Page 163 of Heir of Broken Souls

She releases a string of curses a moment before jumping off the ledge.

I scream. My hand shoots out, my body lurching to catch her, but a hand snakes around my waist and yanks me back.

“Are you mad?” Knox barks.

My fear dies on my tongue as a griffin, one with red eyes, banks up and soars past, letting out what can only be a chuckling snort of a huff. Shaking my head to clear away the fog and the thought of what I almost did, I take two large steps backward.

“Next time, perhaps fill me in on what’s about to happen before she steps off a ledge?”

Knox lets out a chuckle. “You can scold her when she returns.”

“You tried to throw yourself off a cliff for a Fae that can fly,” Lenox drawls, a hint of laughter in his voice. “That’s going to be the talk for centuries.”

I’m about to snap a retort but the sound, the edge of humor in his voice, makes me grateful for the remark. I turn my head away before he can see my small smile. Shrugging, I murmur, “I’ll blame it on the lack of sleep.”

Despite the reassurance that she isn’t going to plummet to her death, the buzzing of nerves remains, only amping up she descends lower, slowly approaching the island with a caution that makes my hands clammy.

She stops suddenly, the large griffin wings flaring out wide to halt herself. She hovers over the center of the island, right above where that large flashing light comes and goes.

Knox frowns and his eyes lower.

“Is she showing you?” I whisper.

He remains quiet, until he suddenly lifts his head, his eyes locking on Harlow as she turns around and flies back toward us.

Lenox, who had been stiff since she left, deflates before a mask quickly falls over his face once she lands on our platform. Harlow shifts back into her body, her red wings flaring, the shimmering color matching the red streaks in her hair.

Her eyes gleam with humor as they land on mine.

I hold up my hand before she can speak. “Save it. Just tell us what you found.”

She tsks. “Later, then.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she crosses her arms over her chest. “Nothing that I could find. The island feels like any other?—”

“Until?” Knox prompts, a muscle feathering in his jaw.

She clicks her tongue. “Delilah’s right, it’s in the center. I can’t see it but…I can feel it. Any guesses?” she asks, turning to Knox.

“I’ll have to approach it myself, but it’s hidden. I guess—” Knox’s mouth snaps shut and he whips to me. “Your necklace.”

My hand wraps around it, and I’m surprised to feel it’s slightly warm. The Veil of Truth spell.

“It’s veiled,” I whisper.

“Delilah and I will go first. Everyone stay close behind in case there’s another spell in play.” Before Knox is even done relaying his orders, he’s scooping me into his arms and flaring his wings.

We plummet off the ledge, Knox beating his glorious black wings with a flourish that shoots us into the sky. His court follow behind, closer than he ordered. My eyes snag on an altercation between Elysia and Axel before she shoves him with a glare and flies on her own. Despite the situation, my lips twitch as he grumbles and follows.

Wind rips my hair this way and that as Knox flies through a current. A sound of confusion rises in his chest, the vibration felt along my arm. It has me turning back to the island—which seems to be farther away now.

“Hold on,” he warns before tightening his hold on me and soaring, wings pumping.

Before I can question what is happening, Knox blows out a breath, and along with it comes a large gust of wind from behind us. Axel’s air slams into us too, pushing us all forward to catch the floating island.

“What we need is certainly there,” Knox growls.

We’re fast approaching. Too fast. But we’re going to have to land atop it, otherwise it will continue to fly away.

My hold around Knox’s neck tightens as he squeezes me in warning. A second later, Knox dives for the water, and a shrill scream leaves my lips.