Renegades (Hotbloods #3)

I had always known Navan was skilled, but seeing him fight in a true battle was as impressive as it was terrifying. The blades whistled through the air, cutting through the shots, whipping across his body like ever-moving shields. I could tell that Aurelius was growing frustrated by the sudden turn of events, as his sole wing flapped vigorously in Navan’s direction. Fortunately for me, this frustration meant that Aurelius didn’t bother to look down. Each swipe of Navan’s blades edged Aurelius farther and farther from the spot where I stood. He was drawing Aurelius away so he could fight him without having to worry about me getting hit by a stray bullet. I wished I could be up in the air with him, but I was entirely human again.

As the ache of the lost wings pulsed in my shoulders, I began to feel nauseous, clutching at my stomach as the last of the serum worked its way out of my system. Black spots danced in front of my eyes. My knees buckled, and I stumbled backward, trying to find something to grab onto. My foot caught on a twisting root, sending me careening backward into what felt like a bush. Fortunately for me, it was surprisingly soft, the leaves velvety, the branches spongy. As my vision and clarity returned, I struggled to wriggle out of the bush I’d fallen in, but the more I moved, the more I could feel a hot prickle bristling along my arms and legs, like brushing against a nettle. Only, this was far worse. This was like searing pins and needles, all the way along my body. Peering closer, I saw small, ice-blue flowers embedded within the leaves. At their very center, each one was blowing out a glittering white mist, which seemed to soak through the fabric of my clothes, burrowing to the flesh beneath.

I managed to wrangle free of the burning bush, brushing away any of the remaining mist by pulling my sleeves over my hands. I pushed up the cuffs of my jacket to see a rash emerging, the skin blistering as if it had been near a naked flame. It stung like hell, but I hoped it would end there. The last thing I needed was to be infected by some alien bush.

Feeling utterly disoriented, I wandered through the Vysanthean garden, taking in the striking flowerbeds scattered with blooms of unusual colors and sizes. In one, there was a rose-like flower as big as my head, each petal the size of my palm, the color almost holographic in the way it shifted with the light. In another, I noticed a twisting tree bearing blue fruit similar to the one Gianne had fed me in my first few days on Vysanthe.

Hearing the approach of voices, I hurried out of the gate at the back of the garden, taking off down the forest road at a sprint. Gradually, it stretched out into a much wider, cobbled street, with elegant sidewalks that seemed hewn from gleaming marble.

On either side, enormous buildings came into view, making me realize I was on a residential street of some sort, only it was filled with some of the most extravagant mansions I had ever seen. They towered above their endlessly rolling lawns like castles from a fairytale, spires glinting in the sunlight, and a thousand windows staring out at me as I passed. Some were built from an exquisite dark stone that I had never seen before, while others were pure opaleine, the pale marble shot through with veins of sapphire.

Now, where the heck is this silver arch?

I wandered along, hoping nobody would notice me. I still had my hood up, but, in a place like this, I had a feeling that made me even more conspicuous.

Something glinted in the distance, the cold sunlight catching a metallic object. Squinting toward it, I realized it was indeed an arch. Seeing as there weren’t any other garish archways along the street, I figured that had to be it. I ran toward it, hoping Navan would escape and meet me there soon. If they had a garden, I could keep myself hidden for a while, but without the wing serum, the bitter cold of Vysanthe was starting to creep into my bones. If Navan didn’t come for me soon, I would likely shiver to death.

Slowing to a walk, I paused in front of the silver arch. All around it, metal vines twisted and turned, while Gothic wings stretched out behind engraved figures frozen in poses of war and peace. Shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun, I caught sight of a name engraved in the metal:

Idrax.

I was so distracted by the name that I didn’t notice the imposing, dark-haired coldblood walking toward me until I barreled straight into him.





Chapter Twenty-Three





“Who are you?” the coldblood growled, his dark blue eyes glinting furiously.

Judging by the name above the archway, I guessed Navan had sent me to one of his family member’s houses, though I doubted he’d meant for me to run into one of his brothers. This coldblood had to be one of Navan’s brothers. The hair, the build, the striking eyes, the angry demeanor… The resemblance was uncanny.

“Navan sent me,” I managed, finding my voice, though my throat was constricted by fear. “He’s in a… bit of trouble, but he’ll be back for me. He sent me here,” I added, though I knew none of it made much sense.

The coldblood’s eyes darkened. “I ought to kill you right here, to teach that traitor a lesson he’ll never forget.”

I gulped. This wasn’t exactly going the way I’d hoped. Then again, just because Navan and Bashrik tolerated outsiders, it didn’t mean any of their other family members would. After all, their mother and father had ignored me outright, which, I had to say, was preferable to the threatening look this Idrax was giving me.

“What’s your issue with Navan?” I asked, desperate to buy myself some time. Surely, Navan couldn’t be too far away. There was no way Aurelius could overcome someone like him. However, a lingering doubt remained. If Navan never made it back, I was as good as dead.

The coldblood snorted derisively. “Other than the fact that he betrayed our queen and tarnished our family name?”

“Seems to me like you’ve got a more personal grudge, though,” I said. It was a shot in the dark, but I had to keep the conversation going.

“To have a grudge against him would imply that I care, and I do not care about that scumbag. Navan means nothing to me; I do not even allow him into my thoughts,” he retorted, his tone dripping with contempt.

It was a defensive tactic I’d seen before. Those were words of hurt and abandonment.

“It sounds like you do care,” I said brazenly, hoping it didn’t result in my head being detached from my body. “Come on, I’m curious. What did he do to make you hate him so much? Did he get a better job than you? Your parents love him more than you? What?” I pressed, feeling his irritation rise, his shoulders tensing in anger. I gritted my teeth, steeling myself, praying I hadn’t gone too far.

The coldblood snarled. “You know nothing about him, and you know nothing about me, outsider. What are you, anyway?” he asked sharply, reaching out a hand to snatch up my wrist, his eyes scrutinizing my veins.

“Kryptonian,” I lied, my body trembling. The fragile skin of my wrist was so close to his mouth. One bite with those sharp fangs, and I could bleed out.

He grunted. “Let me guess, he picked you up on one of his famous explorations? You his new pet, or something?” he said bitterly, surveying the length of my arm.