judging by all the red stains on the ground.
“Why are there still so many Stormers hanging in the mush-pot?” I ask.
“I’m assuming you mean the cluster of soldiers waiting in the center,” Aston says. “And I’d wager they’re the ones who’ve been charged responsible for our capture. If Raiden was going to skip a battle, he’d make sure his best warriors save their strength to scoop up his spoils and bring them back to where he’s waiting. I doubt he cares about learning Westerly anymore, but I’m sure he wants you to die knowing he stole the one thing you gave your life to protect.”
“Then we can’t go down there, right?” Solana asks.
“So we just stand here and watch them all die?” Audra argues.
“Besides, won’t the rested Stormers just come after us anyway?” I ask.
Either way—Raiden wins.
It all feels so pointless.
I keep trying to take control—keep trying to tell myself I can beat this.