Page 103 of Wolf of Ashes
“Try swallowing!” I cry. Not that my own attempts to clear my ears have helped.
Across from me, Lucian is up and out of his chair, the confident smile he wore only seconds ago vanishing from his face. “Jonah!” he shouts. “What the hell is going on?”
Jonah’s voice sounds before he reappears in the aisle beside me. “We’ve been betrayed.”
Heat radiates out from his form and all the visible veins running across his skin are turning to lava. “It can only be Halle.”
Lucian’s golden eyes widen. “Vanguard’s sister?” He shakes his head. “My father dealt with her years ago.”
Jonah stares back at Lucian with clear derision. “If you thought she was dead, that’s what shewantedyou to believe. Now get out of the fucking way.”
Lucian isn’tinJonah’s way, so it’s a confusing order.
Jonah inclines his head sharply in Diavolo’s direction.
Oh.
Diavolo smiles and the temperature around us lowers to freezing cold as he rises out of his chair. The acidic scent of smoke fills my chest, hot and cold at the same time, a mind-spinning combination.
His eyes turn white, his skin becomes gray like burned ash, and his size increases so fast that his shirt tears. The ripped material floats off his body while his pants stretch dangerously tight around his thighs.
Lucian jolts in his seat, finally paying attention, but not in time to save himself from what must be the very unpleasant experience of Diavolo’s enenra arm sailing through Lucian’s chest.
Diavolo plows past Lucian into the aisle.
“Fuck!” Lucian shouts, recoiling against his seat.
Diavolo pauses beside him. His voice is cold. “You should hide now, boy.” And to me, he says, “Protect Elijah until we can make a move.”
“Hide?” Lucian snaps, jumping up from his seat. “Fuck you.” He lowers his voice, facing up to the keeper. “When this is over, you’re dead.”
Diavolo stares back at him, a mountain of ash and smoke beside Lucian’s starry sky appearance.
“You first,” Diavolo says, gesturing for Lucian to step ahead of him in the aisle.
Lucian’s eyes narrow before he pushes in front of Diavolo. “We’ll see who lives, old man.”
When Lucian turns his back on the keeper, Diavolo throws me a smile. It’s a wicked grin. Maybe he’s tuning in to my thoughts about making Lucian fail. Certainly, he goaded Lucian into joining him in the first line of defense.
Assuming Halle attacks from that direction.
If my ears weren’t so full, I might be able to hear her approach, whether or not it’s from the sky or some other direction. Of course, she might already be on board—could have been on board the whole time, and will merely stroll on in to our car.
Jonah has remained in the empty space of the seating area beside ours. He draws closer to me, true to his promise to guard Elijah with his life.
He gives me a brief nod before he returns his attention to our surroundings.
I want nothing more than to demand to know where Elijah needs to go, but I have to wait until the fight starts so there’s no chance Lucian will overhear.
Outside in the darkness, the forest has thickened. The train is traveling much faster than it should be—so fast, it doesn’t take the next curve of track so well. Elijah is jostled against my side. I snatch up his sunglasses before they can slide across the floor, push them into his hands, and then haul him up into my arms. Anarchy draws closer to my legs, placing herself between me and danger.
No sooner have I lifted Elijah onto my lap than the roof of the car only five rows in front of us explodes upward, metal shrieking.
The pressure in my ears releases just as dark ropes snake through the opening above.
Not ropes.
Vines.
