Page 63 of Ignite
“Graylen stays with me,” I hiss, daring anyone to say otherwise.
Finally, Leda lets out a long sigh. “It could work, but how do we know this isn’t a set-up?”
It could be. But that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
“Even if itisset up, his pain was real.” My voice cracks, and I clear my throat. “But I have to try.”
Maybe saving Graylen is selfish—maybe it’s putting my needs above the kingdom’s—but I can’t go to Crea without him. I can’t focus on getting Nightfall knowing where he is.
“He goes to the castle with me,” I add, stronger this time.
I’ll be damned if I let him out of my sight again.
“Small problem,” Calix says, one of his brows raised. “Youstill have to get to the castleto get the dagger. How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll go the way I left.” The corners of my mouth twitch upward. Calix eyes me warily, as do Leda and Brielle. “I become Amira again.”
Twenty-Six
Prehnite
Zephyr findsme on the cliff’s edge, her massive form hidden under the veil of night, but I can feel her. My skin prickles, and a surge of warmth shoots through me as the sound of wings beating against the air nears.
Leda left to get Adrian, and I said my goodbyes to everyone else as they walked with her. A few of the villagers remain scattered across the cliffside, pyres now reduced to glowing embers.
I stare down at the white, puffy scar on my palm in the exact shape of the shard. My hand closes into a fist and reaches down, flexing to wrap around the hilt of the dagger strapped to my thigh, a parting gift from Willow. It’s a simple blade, but it’s strong. The weight is light and the edge sharp. Feeling the outline of it pressed against my leg calms me. Comforts me.
Reminds me that I’m someone who knows how to use it—who knew how to use it before my magic, when I only had myself to rely on.
I tug on myEssence, pulling the strands of fire that have always answered my call without pause. It stirs inside of me, but no more than to open a sleepy eye before it closes again.
As if it’s there, but too drained to answer.
“Like Isaid, Prince?—”
“King,” Adrian huffs.
There’s a quick beat of silence, and I can practically feel Leda’s glare behind me.
“Right,” she grumbles, drawing out the word. “Like I said,Prince, the other humans remain with us. They’re prisoners—just as you should be—but you have the lucky ticket to get out of here.”
Footsteps press against rocky soil, nearing, along with the sound of Adrian protesting.
I slowly turn toward them, wondering what he sees. Before Willow left, she marked me as one of the villagers, smearing charcoal across my face. I can only imagine the hazel of my eyes burning through the dark ash, focused on the man I don’t want to be near, butneedin order to get to Crea.
“I can’t get on one of those again.” Adrian gags, and my gaze shifts to him, watching as he clutches his stomach.
Zephyr’s talons sink into the dirt as she lands, the ground shaking from the force of her size. Darkness still shrouds most of her from view, but she dips her head toward us, her teeth bared.
Adrian takes a step back, his feet shuffling. “And I’m pretty sure that one wants to eat me.”
Leda pats Adrian on the back, her palm smacking him hard enough that he jolts forward with each tap.
“You’ll be back to your castle in no time.” Her words are smooth and soft, almost kind if not for the smirk on her face and the dark gleam in her eye. She shrugs and props her elbow on his shoulder. “Unless you fall off Zephyr and we lose you in the seas.”
Adrian blinks rapidly as Leda pushes off of him and walksover to me. I shake my head, a smile winding its way onto my face.
Leda leans in toward me, her voice low as she says, “I’m fucking terrified of that creature. Feet are meant to be on the ground, not in the air. Tell Zephyr to take it easy, would you?”
