Page 26 of Reaper's Quest

“No.” The guard threw his arms wide but made no effort to pursue the escapee.

“Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.”

The closer they got, the more their features became discernible. Something about them seemed…off.

The escapee raced straight into the wide band of aqua air?the almost invisible barrier situated between us and the citadel.

A gale overtook the bridge, flaring my cloak and whipping my ponytail wildly at my back. I planted my feet and fought against the wind to stand my ground. The added force made the possibility to turn and run so easy and inviting, but I didn’t. I held my stance and stared, my mouthagape.

The person in the midst of the aqua barrier froze, as if trapped against a wall of sticky tape. “Freeeee?—”

Their face contorted. Their body widened, flattened, and took on a new, unrecognizable form.

The direction of the wild wind shifted, thrusting up and out. It carried away a putrid odor—something akin to oozing, rotting flesh.

I yelped, then gagged, jerking my hand to my chest.

The person on the bridge vanished.

Gone, but not gone.

Emerging from the aqua energy—a dark, winged creature. One of the flying creatures from the train.

It flew straight at us.

Shhhriek.

8

The wind circled and slammed to the ground, racing along the bridge, and rushing past me and my team like a wild carnival ride.

Chace slipped and stumbled backward.Hitting the ground on his backside, he cursed under his breath.

His attention remained glued to the creature flapping its wings in the sky, his mouth tight and eyebrows slammed down. A muscle along his jaw pulsed, and something unreadable flashed behind his eyes. There and gone in the blink of an eye.

The scene screamed extraordinary, but something about Chace’s reaction seemed…more.

My hand shot forward in offering, and before I could rethink to whom I’d extended my help, Chace accepted. One slight tug…and despite the thrashing of the wind around us…he stood back on his feet, yet he didn’t release his grip. His callused skin warmed my palm, the sensation awakening nerve endings I’d never paid much attention to before.

“You okay?” My voice sounded meek, as if I’d been afraid to speak the words.

But I wasn’t afraid…was I? More like surprised. By the citizen-turned-flying-monster and Chace’s reaction.

His gaze snapped to me, and our eyes locked. “Yes. Thank you. It’s just…”

His attention swung back to the creature flying up and away.

He shook his head, leaving his sentence unfinished.

For reasons I couldn’t pinpoint, I sensed his reaction came from something other than the transformation we’d witnessed. Only…what else could there be?

My heart hammered with the power of a banshee’s wail. My concerns and fears no doubt leaked through every pore of my body. We’d yet to find a way into the citadel, and Chace, he already…

I’d never seen that side of him before. What wasn’t he sharing?

The question hung on the tip of my tongue, but the Gunn-Badden family feud held my voice.

He likely wouldn’t divulge the truth anyway.